The Dirt Beneath Our Door - by Pamela Jones (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Pamela Jones had sixty-one siblings, five sister wives, nine children, and one carefully concealed hidden dream: to escape the violent, misogynistic, fundamentalist Mormon cult that kept her perpetually pregnant, broken, and brutalized. Now, in a deeply moving and unflinching memoir, she shares her story for the first time"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Jones' remarkable story is impossible to put down." --Booklist

"Shocking, sad and hopeful." --The Minneapolis Star Tribune

"This gripping story of survival, resilience, and hope is one I will not soon forget." --Ruth Wariner, New York Times Bestselling Author, The Sound of Gravel

For fans of Educated and The Sound of Gravel, The Dirt Beneath Our Door tells the remarkable and inspirational story of how a mother escaped a fundamentalist Mormon cult with her eight youngest children, only to struggle with newfound freedom in an America she barely knew.

Sixty-one siblings. Five sister wives. Nine children. And one carefully hidden dream: To escape the violent, misogynistic, fundamentalist Mormon cult that kept Pamela Jones perpetually pregnant, broken, and brutalized.

Today, Pamela Jones is a self-made millionaire and successful CEO. But growing up, she never could have imagined her life would turn out that way. From a young age, she was told her only purpose in life was to be her husband's handmaid and bear him as many children as possible. While she endured fear, poverty, deprivation, and abuse, her family constantly moved between rural desert compounds in the United States and Mexico, one step ahead of the law and one step ahead of Ervil LeBaron, aka "The Mormon Charles Manson"--the cult's frightening leader whose brutal blood atonements left a trail of bodies in his wake.

By the time she was newly married at fifteen, Pamela's husband forbade her any contact with outsiders, including her own family. She'd been raised to believe that her throat would be slit and her blood sprinkled on the soil if she ever tried to escape. But in 2000 at age thirty-four, she knew that if she and her children didn't escape, they would die.

The Dirt Beneath the Door follows their desperate flight across the Mexican border with only the clothes on their backs, two vehicles and two tanks of gas, a five-dollar bill, and two credit cards her husband had secretly taken out in her name. Once settling in Minnesota, Pamela must use her own resilience and grit as a mother to support her children and build an independent life for her family with less than a fifth-grade education-all while exploring the life and liberties that had been denied to her for so long.

An unforgettable testament to the power of hope and resilience, The Dirt Beneath Our Door is an epic and harrowing tale of finding freedom, believing in yourself, and achieving the American Dream.

Review Quotes

"The Dirt Beneath Our Door is a profound and unflinching memoir that left an indelible mark on me. With raw honesty and remarkable courage, Pamela Jones pulls back the veil on the violent, secretive world of the polygamous Church of the Firstborn, where she was born and raised. Indoctrinated from childhood to believe her sole purpose was to become a perpetually pregnant plural wife, Jones never let go of her faith--or her conviction that she and her children deserved a better life. This gripping story of survival, resilience, and hope is one I will not soon forget."
--Ruth Wariner, New York Times bestselling author, The Sound of Gravel

"This is a story of incredible courage and determination. Pamela was brainwashed as a young child and abused throughout her childhood and into adulthood. Most of us would have simply given up. But not Pamela. Today, Pamela has inspired many others living in oppressive conditions to do what she did, escape into freedom and a better life, not just for herself but also for her children. This book touched my heart and will linger in my memory."
--David Crow, Award-Winning Author, The Pale-Faced Lie

"Pamela's story redefines the American dream. Her sheer determination to create a better life for herself and her loved ones shines through every page. Watching her transform from a timid handmaiden into a successful businesswoman is an awe-inspiring journey that should be required reading for all."
--Silvia Zderchuk, Founder, Silvie Academy

"The Dirt Beneath Our Door isn't just another memoir--it's an inspiring story that shows what's possible when we push past our limitations. Pamela's raw journey through faith, family, and destiny will make you want to face the voice in your head holding you back . . . Your dreams aren't waiting for permission--they're waiting for action."
--Vera LaRee, Founder, PureVee Organics

"From the first gripping chapter, this beautifully written memoir often reads like a thriller. Married at 15 and forced to live in a succession of squalid places at the whim of her husband, the grandson of a cult founder, Pamela finds the strength to risk everything to find personal freedom, love, and a better life. She endures so much cruelty, but her courage in the face of it will inspire and move readers everywhere."
--Jeffrey D. Boldt, Author, Blue Lake and Big Lake Troubles

About the Author

Born and raised in a polygamous Mormon cult in Mexico, Pamela Jones escaped at age 34 with nothing but her children, the clothes on her back, and less than a fifth-grade education. After settling in Minnesota, she began cleaning houses with her youngest daughter strapped to her back. At the time of her escape, Pamela had only signed her name nine times: on each of her children's birth certificates. Fast-forward to today and as the CEO of My Girls Cleaning, LLC, the multi-million-dollar company she founded in 2001, Pamela routinely signs dozens of checks every month as part of her thirty-five employees' monthly payroll. Pamela lives in the Twin Cities with her husband, Rick, and where she's a proud mom of nine and grandmother of 36.

Elizabeth Ridley is the author of five novels, most recently Searching for Celia, and coauthor of four memoirs, including Waging the War Within, Incredibull Stella, and Saving Sadie. A two-time writing fellowship recipient, she has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a master's degree in creative writing from The University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, where she studied under former British Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion.