Book: "Deliverance at Hand!"

Deliverance at Hand! is James Zimmerman's enthralling account of growing up as a zealous Jehovah's Witness, and of the all-consuming nature of belonging to an insulated, apocalyptic community. James is held up as a shining example for other youths in the religion, is given unprecedented privileges, and spends his youth proselytizing. He may very well have knocked on your door. But as he matures, fissures begin to form in the bedrock of his fundamentalist Jehovah's Witness belief system. And as James doubts grow, so does his predicament: Leaving a religious community that teaches its members to shun former members would have deep and painful ramifications. He must make the decision between intellectual honesty and his way of life. “James Zimmerman demonstrates how persistent inquisitiveness can liberate an individual from the repressive and anti-intellectual religious group known as The Jehovah's Witnesses. From his independent and intelligent research on the viability of Noah's Ark to his realization that Armageddon's date was based on faulty historical chronology, Zimmerman's lucid and gripping narrative gives hope to those who may think that convincing Jehovah s Witnesses of the truth is always a lost cause.” -Dr. Hector Avalos, Professor of Religious Studies, Iowa State University “From reluctant paragon to resolute pariah, James Zimmerman takes us through a story that will be at once familiar and exotic to former believers. While Zimmerman focuses on the intellectual challenges to his faith, his emotional journey is every bit as important, both heartbreaking and heart-warming.” -Stephanie Zvan, author of the Almost Diamonds blog "This fascinating glimpse inside a largely unknown lifestyle will appeal to memoir readers as well as those especially drawn to post-religious accounts" - Library Journal