Naked on God's Doorstep: A Memoir

Duckworth's winsome story of her life will draw readers eager to work through their own struggles. Her father was committed to a mental institution when she was a child, with the resulting poverty and discrimination a heavy burden for both Duckworth and her mother. Her mother had health problems as well, eventually dying at age 47. Through the years Duckworth found solace in God, gradually facing her pain and finding understanding. “I have always believed that Daddy abandoned me,” she says. “All these years, I've pounded my gavel and pronounced Daddy guilty.” That revelation of abandonment and blame is the basis for this book. While discussion questions at the end help Christian readers dig deeper into their own abandonment issues and find strength in a caring God, readers may wish for more obvious links sooner. Yet Duckworth's honesty about herself and her troubles is engaging as she describes her mistakes and missteps as well as her victories. Those who have read some of Duckworth's other 16 books will find much to enjoy, and new readers will relish getting to know this strong woman who knows first hand about life's hardships and God's faithfulness. (Nov. 20)