The Patriarch and the Prodigal Son

NeonMadman

I'm trying to get a copy of a book published many years ago entitled The Patriarch and the Prodigal Son, by Joel Stanley. It is an account of his growing up as a JW, and includes accounts of alleged child abuse in his family. I'm hoping someone here has a copy they're willing to sell, or knows where I can get one.

Joel grew up in the Claremont, NH area, and became a friend of mine when I was a young JW in western Mass. However, he became apostate many years before I did , and as a result, we lost touch. If anyone happens to know where he is, that info would be helpful, too.

Tom

"At midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew go out and round up everyone who knows more than they do"
--Bob Dylan

NeonMadman

bttt

Tom

"At midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew go out and round up everyone who knows more than they do"
--Bob Dylan

NeonMadman

bttt again, since it's Saturday

Tom

"At midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew go out and round up everyone who knows more than they do"
--Bob Dylan

coffee_black

Hi,
I think I vaguely remember a Joel from the Claremont cong. We used to stay outside Ludlow, Vermont each summer, and the closest congregation was Cleremont. It's many years ago. A JW family owned an old farmhouse outside of Ludlow, in Andover, and my family was very close to them, so we had the run of the place. We vacation pioneered nearly every year there. I'm back in MA now, after living in Florida for 20 years. We may know some of the same people. Did you know the Brooks? Chris Brooks married Doug (last name?) So very long ago. The Newtons were the owners of the farm. They were from Melrose, MA.
cb

NeonMadman

Sorry, I don't know any of the people you mentioned. I was in western Mass. way back then, and Joel (whose brother was a close friend of mine) was in my congregation for a while. He would have been in Claremont before that, which would have put it in the middle 1960's or so. It was later, probably late 1970's that he got disfellowshipped and became "apostate" and wrote his book. He was actively opposing the JW's for a few years, then faded from sight. I haven't heard from him or of him since.

Tom

"Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards. But Eden is burning"
--Bob Dylan

coffee_black

The time frame is right. Have you tried doing a white pages search in the New England states? Shouldn't be too hard to locate. Are you still in MA?

cb

NeonMadman

Nope, now I'm in New Jersey. Moved from MA in 1999, to NJ last October, when I married my high school sweetheart (also originally from western MA).

Maybe I'll try a white pages search. Hadn't thought of it, since my goal was not to contact Joel in person necessarily, as much as to score a copy of his book. Not that I'd mind hearing from Joel again, just hadn't thought of it in those terms. Guess if I got in touch with him, he might have a few unsold copies lying around, huh?

Tom

"Gentlemen, he said, I don't need your organization, I've shined your shoes, I've moved your mountains and marked your cards. But Eden is burning"
--Bob Dylan

coffee_black

Could work. Let me know. I'd like to read it too! Especially since I kind of remember him.
Congratulations! I'm dating someone I dated as a teenager. We were both raised jws, and both got out. Life is interesting, huh?

cb

The Patriarch and the Prodigal Son

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