Task #12: Read a memoir by someone from a religious tradition (or lack of religious tradition) that is not your own

[Maryam]

Alicia wrote: "Educated by Tara Westover would fit."

I'm going with Educated for this Task.Thanks!

[Jo]

I'm considering Priestdaddy (Catholicism) and Initiated: Memoir of a Witch (Wicca)!

[Stephanie]

Looking for Judaism centric books that aren't centered around leaving the faith. I have some ideas from replies on here but curious to see if my question will shake out any other recs!

[Lindsey]

Planning to read We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir for this task—it’s been on my list!

[Dayna]

Does anyone have any recs that have to do with Buddhism? Thanks!

[Cindi]

Dayna wrote: "Does anyone have any recs that have to do with Buddhism? Thanks!"

"Faithfully Religionless" by Timber Hawkeye is a memoir and talks about his path to the Buddhist temple, and then beyond.

[Dayna]

Emily wrote: "“My Spiritual Journey” by The Dalai Lama"

Cindi wrote: "Dayna wrote: "Does anyone have any recs that have to do with Buddhism? Thanks!"

"Faithfully Religionless" by Timber Hawkeye is a memoir and talks about his path to the Buddhist temple, and then be..."

Perfect, thank you!

[Amy]

Would Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology count for this one?

[Andrea]

Amy J. wrote: "Looking for suggestions, specifically for a good, christian memoir. (I'm an atheist)."

Unashamed by Lecrae.

[Audra]

There are so many that I want to read for this category but I think I am going with Unashamed: Musings of a Fat, Black Muslim

[Ari]

Would Leah Remini's "Troublemaker" work for this? (I am not a Scientologist nor have I ever been)

[Bonnie G.]

The Sound of Gravel isn't cheating at all. It is very much a memoir about the author's experience of a specific religious tradition

[Maddie]

I finished Goat Song: A Seasonal Life, A Short History of Herding, and the Art of Making Cheese shortly before the new year and wish I had saved it. Kessler is Jewish and I believe the memoir about his farming adventures is definitely influenced by his religious background. It was a delightful book (although a little graphic on goat sex LOL).

[Octavia]

I basically lucky-dipped this one, as religious memoir isn't really my thing, so I plumped for the first suitable library book I could find. It was Secret Ceremonies: A Mormon Woman's Intimate Diary of Marriage and Beyond by Deborah Laake - about Mormonism, obviously! Of which my atheist self knows nothing.

Anyway, it was really good, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Will have to give more religious memoirs a go if they're all like this!

[Cindi]

the World's Strongest Librarian could work for this one, as the author does talk about his Mormon life, but it's not only about Mormonism. I learned about the Mormon faith but also the story of a man understanding his disability & a way to cope with it. it was a good one.

[Bonnie G.]

ChezJulie wrote: "Dakota: A Spiritual Geography was a very good, meditative book about a woman who moves to a small town in South Dakota and continues in..."

Oooh, I have this on my shelf and did not even think of it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Sarah]

I read Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? last year and it was fantastic. Reading Educated this year!

[Maelia]

I read Educated and Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life last year, which were both amazing, and I'm not really sure how I could top it this year! I was hoping someone might recommend a memoir by someone who was not a member of an established major religion, but rather someone who was raised in an alternative 60s/70s/80s collective/cult. Any recommendations?

[Katrisa]

I just finished The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State and it was harrowing, but ultimately I am glad that I read it because I had never even heard of the Yazidi people. It is heartbreaking what Nadia went through, but inspiring that she is now an activist fighting trafficking

[L.h.]

What do y'all think about Something That May Shock and Discredit You? It's a collection of personal essays, but Lavery's relationship to his evangelical upbringing is a huge influence on his life and greatly complicated his transition. (I'm Jewish, so I'm not hurting for memoir choices, but this collection really interested me.)

[Bonnie G.]

L.h. wrote: "What do y'all think about Something That May Shock and Discredit You? It's a collection of personal essays, but Lavery's relationship to his evangelical upbringing is a huge influen..."

It sounds really interesting, but it is cultural commentary, not memoir. I personally would not count it, but I would read it, and I thank you for bringing it to my attention. (I am Jewish too, and if you are interested in memoirs from people who ran from fundamentalist Christianity I recommend Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life)

[Elizabeth]

I think I know what I'm probably going to read for this task (We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir) but I think the thing I have found hardest about this task is that I am currently studying for conversion and I don't feel right about reading anything from the tradition of my childhood, the confused atheism of my early adulthood, or the religion I'm converting to now, which eliminates a lot of options right out of the gate.

Has anyone else had this concern?

[Dustyloup]

Elizabeth wrote: "I think I know what I'm probably going to read for this task (We Have Always Been Here: A Queer Muslim Memoir) but I think the thing I have found hardest about this task is that I a..."

In a way, almost everyone's religious tradition is different than your own. People's personal experiences, intersectionality, time period in which you are practicing, etc. could all make your experience very different from your neighbor's. I think the fact that you are converting means that your experience of either the religion you're converting out of or into will be quite different than that of someone who's stayed in the religion a long time.
I just recently read Educated or I would choose that, so I will probably go with The Rabbi's Cat 2 in French. Not sure if I love the series, so it's a challenge for me.

[Cheryl]

I read Troublemaker: Surviving Scientology and Hollywood by Leah Remini. Although I consider Scientology a cult, I shoehorned it into this task because so many see it as a religion.

