Introduction

The best seats Lisa had at Madison Square Garden were at her mother’s wedding, and the best cocaine she had was from her father’s friend, the judge.

When Lisa’s brother was ten, their father had him smoking pot. When Lisa was ten, their mother had them pledging their lives to the Unification Church (the “Moonies”).

Lisa knew the ecstasy of inclusion in a cult, the torment of rebelling against it, and the anguish of battling inner demons. With spirited candor, To the Moon and Back reveals how one can leave behind absurdity and horror and create a life of joy.

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Discussion Questions

Lisa talks of being torn between two equally chaotic but opposed worlds as a child. How does this situation shape her psyche as she grows?

Why do you think Lisa focuses so much on the physical details of her surroundings in this memoir?

Lisa's mom left her children to care for other people's children, many of whom were infants. What purpose do you think was served by separating parents from their children? What did the Church hope to accomplish with this plan?

Lisa says her best seat ever at Madison Square Garden was to witness her mother's wedding to a man chosen by the Church. How do you think it would help or harm a marriage to be "spiritually matched?"

Lisa talks about the special love and safety she felt only from her mother's presence. What have you felt that envelops you and makes you feel safe in your life? How does Lisa's attachment to her mother move the story along?

If you could hear this story from another person's point of view, whom would you choose?

Otherness and judgment play a large role in converting and keeping people in cults. What happened when Lisa started to question the validity of the lines drawn by the Church?

After beginning to question her beliefs, Lisa says, "My conviction felt shakier than it had ever been, and I wanted to find my way back to absolute certainty, safety, and dedication." What is the value to her (or to you) in absolute certainty?

Lisa wears a cracker jack box string as a symbol of her virginity. What other symbols did you notice appearing in her narrative? What symbols do you wear on a daily basis?

What was the significance of Lisa asking Danny to stop, and Danny in turn stopping, the use of the word slut?

Where do you see the turning point of Lisa forming her own identity? Why?

What do you think of the book's title? How does it relate to the book's contents? What other title might you suggest?

One reason Lisa wrote this book was to bring a sense of hope to other toxic childhood survivors. Did you feel the spirit of hope throughout the book? Why or why not?

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