Visions of Glory

by Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

Book Overview

A HISTORY AND MEMORY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671225308
• ISBN13: 9780671225308
• Release Date: September 1978
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 413 Pages
• Weight: 1.85 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Truth About the Lies

This book is extremely moving and well-written. It's a shame it's out of print. The history of the Jehovah's Witnesses presented here is easily verifiable. The personal vignettes are sweet, sad, and horrifying by turns. There have been some changes in Society policy since 1979 when this book was published, but not much. Not enough to erase their past or present flaws. I've been away from the organization for only 3 years, and my family is still very much wrapped up in it. I highly recomend this honest, objective look at the effects of the Jehovah's Witness faith on a woman who was a member from childhood.

An incredible book for a limited audiance

Barbara Grizzuti Harrison is an amazing author, and I think this may be her least known book, though it is some of her finest work.Visions of Glory is both her personal escape from the Watchtower Society and a public history of the Jehovah's Witnesses. The history part is well researched and would be of interest to any ex-JW. Her personal story is inspiring; this is probably the book that single-handedly changed my life for the better as a teen understanding my quasi-christian past.Harrison is a wonderful writer, and comes across as the best friend or grandma you wish you'd had. She's eloquent, but not long or hard to understand (and she uses parentheses more than anyone else I've ever read). There are countless passages that surprised me when I read them or even made me cry- hell, that make me cry still. She's wonderful, too, for the funny quote you just gotta share on your blog.

Evocative, Compelling, Familiar

Barbara Grizzuti Harrison writes of her life as Jehovah's Witness during the 1950's. One would hope in almost 50 years that the beliefs, prejudices, and controlling aspects of the religion would have changed during this time. As a former Jehovah's Witness who was involved in the sect up until 1995 I can attest that this is not the case.Grizzuti Harrison writes in such a way as to provide a window into the religion for those who have never been involved in it, and a mirror for those, like myself, who spent much of their lives within the faith. I recommend this book wholeheartedly as a research tool, and for those people whose family members have become, or are thinking of becoming involved with the organization known as the Jehovah's Witnesses. It is also a healing tool for those who have left, a reaffirmation of the presence of sanity after leaving a dysfunctional religion.