Born and Razed - by Beth Granger (Paperback)

About the Book

A harrowing memoir about surviving religious abuse at an elite private school in Canada, and being able to take the abusers to account.

Book Synopsis

Thousands have read the headlines. Few know the inside story.

What happens when religion and power collide in the wrong hands? At Grenville Christian College, once one of Canada's most prestigious private religious schools, the result was thousands of broken lives.

Born and Razed recounts the author's gripping and deeply personal journey. Beth's life began at Grenville, where her parents were teachers. The picturesque campus on the banks of the St. Lawrence River masked a dark reality: behind its idyllic facade lay a world of strict control, religious zealotry, and emotional abuse.

Beth was the first baby born at Grenville, but her childhood was far from blessed. When the Mothers, founders of the Benedictine-inspired Community of Jesus in Cape Cod, brought their rigid and punitive vision to the school, life took a devastating turn. For Beth, "repentance" came with public humiliation, relentless criticism, and separation from her family. By age five, she was living apart from her parents, accused of gluttony, and placed on restrictive diets-laying the foundation for a lifelong battle with eating disorders, low self-esteem, and mental health struggles.

Throughout her adolescence, Beth endured emotional torment under the guise of religious instruction. Attempts to seek help were met with harsh judgment, not compassion. Like her family, she was tightly bound by cult-like indoctrination, isolated, and forced to endure the unendurable.

Yet, even in the face of such profound trauma, Beth found the strength to fight back. Her path to freedom began with an act of quiet rebellion-admitting the truth about the institution she had been conditioned to revere. That truth set her on a journey of healing, activism, and justice.

As Beth uncovered the stories of others who suffered at Grenville, her voice became a rallying cry. She played a key role in one of the largest class-action lawsuits in Canadian history, proving that collective resilience can triumph over systemic abuse.

Born and Razed is a powerful memoir of survival, courage, and the long road to recovery. It's a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome unimaginable challenges and rebuild a life from the ashes of the past. For anyone who has ever struggled under impossible expectations or been silenced by authority, Beth's story offers both a cautionary tale and a beacon of hope.

With unflinching honesty and poignant detail, Born and Razed will leave you moved, inspired, and reminded that healing-even after the deepest scars-is possible.

Review Quotes

"It takes considerable courage to leave a cult, and even more to speak out about such an experience."

- Rick Alan Ross, Cult Education Institute

"Beth Granger shows how much emotional damage a cult can cause, and how difficult it is to overcome the experience."

- Nori Muster, Betrayal of the Spirit: My life behind the headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement

"Beth Granger provides readers with an insightful and self-reflective journey into, then eventually out of, a debilitating cultic environment ..."

- Stephen A. Kent

"... a stunning contribution to the growing recognition of the impact and trauma of growing up in a cult."

- Janja Lalich, Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships

"This well-written, explosive Canadian memoir will have you on the edge of your seat."

- Janice Selbie, RPC, Divorcing Religion: A Memoir and Survival Handbook

"You'll cringe, cry, and cheer for Granger as you read her compelling story. I did."

- Charlene L. Edge, Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International

"Beth Granger's beautifully written, searingly honest and heartrending account ... is a must read."

- Gillie Jenkinson, PhD, Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic and Spiritual Abuse: A Workbook for Recovery and Growth

"Born and Razed is a haunting memoir ... shining a powerful spotlight on institutional spiritual abuse. It left me enraged-and in awe of her fight for justice and recovery."

- Anke Richter, Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion and Control

"This book is an excellent read for those looking to peel back the layers of cults in Canada."

- Caitlin Erickson, public education advocate

"She offers hope that healing is possible-though it doesn't always look like we would expect."

- Erin Harrop, PhD, LICSW, eating disorders researcher, therapist, and advocate

"... an essential read for those seeking to understand the darker side of institutional authority and its lasting consequences."

- Meg Appelgate, Becoming UN SILENCED: Surviving and Fighting the Troubled Teen Industry

"Granger bravely shares a heartrending survivor account of religious and institutional abuse, well worth the witnessing."

- Jessica Willis Fisher, Unspeakable: Surviving My Childhood and Finding My Voice

"Anyone who loves the stories of women who have advocated for themselves and survived against impossible odds will want to read this powerful story."

- Cait West, Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy

"Beth Granger's spirit was not broken. In fact, its vibrancy is woven into every page. This book is a triumph and a must read."

- Gerette Buglion, An Everyday Cult

"... at once captivating and heartbreaking. A must read!"

- Sarah Edmondson, Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life

"If you are lost in the pain and isolation of religious trauma and spiritual abuse, this book will remind you that you're not alone."

- Rebekah Monroe, co-founder of North American Research Collective - Religious Trauma