
The Abode of Love
The Remarkable Tale of Growing Up in a Religious Cult
Kate Barlow(Author)
Mainstream Publishing
Published on 6. April 2006
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-84596-015-5 (ISBN)
Description
"The Abode of Love" is Kate Barlow's remarkable tale of growing up within a religious cult. Founded in the nineteenth century by a charismatic priest, the Agapemone (Greek for 'abode of love') later gained yet more notoriety when Kate's grandfather, who then led the community, claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Protected from the truth about her family's past by a wall of secrecy, it was years before Kate or her two sisters unearthed details of their grandfather's controversial claim and learned of the rumours that had circulated within the local community of sexual scandals, 'spiritual brides' and peculiar rituals. By piecing together details from old photographs and conversations with some of the elderly ladies who formed the last remnants of the cult, Kate gradually builds up a picture of the world she grew up in and comes to understand the exclusion and unhappiness that her mother and uncles experienced as illegitimate children named Glory, Power and Life in the early twentieth century.
Fifty years on from the sale of the Agapemone estate, which marked the end for the Abode of Love, there is still the question of what to do about the Ark of the Covenant, the church built by Kate's grandfather in north London and under the roof of which he made his outrageous claim. As in all good stories, the end is never quite the end.
Fifty years on from the sale of the Agapemone estate, which marked the end for the Abode of Love, there is still the question of what to do about the Ark of the Covenant, the church built by Kate's grandfather in north London and under the roof of which he made his outrageous claim. As in all good stories, the end is never quite the end.
Reviews / Votes
"The most extraordinary story - well worth telling" -- Margaret Forster (from the Foreword) "Gripping and compelling" Daily MailMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Transworld Publishers Ltd
Illustrations
1 x 8pp colour and b/w
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 162 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
480 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-84596-015-5 (9781845960155)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Kate Barlow was born in Canada and spent her childhood in England. Between 1960 and 1965 she served in the Women's Royal Air Force and later became a newspaper reporter. In 1980, she returned to live in Canada, where she still resides with her family.