Blue Windows

From Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christian Science, to Deepak Chopra, Americans have struggled with the connection between health and happiness. Barbara Wilson was taught by her Christian Scientist family that there was no sickness or evil, and that by maintaining this belief she would be protected. But such beliefs were challenged when Wilson's own mother died of breast cancer after deciding not to seek medical attention, having been driven mad by the contradiction between her religion and her reality. In this perceptive and textured memoir, Wilson surveys the complex history of Christian Science and the role of women in religion and healing.

Praise

"Wonderfully lucid . . . scrupulously fair-minded . . . The best sort of childhood memoir: It reaches beyond the troubled family . . . to illuminate a whole society . . . Like a pebble tossed into a pond, Blue Windows resonates in ever-widening circles."—Francine Prose, New York Newsday

"A memoir of exceptional sensitivity and intelligence."—The New Yorker

"Graceful, superbly written . . . In an age when the memoir has become transcendent, Blue Windows is among the best"—Donn Fry, The Seattle Times

"Painfully searching, honest, and, ultimately, inspiring . . . [this] courageous and moving memoir evokes a world of childhood faith and healing."—Cynthia Schrager, The Women's Review of Books

"A brave memoir . . . Wilson movingly explores [her childhood]."—Ruth Coughlin, The Cleveland Plain Dealer

About the Author(s)

Barbara Wilson

Barbara Wilson is the cofounder of two publishing companies, Seal Press and Women in Translation. She is also the author of several novels, translations, and a short story collection. She lives in Seattle, Washington.