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Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Spiritual Memoir
A woman's coming-of-age journey through the rugged landscape of Wales to the reflective quiet of a retreat center. Along the way she questions and explores the depth of her Methodist faith as she comes to terms with her bisexual identity.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
30 people are currently reading
433 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew
8 books143 followersHello, fellow readers! I'm using Goodreads to track my reading, to find like-minded book-lovers who want to share titles, and to connect with readers of my books. Feel free to follow my reviews or become a virtual friend.
As a writer, I'm passionate about creating stories that nourish the soul. I love exploring how faith functions, both inside and outside of religious traditions, and depicting the life of the Spirit at our culture's margins.
As a writer, I'm passionate about creating stories that nourish the soul. I love exploring how faith functions, both inside and outside of religious traditions, and depicting the life of the Spirit at our culture's margins.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 22, 2015
Speaks to the Soul
The language of the soul is tricky to translate, and yet this memoir speaks eloquently, honestly, and with grace. I feel blessed to have read it. We are all on a journey, one that will last a lifetime, and I recommend this to any and all who would like the voice of another traveler to share her insights. This journey is both horrible and heroic, depressing and uplifting, complex and simple. Elizabeth has a remarkable story and I'm so glad she wrote it and has shared it. Thank you.
The language of the soul is tricky to translate, and yet this memoir speaks eloquently, honestly, and with grace. I feel blessed to have read it. We are all on a journey, one that will last a lifetime, and I recommend this to any and all who would like the voice of another traveler to share her insights. This journey is both horrible and heroic, depressing and uplifting, complex and simple. Elizabeth has a remarkable story and I'm so glad she wrote it and has shared it. Thank you.
January 25, 2009
Beautiful spiritual memoir that documents a woman accepting her bisexuality. A must-read for people who are bisexual, spiritual, female, or breathing.
May 27, 2017
Every now and then it's good to read something real, something raw, that is full of revelation and change. The author held my hand and said, "you can do anything, let me show you how it's done." And when I thought there couldn't possibly be more to love here, I turned the page and together we walked through another door. I adored this and can't wait to dig into her other books.
November 16, 2022
This little tiny book is a powerhouse packed into mere inches. It is a small format book that weighs in at only 200 pages. So it doesn't take long to read. But it had me crying, it had me writing, and it had me really thinking about a lot of compelling questions central to life, namely, sexuality and spirituality. Told in a very readable style, I couldn't put it down, but I'm glad I didn't gobble it all up in one sitting.
I was here mainly for the sexuality part, because I wanted to know how she wrestled with that and came to her decision about her identity. But she has such a twisty, circuitous route to get there. Not that she was dilly dallying, but one thing I will say is that she is unflinchingly, even painfully honest, and does not cut herself any slack. I found the intersection of sexuality and spirituality to be interesting. As someone who is leaning bi and only coming to realize that later in life, I understand all the questions, both internally and externally. And as someone who grew up religious, even fervently so, and now do not really consider myself a Christian any longer, I found her faith journey very interesting. This is a polite Scandinavian Lutheran way of saying Wow, that's different, okay, not the way I would have done it but you do you.
Like I said, she doesn't cut herself any slack, and I think she beats herself up on certain questions. But she has also arrived at some stunning truths, and some peace that is enviable. So maybe the only way out is through. I found her experience with her nephew to be heart-rending, and so well spoken. And her experience with the fire was shocking and compelling. How does one come through all this? I credit her solid childhood, which other than her dad's health scare seems like it was idyllic.
At the end, with a resounding crack, she urges the reader to tell their story. She compels one to write. She orders it. And her beautiful prose makes one want to try. This is a lovely little volume with a huge message. I had heard of it for years but didn't know what it was. I went on retreat to ARC Retreat Community last spring, and saw this in their little gift nook. I'm so glad I picked it up. I also picked up her craft book, and I'm glad for that also, because knowing I had that kept me from trying to dissect this to figure out how she did it. I still want to know, but I'll read the craft book first.
