Sad, depressing, depraved, troubling. Holy Ghost Girl,a Memoir, by Donna M. Johnson,

Revivalistic approaches to church and spiritual development have always put me off.  I squirm in my seat when I attend a contemporary service of my own church and congregants wave their hands, holler out, "Amen!" or there is a "cattle call" otherwise referred to as being called to the altar.  I just want to crawl between the rows of chairs and worm my way out of there.  People I've known as "normal," acting out so publicly and in church seems show-off-ish.  "Look at me, hear me, I'm so holy."  So, the type of life this girl experienced as she grew up is horrifying to me.  The first 1/3 moves so slowly.  Then you realize this was REAL, not fiction, and her Mom did desert her, leave her with virtual strangers... for years as a time!  The plot picks up in the middle.  After all, she was only about 4 when recollecting her first memories.  But how did she remember so much from such a young age?  The preacher's actions at the tent meetings and then with personal relationships are so decadent.  If reaffirms my basic premise about "famous" evangelists.  They lose their way in fame. But, were any people REALLY healed?   He could read anything in the Bible and not a menu at a restaurant?  He could own multiple ranches, fancy cars, and turn his back on his children and their mothers, and keep all this a secret from the thousands finding their way to God in his services?  Thousands who gave money they could not afford to be without, but felt good giving for "the cause" and their salvation.  And this child saw both sides, lived both sides and no wonder, she was messed up.  That she reached a point where she was able to live a more normal life and write this for others to read, is a miracle.  I give it a 6 out of 10.  It's not my thing.  I give her an 11 out 10 for surviving as well as she did.  I'll sit in my church seat and be touched by God, quietly, maybe even to the point of tears, in a private journey, the results of which I can take to my family and community and be an example for the Word.  Usually.  Not enough.  It's a work in progress.