It Wasn't Roaring, It Was Weeping

Interpreting the Language of Our Fathers Without Repeating Their Stories

By: Lisa-Jo Baker

Narrated by: Lisa-Jo Baker

An honest and lyrical coming-of-age memoir of growing up in South Africa at the height of apartheid, and an invitation to recognize and refuse to repeat the sins of our fathers—from the bestselling author of Never Unfriended

“Heartfelt, emotionally charged reflections . . . [a] bracing memoir.”—Kirkus Review

“Important. Riveting. Unforgettable . . . a profoundly captivating story that can profoundly change your own story.”—Ann Voskamp, New York Times bestselling author of WayMaker

Born White in the heart of Zululand during the racial apartheid, Lisa-Jo Baker longed to write a new future for her children—a longing that set her on a journey to understand where she fit into a story of violence and faith, history and race. Before marriage and motherhood, she came to the United States to study to become a human rights advocate. When she naïvely walked right into America’s own turbulent racial landscape, Baker experienced the kind of painful awakening that is both individual and universal, personal and social. Yet years would go by before she traced this American trauma back to her own South African past.

Baker was a teenager when her mother died of cancer, leaving her with her father. Though they shared a language of faith and justice, she often feared him, unaware that his fierce temper had deep roots in a family’s and a nation’s pain. Decades later, old wounds reopened when she found herself spiraling into a terrifying version of her father, screaming herself hoarse at her son. Only then did Baker realize that to go forward—to refuse to repeat the sins of our fathers—we must first go back.

With a story that stretches from South Africa’s outback to Washington, D.C., It Wasn’t Roaring, It Was Weeping is a courageous look at inherited hurts and prejudices, and a hope-filled example for all who feel lost in life or worried that they’re too off course to make the necessary corrections. Baker’s story shows that it’s never too late to be free.

©2024 Lisa-Jo Baker (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Using her father’s life as a point of departure, the South Africa-born author [Lisa-Jo Baker] offers heartfelt, emotionally charged reflections on their apartheid-riven homeland. . . . Throughout, Baker seeks to understand the many sins of both her homeland and her adopted land, and she makes a tender effort to forgive her father. . . . A painful, lyrical, and bracing memoir.”—Kirkus Review

“Important. Riveting. Unforgettable. . . . A profoundly captivating story that can profoundly change your own story.”—Ann Voskamp, New York Times bestselling author of One Thousand Gifts and WayMaker

“Achingly personal yet transcendently and triumphantly human, It Wasn’t Roaring, It Was Weeping is unputdownable.”—Karen Swallow Prior, PhD, author of The Evangelical Imagination

A story for even those whose fathers still wound. A story of the God who pursues, heals, and makes new.

As a daughter still waiting on a father persisting in his brokenness, I was hesitant to read this book, afraid it would temp jealousy and discontent with the way the Author of my story is writing. I need not have worried, Lisa Jo has written a story accessible to us all, about the question we are all asking; "Jesus, don't you care?" I won't spoil it by sharing here, but you must read/listen for the deeply healing and profound answer. (I would recommend listening over reading this one, to have Lisa Jo speaking the languages enhanced so much.)

The healing of the soul

Most excellent book. I found myself encouraged and challenged in my own life to face my memories, my past with Grace.

Beautiful story of Redemption!

What a deeply painful and beautiful story from start to finish. Every word carefully chosen to help transport us there. Loved every minute! Didn’t want it to end!

Beautiful storytelling, and a story of hope.

Lisa-Jo is an amazing storyteller! She transports you right with her, sharing her story from her childhood in South Africa, to law school and life in America. She shares her complicated upbringing, losing her mom in her teens, and being raised by an angry father. The most beautiful part is how God has redeemed her story, and healed her family. This is a must read, especially for those with complicated parent relationships. I highly recommend the Audible version, too, as Lisa-Jo reads it herself.

The authors command of language

I enjoyed that the author read her own book and that I could connect with it on so many levels, coming from South Africa and living in America, and having lost my parents at 17 years of age. I enjoyed hearing the different accents, which Lisa-Jo is so gifted at doing. Extremely well done!!!!!

A radical gift

Lisa Jo’s memoir is storytelling art. The way Lisa Jo time travels you into her story while, at the same time, also somehow transporting you back into your own story…I am amazed. This book is a vulnerable, raw, human and humble look at healing. I am so grateful to Lisa Jo for being brave enough to write it for all of us, for our healing . The audio production was incredible!!! I loved hearing Lis Jo’s accent and hearing her speak occasionally in her native tongue. It added such a deep richness to an already captivating memoir.

A must read!

I absolutely loved this heartfelt story and the redemption it provides! A must read for anyone with a past!

Changes trajectories!

I’ve read Lisa Jo for a while now. But, I’m so grateful to have been drawn into THIS story, this message, this healing journey. Her telling matches the beautiful writing in which her family tree unfolds, in all it’s broken, raw, tilled-up places into the hope of healing, forgiveness and change in trajectory for our family lineage. Thank you Lisa Jo for lending us your courage and your honesty. I’m so very blessed.

beautifully moving

I was sceptical, being South African... would she capture the depth of this nation? and LisaJo absolutely did. what a great memoir. inspiring and full of hope.

Beautiful and redemptive

The author did a beautiful job narrating. The story speaks to the long and slow work of God. I am honored to have listened.