Elizabeth Upton's biography Secrets of a Nun: My Own Story is a beautifully written story about her 21 years as a nun in a most restrictive environment. It gives the reader a first-hand, in-depth view of what life was while living in a convent void of emotional and physical connections.

Upton entered this dark world when she was only 16 years old, where Upton was separated from everything and everyone familiar to her--especially her family, which included a twin sister. Throughout her spiritual journey, she longed to learn and expand her ability to be an effective helper since the order was a social work order. You could feel her pain as she was rejected from these requests and later viewed as a "rebel" for questioning why her order could not adhere to the church reforms that focused on human contact rather than isolation.

At no point did Upton lose her faith in God--just her faith in the severity of the convent and the politics that dwelled there. This is a book where you will sit down and not want to get up until the book is completed. Incidentally, anyone of any religion will find this book intriguing.

I am of the Jewish faith, and my only education was watching the movie "The Nun's Story" many years ago. This book was not glamorized at all--it was her cold, hard reality.
An exceptional read for everyone!