Imagine an 18-year-old girl who had never read a newspaper, never watched TV or been to a restaurant; who had never heard of Elvis Presley or Marilyn Monroe, and who could not dance — and this in 1960s Massachusetts.
Patricia Walsh Chadwick grew up in a religious cult whose leaders were Leonard Feeney, an excommunicated Catholic priest, and his spiritual cohort Catherine Clark. When Patricia was six years old, she was forced to live apart from her parents (members of the community) and younger siblings, and soon after her parents were forced to take a vow of celibacy.
The goal of this community of 39 children and about 60 adults was to embrace a life devoted to God and leave everything else behind-family, friendships, romance. When Patricia developed a romantic interest in the community as a teenager, she was banished at age 17, leaving her family behind and forced to walk the world alone without guidance, money, or any access to education.
The paperback version is available for pre-order and will be released April 28. Patricia is now writing her second book, which chronicles her unlikely rise on Wall Street.
This Book of the Month and discussion guide is published and sponsored in partnership with Patricia Walsh Chadwick.
Discussion Questions.
Use these discussion questions to host your next book club meeting.
Resilience is a strong theme running through Little Sister. Is there something about Patricia’s upbringing that makes her resilient, or does it come to her by itself? Are there moments when she seems to lose her resilience? Have you had situations where you were able to overcome adversity and feel stronger because of it?
Patricia’s parents and the other members of the Center were highly educated and intelligent people. Why do you think they didn’t resist the draconian rules that were imposed on them? This story takes place after World War II, and many members of the Center saw firsthand the horrors of war. Is it possible that PTSD played some role in their actions? How does the Center relate to similar situations in the recent past?
Katherine Clark was an influential and controlling figure in Patricia’s life. Is there a point at which these roles switched places? What was the catalyst? How did it affect Patricia’s life after that? Have you had situations where you were able to influence the power structure in important personal relationships – at home, at work, among friends?
