In the vein of Educated and The Glass Castle, Uncultured is more than a memoir about an exceptional upbringing, but about a woman who, no matter the lack of tools given to her, is determined to overcome.

There, she bravely enrolls herself in high school and excels, later graduating as valedictorian of her college class, then electing to join the military to begin a career as an intelligence officer, where she believes she will finally belong.īut she soon learns that her new world―surrounded by men on the sands of Afghanistan―looks remarkably similar to the one she desperately tried to leave behind. Beholden to The Family’s strict rules, Daniella suffers physical, emotional, and sexual abuse―masked as godly discipline and divine love―and is forbidden from getting a traditional education.Īt fifteen years old, fed up with The Family and determined to build a better and freer life for herself, Daniella escapes to Texas. Her mother, at thirteen, was forced to marry the leader and served as his secretary for many years. Her great-grandmother donated land for one of The Family’s first communes in Texas. 'Behind the tall, foreboding gates of a commune in Brazil, Daniella Mestyanek Young was raised in the religious cult The Children of God, also known as The Family, as the daughter of high-ranking members. What's it about? Here's the book jacket description to give you a peak. It's been such a whirlwind journey, from book deal to presale in less than nine months, and I'm so grateful I found a publisher willing to take on this story, these very serious themes, and hopefully launch a national conversation about group behavior and the organizations that we hold dearest. So excited to announce my memoir, UNCULTURED, a memoir of cults, war and belonging, goes on Presale today with MacMillan and St.

Uncultured daniella