Counting the Cost

Learn the unvarnished truth about the Duggars, the conservative Christian family that wowed the country on TLC's popular program 19 Kids and Counting, for the first time. At last, Jill Duggar and her husband Derick are prepared to open up about their experiences, exposing the tricks, intimidation, and secrets behind the program that they have kept a secret from their followers.

Jill and Derick realized they would never be able to lead regular lives. As a star of the well-liked TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting, Jill grew up in front of an audience enthralled with the lifestyle of her family. She was the responsible second child of Jim Bob and Michelle's nineteen children; she was content to wear the modest ankle-length gowns with the high necklines, and she was always carrying a baby on her hip. She didn't challenge the rigid patriarchal model her family upheld, which states that men are superior, that women should be expected to be wives and mothers and are discouraged from pursuing higher education, and that parents have the right to retain authority over their children long after they are married.

But when Jill grew older, wed Derick, and had a family of her own, the warning signs were too clear to ignore. Jill and Derick sought to remain good-natured family members for as long as they could; they weren't ready to upset the apple cart. However, they are done keeping secrets now that they are raising their own family. They are able to relate their experience because of God's blessings, time, tears, and therapy. Their narrative is a powerful illustration of the healing power of honesty and a stunning tale of the truth's power.