[Jason]

I'm debating between reading The Complete Maus or The Complete Persepolis. Any suggestions on which is best?

[Milena]

Jason wrote: "I'm debating between reading The Complete Maus or The Complete Persepolis. Any suggestions on which is best?"

There is really nothing about religion or religious practices in Maus, if I remember correctly. Other than being put in a concentration camp because they're Jewish. I haven't read Persepolis, but it may be more focused on the religious aspects.

[Cat]

Jason wrote: "I'm debating between reading The Complete Maus or The Complete Persepolis. Any suggestions on which is best?"

I liked Maus better, but I call it "the best graphic novel I never want to read again". It stuck with me.
Persepolis was also really good, but I wasnt as captivated by it.

If I were you, I'd just decide whether I wanted to read about the Holocaust or Iran.

[Leslie (updates on SG)]

I finished The Seven Good Years by Etgar Keret, a secular Jew who lives in Israel. His memoir is packed with hilarious and well-crafted stories.

[Chickadee]

I read Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor's Struggle for Home in Rural America Highly recommend. The author gives a speech in his town and interspersed throughout the speech are his experiences moving into the town and how his life changed after Trump was elected.

[Toni]

Thanks, Chickadee. "Love Thy Neighbor" sounds both good, important, & timely.

[Krista]

I plan to reread something new and not do a re-read, but I HIGHLY recommend Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. I read it for the 2015 Read Harder, and it still sticks in my memory.

For anyone that's a fan of audiobooks, she narrates the book herself.

[Hope]

If anyone isn’t Muslim is interested in an audiobook for this one the audible original Try Another Dream by Masood Zayid is both funny and interesting. It also fits as a main character with a disability because Zayid has cerebral palsy. I read at the end of last year so I’m not using it for this challenge but wanted to mention it because I enjoyed it.

[Sarah]

I’m going with Leaving the Witness: Exiting a Religion and Finding a Life by Amber Scorah.

[Kris V]

I’m going to be reading this, just procured a copy now that it’s been released in paperback, and I’ve seen Jackson read live, he’s incredible.
Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family
By Mitchell S. Jackson

[Hope]

I’m triple dipping on this one. Diary of a young girl fits this challenge, YA nonfiction, and middle reader not set in the UK or US. I haven’t read it since I was assigned to in 8th grade (I’m 44) so I feel like it’s time to read it again.

[Olivia]

I will be reading Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood.

[Cassidy]

Does any one have suggestions where religion is NOT the central theme? A memoir by someone who happens to be of a different faith than you?

eidited to add: I found this list: https://www.womensweb.in/2015/09/10-m...

[Cindi]

@Cassidy, I read World's Strongest Librarian. it's a memoir of a man with Touretts syndrome and is Mormon. there's a lot going on in this book, it's not too heavy on the religion but does talk about it enough to explain what he's doing. I learned about Mormon tradition but didn't feel preached at. it was really interesting.

[Cindi]

@Cassidy, also, Faithfully Religion less by Timber Hawkeye - it's a very short memoir that follows his discovery of the faith he was born with (Jewish), the religion around him the the US (Christian) & his search for more. the audio is well done, too, and narrated by the author, if you'd like to give that a try as well.

[Christine]

Seeking Allah find Jesus. A great read. Giving you a Muslim background as well as Christian view.

[Katie]

I'm reading a graphic memoir, Can We Talk about Something More Pleasant ? It's about losing one's parents & death and is written by a Jewish woman, Roz Chast.

[Lauconn]

I read Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening, by a Saudi Muslim woman - it's wonderful, and her religion is not at all the main focus.

[Sherri]

I used Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. She was raised Jehovah Witness.

[Tom]

I've used spoiler tags for my read as the violent crime which the book I mention is about may be too upsetting for some.

(view spoiler)[Would Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America by Mamie Till-Mobley count for this challenge? The author makes numerous references to deriving strength from her Christian faith following the lynching murder of her son, although religion is not strictly speaking the focus of the book. As an atheist, this would seem to tick the boxes for me. (hide spoiler)]

Failing that, I will probably give Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape a go, as it sounds interesting.

[Shelley]

Katrisa wrote: "I just finished The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State and it was harrowing, but ultimately I am glad that I read it because I had never even h..."

I also read this and found it fascinating. It was a difficult read, but so important. I had head of the Yazidi, in particular I heard of their women fighters and pictures of them being liberated, but never got the whole background to it. This would also work for those who are looking for a book where religion isn't the focus. For Nadia, her community's religion is the explanation, not the story itself. I will say that she definitely hand waves over some of the more problematic parts of her religion which made me cringe.

[Pam]

I’m reading Have a Little Faith: a true story by Mitch Albom. I read Educated for The BookRiot Read Harder Challenge 2019 and wanted something softer this year. I’m almost half way through and enjoying it.

[Teresa]

I read Born with Teeth by Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Janeway on Star Trek Voyager. She was raised Roman Catholic.

[Cassidy]

A newly released memoir should fit for some: This Is What America Looks Like: My Journey from Refugee to Congresswoman.

[Jasmine's]

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

interesting, not what i'd usually read

[Virginia]

I read Educated by Tara Westover for this prompt. I have the ebook but listened to the audio by a very good narrator, Julia Wheelan, from my library (Overdrive app).