“It seems to me that there are two types of pro-lifers active in the cause. The first simply wants to win, and in their minds, they do this by saving the baby. They are the right fighters who don’t seem to give any consideration to the other lives involved, such as the mother, father, and clinic workers. Their goal is to save the baby at all costs.
Of course we all want to save the baby, but the second group of people I see in the movement have realized that the hearts, minds, and souls of many others are at stake as well. They are the people who excite me and encourage me on a daily basis. They are the people who want to help in any way possible. They want to provide so many avenues of support that abortion would be unthinkable. They offer solutions instead of slogans, prayers instead of protests, self-sacrifice instead of self-righteousness.”—Abby Johnson
Grades 11-12+
Review and Thoughts
I’m pretty familiar with Abby Johnson, her And Then There Were None organization, and her first book, Unplanned, so I was excited to hear more from her. The Walls Are Talking is a book that tells the different stories of women who have experienced first-hand what it is like to work in an abortion clinic. Let me tell you, this was a tough read.
All of the stories are written in first person to protect the identity of the workers telling their accounts. Some stories are Johnson’s accounts while others are women who have left the industry via And Then There Were None. Some stories talk about the negative attitudes of the employees and the desire for clinics to acquire more abortions for more money. Other stories are horrifically graphic sharing incredibly sad stories of babies losing their lives and the trauma their mothers experience. Each story brings new light to something America has slowly begun to accept.
I would encourage anyone to read this story, however, because names and identities are left out, and all of the stories are written in first person, I feel that skeptics and pro-abortion advocates will find much fault with the book. Many might choose to say the stories are made up. And some are so awful they could be! Luckily, the book is directed to pro-lifers. At the end, Johnson discusses the types of different pro-lifers and asks which one we are? She begs us to keep the fight and to work hard to spread love.
I had a very emotional time reading this book. I was emotional through many of the stories and speaking as a mother, I can’t imagine the way some of these women must have felt. I hope that everyone who reads this story will be touched by the honesty and bravery of the women who chose to leave the industry and I hope that we pro-lifers will all be motivated to do a little bit more for the fight after being reminded of what goes on behind closed doors.
Possible Issues
Some of the stories are incredibly graphic. I don’t want to be too descriptive in this section, so I’d be particularly careful of these stories:
- “Medication Abortion”
- “Severed Feet and Seared Conscience”
- “Frequent Flyers”
- “One in 729,000”
The rest of the stories are also difficult to read, but these were by far the hardest stories I’ve read and brought me to tears. If your child plans to read this book, I’d make sure they are very familiar with what abortion is and discuss it with them along the way.
Further Discussion
There are a few stories in which workers mention that they were raised in Catholic homes, but never really discussed abortion. It is so important to discuss this with our kids. Use some of the resources below to help.
Read the quote at the top. Which group of pro-lifers do you fall into?
Catholic Resources
- Pray any of the prayers from the Priests for Life site.
- Become familiar with Abby Johnson’s organization, And Then There Were None.
- Read Abby Johnson’s book Unplanned. See our review here. See information on getting the book below.
Generally speaking, I’m not sure this should be taught in a classroom setting. I think the stories are much too emotional and meant for more of a one-on-one read. It would be great for parents to read with their teens, or for adults to read on their own. But if you decide to read it with a teen, I would be sure to discuss it along the way.