JESUS LAND:

Praise for JESUS LAND..."Julia Scheeres has written a love story that is as romantic and as sad as any recent memoir you'll read; the fact that JESUS LAND tells ofthe relationship between the author and her brother makes it no less so. What Scheeres' devastating book maps out is the story of this thwarted relationship, which somehow survives every twisted setback and deprivation to emerge intact.... It's tough going, but life-affirming."

—The San Francisco Chronicle

"Sibling bond is at the core of JESUS LAND, Scheeres's gritty, heart-wrenching memoir.... A lesser writer would have buckled under the weight of this story... A page turner...Heart-stopping and enraging... There is much praise, these days, for the detached, quietly elegant narrative. But there is little mention of the power a well-tended rage can bring to a good story... Striking... Focused, justified and without a trace of self-pity. Shot through with poignancy..."

—New York Times Book Review

"JESUS LAND is a harrowing memoir, a survivor's testimonial, as well as a harsh look at the seamy underbelly of fundamentalist Christianity. But above all, it is a love story... The facts of Scheeres' story are horrific and heart breaking, but what makes JESUS LAND remarkable is her plain, straightforward, unsentimental point of view... what makes JESUS LAND unique and easy to relate to is its unadorned, dark humor... Many of us could have had the misfortune of stumbling into JESUS LAND but few would have the spirit to survive."

—Los Angeles Times

"[A] rough, brutal, and shockingly good memoir...In the end Scheeres can't save David. But she does save herself, turning her life into art by crafting a searingly alive memoir that's a testament to his memory... JESUS LAND is matter-of-fact, clear-eyed, and compassionate, without vindictiveness, which is, of course, what real Christian charity is about."

—Boston Globe

"JESUS LAND is a fascinating study of how so-called discipline warps young minds... poignant and [more] important to share."

—Seattle Weekly

"Unflinchingly honest..."

—Washington Post

"[A] gripping memoir."

—Essence

"A harrowing memoir of coming-of-age amid religious zealotry...Scheeres manages to balance her righteous rage against fanatical hypocrisy with a smart sense of humor...poignant and heartbreaking."

—Mother Jones

"[A] darkly comic memoir."

—GQ

"A frank and compelling portrait...Tinged with sadness yet pervaded by a sense of triumph, Scheeres's book is a crisply written and earnest examination of the meaning of family and Christian values, and announces the author as a writer to watch."

—Publishers Weekly

"[JESUS LAND] is a book readers are sure to be talking about, and references to such titles as 'Running With Scissors' and 'Girl, Interrupted' will likely be drawn. Scheeres succeeds at relating a harrowing life story with effortless humor and wisdom."

—Chicago Tribune

"[A] marvelous remembrance... JESUS LAND will break your heart and mend it again, but it won't stop haunting you."

—Entertainment Weekly (A)