FORAGER Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult

Michelle Dowd's youthful voice makes it easy for listeners to be transported to the Field--the apocalyptic cult begun by her strict, religious grandfather in 1931 in which she grew up. She begins each chapter with an instructive recitation of her mother's teachings about healing plants, information that eventually gives her new ways to view the world. Her narration is almost buoyant as she depicts demands for total obedience, extreme military training, periodic desertion by her parents, and a lack of affection. When illness eventually removes Dowd from the cult, a new confidence and self-assurance fill her narration as she breaks free from the rigidity and abuse that have controlled her life. S.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]