Mom's Tree House

About a month ago, my sister-in-law Franny, hands me a book called “Finding Angela Shelton” written by Angela Shelton. She informed me that she got it at the dollar store but that I needed to read it. With not much thought, I put the book aside and forgot about it. I then found the book in one of my many unopened boxes from the move and started reading. Within a week, I was done with the book and grateful that I read it. Finding Angela Shelton is by far, one of the most powerful books I have read in a long time.

Angela starts off the book by leaving to go across country to find and survey women who shared her name, other Angela Sheltons. While searching all these Angela Sheltons, Angela discovers more than half  (24 out of 40) of the women interviewed have been victims of child abuse, rape and/or domestic abuse. With this in mind, Angela then realizes that if those numbers represent her small sample of women, then what does that say about women in America in general.

Through her search, Angela is forced to deal with her own sexual abuse but find strength and empowerment through all the other Angela Sheltons she meets. These Angela Sheltons, shared their stories of abuse, violence and how  society silenced and diminished their abuse. These women also talked about how the abuse affected them in one way or another, and for some, on how they even overcame it. 

  Angela discovers that  she is much like them and decides to confront her father on Father’s Day, who sexually abused her and her siblings as children.  Angela narrates the story with great emotions, humor and bravery. In finishing the book, I then rented the actual HBO documentary and it simply added to the characters personalities, as you actually get to see them on screen and sympathize with each of them.

Through this journey across country, Angela finds that she was really searching for herself as to try to obtain closure with her father and her past. In the process, she discovers that she is not alone, coming to the realizations that  abuse of women was is  a nationwide global  epidemic that no one really wants to talk about.

This book is a must read for all women. It will inspire you and wake you. This book is to be passed on to your daughters as well as your sons. It’s time that abuse and violence against women is taught to be unacceptable and intolerable. I myself was an Angela Shelton, but thankfully, today I am me. Are you still an Angela Shelton?

Angela Shelton

Angela Shelton (born December 5, 1972) is an American screenwriter, actress, and documentary film producer, best known for the film Tumbleweeds and the documentary Searching for Angela Shelton, which she wrote, directed, and edited. Angela Shelton continues her journey advocating  against violence/abuse of women. For more information on the Angela Shelton movement, you can visit her website here. 

Finding Angela Shelton can be purchased at Amazon.com

If you or if you know someone that is in abusive situation, you can get help at The National Domestic Violence Hotline  or simply call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). It is always private, confidential and you can call anonymously.

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