HomeThe Making of a Madam: A Memoir |
|  |
| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
 A Transformed Life Feb 08, 2010
This memoir, vividly chronicles the life of a sexual abuse survivor turned prostitute and ultimately brothel madam. It's easy to see how the circumstances of her childhood set a course for her multiple marriages and the criminal activity that lands her in a federal prison. The writing is stark, matter-of-fact and very accessible - a perfect way to tell this story without sentimentality. Throughout the book Patsy is searching for love, comfort and safety which she finally finds in her Savior. After that, she begins a healing journey that yields a series of restorations that hardly seem possible. But they are familiar to anyone who has allowed God to "mend the broken places." An excellent read. Hard to put down.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The Making of a Madam Jan 06, 2010
The Making of a Madam is NOT a how-to book but rather a how-not-to book. Patsyann Maloney's story of a troubed childhood that evolves into her promiscuity as a teen and, later, leads to her life as a madam is poignant and enlightening. This memoir, as recounted to and masterfully written by Wayne Holmes, gives great insight to the tragic effect molestation, abuse, and neglect has on this woman. Although her story is painful to read, one can't stop turning pages. The book would be classified a tragedy if it weren't for the forgiveness and redemption Patsyann finds in Jesus Christ.
Those who are blessed to grow up in Christian homes and to be loved by good families gain a greater appreciation of these blessings and an understanding of how others'- those who grow up without these blessings - lives are marred early on by unspeakable abuse and lack of love.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Hat's off to Pastyann and Wayne Dec 29, 2009
The Making of a Madam is a story of turmoil, hardship, and heartache. While growing up in a family of fourteen children, Patsyann's physical, spiritual, and emotional needs went unmet, until she ran away from home. Patsy and her sister eventually went to live with older siblings. But although her physical needs were met, emotional turmoil continued. While still living with her father and mother, she was sexually molested at a very young age by an old man, and she learned at a young age that men would provide a little pocket change in return for sexual favors. Moving in with her older sister should have remedied that situation, but instead, it continued as her brother-in-law continually molested her until her engagement near the end of high school.
Patsy's story takes almost every imaginable turn for the worst. From molestation, to her husband cheating on her with a man, and beyond. Just when I thought the story couldn't get any worse, it does, and soon she is in to full blown prostitution to provide for her children, and then on to being a madam. All in the hope of gaining what her father could never give her.
However, God's grace and mercy go farther and deeper than any imaginable pain, suffering, and sin. When Pasty is incarcerated, she learns (through programs available to inmates) healthier ways of thinking, and for the first time in her life, she sees a possible ending to her tumultuous life.
Because of good behavior, Pasty's time in jail was cut much shorter than her original sentence. Not long after she was set free, she humbly and eagerly gave her heart to Jesus Christ. While that did not instantly make her life and relationships golden, it paved the way for her to reconstruct the relationships with her children, siblings, and others that she hurt along the way.
The Making of a Madam is a true story of human frailty, victory over sin, and Christ's love for us. It's a page turner that will pull at the strings of your heart, and ultimately make you weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. It's an inspiring read that you won't soon forget.
~Brenda
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Riveting Reading Dec 18, 2009
How could a woman sell her own body and help others do it too? To find out, take a look at Patsyann Maloney's life, as told in The Making of a Madam.
Repeated childhood sexual abuse. A cruel father and a missing mother. Extreme poverty. Growing up, Patsyann found little good. As an adult, she had sparse improvement. A string of loser husbands. Baby after baby. A disabled son. More poverty.
The result was entrance into the world of crime--from shoplifting and credit card scams to prostitution and finally, running a brothel.
I had a hard time putting down this book, and my heart broke for the little girl whose innocence was stolen so early. As Patsyann's life deteriorated, largely due to her bad choices, I wanted to scream, "Don't you see what you're doing?"
It took a long time, but eventually Patsyann did see. And her turnaround is truly amazing. The woman who was always subconsciously searching for the care she rightfully should have received from her father finally found the Heavenly Father, Whose love far surpassed all she lost. Well told by Wayne Holmes, Patsyann's true story is one you'll long remember.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
I want to meet Patsyann Dec 11, 2009
The saddest childhood and resulting life I have ever read about.
Patsyann's story causes me to see how innocent children are and how cruel this world can be in altering their lives.
Eating bark off of a tree took away my appetite. Oh that I could have been her childhood friend and loved her. As sad as her story is, her desire to feed and take care of her children outweighs some parents I know today who do not care for their children like Patsy did and does. She is some lady. Despite the 100% odds against her and her fight for survival in a profession I have never known about, Jesus Christ was protecting her all along. Oh that I could ride with her and just listen to the special lady she has become. Wayne and Patsyann have taken painful truth and shown the reality of how important one life is to God.
Though Patsyann was denied loving parents, she became a loving, caring mother. Her search for love we can all identify with and understand.
Once I started reading, I could not put the book aside. Thank you Patsyann for sharing.
|
| | |
|
|