I'm sure I could read this again, and get just as much, if not more, out of it. It would probably be wholly different the second time, actually. Highly recommend for anyone who is writing memoir, or who is on any kind of journey of their own.
I was here mainly for the sexuality part, because I wanted to know how she wrestled with that and came to her decision about her identity. But she has such a twisty, circuitous route to get there. Not that she was dilly dallying, but one thing I will say is that she is unflinchingly, even painfully honest, and does not cut herself any slack. I found the intersection of sexuality and spirituality to be interesting. As someone who is leaning bi and only coming to realize that later in life, I understand all the questions, both internally and externally. And as someone who grew up religious, even fervently so, and now do not really consider myself a Christian any longer, I found her faith journey very interesting. This is a polite Scandinavian Lutheran way of saying Wow, that's different, okay, not the way I would have done it but you do you.
Like I said, she doesn't cut herself any slack, and I think she beats herself up on certain questions. But she has also arrived at some stunning truths, and some peace that is enviable. So maybe the only way out is through. I found her experience with her nephew to be heart-rending, and so well spoken. And her experience with the fire was shocking and compelling. How does one come through all this? I credit her solid childhood, which other than her dad's health scare seems like it was idyllic.
At the end, with a resounding crack, she urges the reader to tell their story. She compels one to write. She orders it. And her beautiful prose makes one want to try. This is a lovely little volume with a huge message. I had heard of it for years but didn't know what it was. I went on retreat to ARC Retreat Community last spring, and saw this in their little gift nook. I'm so glad I picked it up. I also picked up her craft book, and I'm glad for that also, because knowing I had that kept me from trying to dissect this to figure out how she did it. I still want to know, but I'll read the craft book first.
I'm sure I could read this again, and get just as much, if not more, out of it. It would probably be wholly different the second time, actually. Highly recommend for anyone who is writing memoir, or who is on any kind of journey of their own.
January 29, 2008
beautiful prose. i love it when an author's use of language makes me slow down and savor their words.
March 27, 2008
Honest well-written memoir of Andrew's struggle around her sexuality. She uses The Secret Garden as an illuminating structure.
July 18, 2008
I felt like this book was a constant prayer unfolding...beautifully written.
November 15, 2020
I loved this memoir. It is such a tender exploration told in poetic language and brought me to tears. I could feel her longing to know and live her true self.
Read
March 13, 2021Reviews and more on my blog: Entering the Enchanted Castle
This was a brave, honest, and beautifully written memoir about a young woman's spiritual journey toward self-acceptance -- represented by accepting an alternative sexuality not generally approved of in Christian circles. What shone through to me was how important it is to love the world and all the gifts it brings to us, and not to close ourselves off from possibilities of love, through fear of hurt or criticism or rejection.
This was a brave, honest, and beautifully written memoir about a young woman's spiritual journey toward self-acceptance -- represented by accepting an alternative sexuality not generally approved of in Christian circles. What shone through to me was how important it is to love the world and all the gifts it brings to us, and not to close ourselves off from possibilities of love, through fear of hurt or criticism or rejection.
January 10, 2020
Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Spiritual Memoir -- Elizabeth J. Andrew (13 stories)
I wasn't sure what I was exactly expecting when I picked this book up. But the outcome wasn’t what I thought it would be about. I suppose the best way to describe these stories is that they feel like stream of consciousness writings. I was looking forward to reading this because I thought it was going to be about a lesbian's spiritual journey. It turned out to be about a bisexual woman's spiritual journey, so that kind of took the shine off of it for me. (I know that sounds bad, so please forgive me; sent that comment aside; and read on.)
But here’s the crazy thing: While I struggled with the story as I was reading it, I grew to like it more and more. This book had quotes that I assume are from the book, “The Secret Garden.” (I read the book a few years ago and throughly enjoyed it; I should re-read it and review it.) There is a parallel between this book and that one.
All of the stories built up on each other, like steps. I am not a religious person, but I am a spiritual one; I think this book would appeal to all spiritual people, if the latter can look past some of the religious aspects, as I was able to.
Most definitely, the LGBTQA* religious types that are questioning how their faith can mesh with their sexual orientation, will find some strength in this book. Even non-religious persons will be able to read this book and see the growth the woman took on her life journey. You really can’t ask for much more than that.
From a technical standpoint: The book-cover plays a pivotal role in the author’s stories, as she keeps this picture in her writing desk. However, the formatting on my ebook left a lot to be desired; the spacing between the lines made it was hard to read, and I was unable to manually change that on my device. As a plus: I didn’t see any typos.
I didn’t think I would end up liking this book as I started to read it, but I came to realize that it was a better book than I originally gave it credit for.
Three star.
I wasn't sure what I was exactly expecting when I picked this book up. But the outcome wasn’t what I thought it would be about. I suppose the best way to describe these stories is that they feel like stream of consciousness writings. I was looking forward to reading this because I thought it was going to be about a lesbian's spiritual journey. It turned out to be about a bisexual woman's spiritual journey, so that kind of took the shine off of it for me. (I know that sounds bad, so please forgive me; sent that comment aside; and read on.)
But here’s the crazy thing: While I struggled with the story as I was reading it, I grew to like it more and more. This book had quotes that I assume are from the book, “The Secret Garden.” (I read the book a few years ago and throughly enjoyed it; I should re-read it and review it.) There is a parallel between this book and that one.
All of the stories built up on each other, like steps. I am not a religious person, but I am a spiritual one; I think this book would appeal to all spiritual people, if the latter can look past some of the religious aspects, as I was able to.
Most definitely, the LGBTQA* religious types that are questioning how their faith can mesh with their sexual orientation, will find some strength in this book. Even non-religious persons will be able to read this book and see the growth the woman took on her life journey. You really can’t ask for much more than that.
From a technical standpoint: The book-cover plays a pivotal role in the author’s stories, as she keeps this picture in her writing desk. However, the formatting on my ebook left a lot to be desired; the spacing between the lines made it was hard to read, and I was unable to manually change that on my device. As a plus: I didn’t see any typos.
I didn’t think I would end up liking this book as I started to read it, but I came to realize that it was a better book than I originally gave it credit for.
Three star.
February 12, 2017
This is a sweet true story by the author of "Writing the Sacred Journey" where she shows us how to share our most challenging truths (in her case her bisexual identity) while leaving us feeling the fragrance of love for all parts of our lives, even those that don’t perfectly match up with our truth.
July 29, 2015
Slow but steady on life's path
It took a little bit of reading for this story to grab me; once she got into the actual details of her life I was hooked. Everyone has their own personal "coming out" story to share. Although I can't personally relate to hers on every detail, I can relate to the curve balls that life tossed her way. We all handle these things differently, but one thing is certain, those curves life throws us play a big part in shaping our souls. Ms Andrew was very gracious to share her bared soul and living a life of truth and faith with strangers.
It took a little bit of reading for this story to grab me; once she got into the actual details of her life I was hooked. Everyone has their own personal "coming out" story to share. Although I can't personally relate to hers on every detail, I can relate to the curve balls that life tossed her way. We all handle these things differently, but one thing is certain, those curves life throws us play a big part in shaping our souls. Ms Andrew was very gracious to share her bared soul and living a life of truth and faith with strangers.
August 23, 2015
This is a bi Christian coming out story. A lot of the story resonated with me -- very much a path that many of us have walked when reconciling our faith and sexuality but from a bi perspective. There really isn't much out there from that point of view so it's good to see a reconciling book that does address the specifics of a bi person's walk. In general this comes from a more mainline perspective. I was a little put off by the part on the path where she runs away but this still has a lot of good stuff in it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews