Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Black Swan (2009), Edition: First Edition, 480 pages
Description
The story of Ann Eliza Young's crusade against polygamy interwines with a tale of murder involving a polygamist family in present-day Utah.
User reviews
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: The 19th Wife contains intertwined stories: a modern-day murder mystery, and a historical account about the early days of Mormonism. In the modern story, Jordan Scott is a "lost boy" - a child of a polygamous sect that persists in the deserts of Utah, dumped on the side of the highway when
Review: The question of polygamy has always been a thorny one in my own personal ethical code. I believe pretty strongly in not only the correctness, but also the vital necessity of the separation of church and state, and so legislation against polygamy as a religious practice always rubs me in exactly the worst way. And yet, in the wake of recent widely-publicized cases, the social realities of the practice of polygamy tend to be horrible enough, particularly where the children are concerned, that part of me says "we should really do something about that." (Although I do wonder if the fact that it's illegal isn't a contributing factor to the horrible social outcomes, much like illegal drugs - if polygamists weren't forced to live so far off the grid, wouldn't it be easier to keep an eye out for child abuse, rape, and give those women who wanted a way out the means to do so?) In any case, reading The 19th Wife didn't solve any moral dilemnas for me, even though it comes down pretty vehemently on the anti-polygamy side, but it definitely did make me reconsider the issue, as well as providing some background and historical perspective about the beginning of the Mormon faith and the practice of polygamy of which I was previously unaware.
As a novel, it's quite good, although not without its faults. It was absolutely an absorbing read, and is a thick book without being long - the almost 600 pages passed quickly and without dragging. The writing itself was nothing special, no fancy literary tricks, but it got the job done without getting in its own way. There were elements that I didn't think worked quite as well as the author had intended - in the modern storyline, especially, there were a few character elements and sub-plots that seemed extraneous. I also was a little put off by the format of the historical sections. Not so much by the format per se, which was a combination of (fictional) memoirs, letters, interviews, and articles, but more by the decision to fictionalize documents that actually exist. Ebershoff explains this to a degree in his author's note, but Ann Eliza's memoir actually exists (and can be read online at Google Books), and so the fact that he re-wrote it but presented it as actual excerpts a) leads to her language, if not her perspective, feeling overly modern and therefore historically inaccurate, and b) seems like he didn't trust her to properly tell her own story. It's a relatively minor transgression on the grand scale of things, and didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book, but was always niggling in the back of my mind and had a tendency to pull me out of the story. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: An absorbing, intensely interesting, and very timely read now that Mormons are experiencing a bit of a vogue in pop culture. People who like HBO's series Big Love would probably enjoy this book (and vice-versa), although I think it would also appeal to anyone interested in a unique bit of American religious history.
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he fourteen. Now he's twenty and living in L.A., until he sees the front page headline: His mother, the 19th of 20-plus wives, has been arrested for murdering his father. Jordan knows instinctively that she's innocent, but in going back, he's forced to face the family, lifestyle, and faith that abandoned him, and the scars that his childhood left on his heart. Running parallel to Jordan's story is the (fictionalized but true) story of Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young's wives, and the one who in her publicized divorce and outspoken apostasy to the Mormon church helped to bring about national reform of polygamy laws.Review: The question of polygamy has always been a thorny one in my own personal ethical code. I believe pretty strongly in not only the correctness, but also the vital necessity of the separation of church and state, and so legislation against polygamy as a religious practice always rubs me in exactly the worst way. And yet, in the wake of recent widely-publicized cases, the social realities of the practice of polygamy tend to be horrible enough, particularly where the children are concerned, that part of me says "we should really do something about that." (Although I do wonder if the fact that it's illegal isn't a contributing factor to the horrible social outcomes, much like illegal drugs - if polygamists weren't forced to live so far off the grid, wouldn't it be easier to keep an eye out for child abuse, rape, and give those women who wanted a way out the means to do so?) In any case, reading The 19th Wife didn't solve any moral dilemnas for me, even though it comes down pretty vehemently on the anti-polygamy side, but it definitely did make me reconsider the issue, as well as providing some background and historical perspective about the beginning of the Mormon faith and the practice of polygamy of which I was previously unaware.
As a novel, it's quite good, although not without its faults. It was absolutely an absorbing read, and is a thick book without being long - the almost 600 pages passed quickly and without dragging. The writing itself was nothing special, no fancy literary tricks, but it got the job done without getting in its own way. There were elements that I didn't think worked quite as well as the author had intended - in the modern storyline, especially, there were a few character elements and sub-plots that seemed extraneous. I also was a little put off by the format of the historical sections. Not so much by the format per se, which was a combination of (fictional) memoirs, letters, interviews, and articles, but more by the decision to fictionalize documents that actually exist. Ebershoff explains this to a degree in his author's note, but Ann Eliza's memoir actually exists (and can be read online at Google Books), and so the fact that he re-wrote it but presented it as actual excerpts a) leads to her language, if not her perspective, feeling overly modern and therefore historically inaccurate, and b) seems like he didn't trust her to properly tell her own story. It's a relatively minor transgression on the grand scale of things, and didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book, but was always niggling in the back of my mind and had a tendency to pull me out of the story. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: An absorbing, intensely interesting, and very timely read now that Mormons are experiencing a bit of a vogue in pop culture. People who like HBO's series Big Love would probably enjoy this book (and vice-versa), although I think it would also appeal to anyone interested in a unique bit of American religious history.
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LibraryThing member lyzadanger
David Ebershoff's third novel, "The 19th Wife" is one part historical fiction, one part modern whodunnit and one part connective tissue. Its scope is monumental, addressing the legacy of "plural marriage" within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from its founding to the present day.
The narrative flings around between centuries and storylines as Ebershoff tells us a tale of Ann Eliza, Brigham Young's plural-wife-turned-apostate, paralleled by a modern murder within a Fundamentalist Mormon sect. Though Ebershoff leaps around, he does so with facility; it is not challenging to keep track of the threads.
This is a compelling story. Though the book is a vehicle for an ominous, scathing message about the emotional and real damages of polygamy (won't someone think of the children?!), the plotmaking taken alone is enough to make it a worthwhile read. Its page count is a bit daunting, but they whisk along breezily.
While most of the language is conversational and active--think murder mystery, not pastoral-- Ebershoff does show a quiet respect for the desert environment of southern Utah. He paints a hot, isolated image of Mesadale, the town-slash-compound home of his modern-day polygamist Fundamentalists.
"The sun was going down before I reached Mesadale, a livid ball plunging from the sky. The desert was burning, everything shot through with reds. In the last twenty nmiles I didn't see another car. That's what the desert's about: solitude. It's a test. A test to see if you can stand yourself."
Where Ebershhoff struggles is in tone. While his characters take mostly believable actions, the way they express themselves doesn't ring true. His modern protagonist, Jordan, and the book's core character, Ann Eliza, suffer in this regard. Jordan's conversations are flat and forcefully aloof. I'm not convinced that Ann Eliza sounds like she is writing in the 1870s. Perhaps he is trying to be too many narrators at once. Perhaps some of the threads would work better in the third person.
The research required for this novel was a serious undertaking. The net of its content is flung wide: everything from the founding principles of Mormonism to the recent grapplings with the nature of homosexuality comes under Ebershoff's lens. In the end, it's hard to be sure if would be blasphemy to enjoy this story simply as a story, a page-turner vacation read with a history lesson. Or would that be missing the point?
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Plus murder, a Wikipedia article, thesis abstracts, newspaper interviews, and an eerie midnight hour confession from the man himself, Brigham Young (all fictional, of course).The narrative flings around between centuries and storylines as Ebershoff tells us a tale of Ann Eliza, Brigham Young's plural-wife-turned-apostate, paralleled by a modern murder within a Fundamentalist Mormon sect. Though Ebershoff leaps around, he does so with facility; it is not challenging to keep track of the threads.
This is a compelling story. Though the book is a vehicle for an ominous, scathing message about the emotional and real damages of polygamy (won't someone think of the children?!), the plotmaking taken alone is enough to make it a worthwhile read. Its page count is a bit daunting, but they whisk along breezily.
While most of the language is conversational and active--think murder mystery, not pastoral-- Ebershoff does show a quiet respect for the desert environment of southern Utah. He paints a hot, isolated image of Mesadale, the town-slash-compound home of his modern-day polygamist Fundamentalists.
"The sun was going down before I reached Mesadale, a livid ball plunging from the sky. The desert was burning, everything shot through with reds. In the last twenty nmiles I didn't see another car. That's what the desert's about: solitude. It's a test. A test to see if you can stand yourself."
Where Ebershhoff struggles is in tone. While his characters take mostly believable actions, the way they express themselves doesn't ring true. His modern protagonist, Jordan, and the book's core character, Ann Eliza, suffer in this regard. Jordan's conversations are flat and forcefully aloof. I'm not convinced that Ann Eliza sounds like she is writing in the 1870s. Perhaps he is trying to be too many narrators at once. Perhaps some of the threads would work better in the third person.
The research required for this novel was a serious undertaking. The net of its content is flung wide: everything from the founding principles of Mormonism to the recent grapplings with the nature of homosexuality comes under Ebershoff's lens. In the end, it's hard to be sure if would be blasphemy to enjoy this story simply as a story, a page-turner vacation read with a history lesson. Or would that be missing the point?
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LibraryThing member karieh
The research that David Ebershoff must have done for The 19th Wife must have taken him years. The facts and background on the Mormon religion, specifically the history of polygamy, gives this story great power, even if sometimes it’s hard to remember that most of it is fiction.
Since the LDS
Ebershoff turns over the polygamy rock again in this book, this time from the perspective of the 19th wife of Brigham Young and from the viewpoint of a child who lived in a polygamous sect – a modern day one.
The costs, especially the ones to children, from this practice, are the most powerful parts of this book. Jordan, the young man who was banished from his home in Mesadale, UT when the Prophet deemed him a threat, describes his life in a home with one father and nineteen sister wives. “We slept in triple-decker bunks; or five to a bed, head to foot; or on the couch, four boys elbowing over three cushions; or on the living room floor, on blankets and pillows, twenty kids laid down like tiles. Shirts and sweaters in plastic garbage bins labeled by size. Shoes handed down. Tennis balls and kickballs stolen from one kid to the next. The only thing in that house that was all my own, that I never had to share with anyone ,was a drawer in a dresser, twelve inches wide by fifteen inches deep. I measured it a million times. If you’re bad at math, that’s 1.25 square feet, which was really more than I needed because I didn’t have anything to keep inside.”
And then later when Jordan reflects on the brainwashing the Prophet did to the children of the compound: “Like once he told us that Europe had been destroyed in a battle of good and evil. He said it didn’t exist anymore…I had no reason – no ability- to doubt any of it. Everyone around me said it was true. We didn’t have tv, there was no internet when I was a kid, everything we knew came from the Prophet.” The idea of this type of mind control is terrifying to me.
The damage to the women involved in plural marriage is no better. “The evidence suggests that Elizabeth was among those who mourned the night she passed her husband to another woman. As one Pioneer woman described it a decade later, “A piece of my soul chipped off that night and fell away.”
Ebershoff also brings forth an aspect of plural marriage that I’ve never seen addressed – the harm done to the men involved. When one thinks of a man with multiple wives – salacious thoughts come to mind – few of them negative from the male perspective. And yet the damage done to the male psyche – the degradation of the soul, the lessening love he is able to give to each new wife, every new child is something worth examining. I can’t remember the quote exactly, but one of the men in the book likens his heart to a piece of pie. There’s only so much, and for every piece that must be cut, the portion of love to give grows smaller and smaller.
For me, the power of this book comes not in the characters, but in the facts and day to day realities it brings to mind. I’ve read several books about Mormonism, talked to Mormons and am a fan of the show “Big Love” – and yet this book made me think about the realities of how awful plural marriage would be for all involved in ways I never have before.
There, too, lies my problem with this book. I had to keep reminding myself that while it is based on fact, involves real people and real events, it is a work of fiction and that the details I am reading about and being affected by, may or may not be real. I kept finding myself shocked by something I read, and then had to doubt the veracity of the incident and my reaction to it.
Ebershoff walks a fine line in this book and I’m not sure his balance holds. I like the concept of mirroring a plural wife from the 19th century to one of the 21st – while showing how very little has changed in that time, but I’m not sure I found enough sure truth to believe either the characters or the author. I believe in the underlying premise – but the rest leaves me very uncertain.
I will end with this quote – which I believe in absolutely.
“…history has one flaw. It is a subjective art, no less so than poetry or music. The true historian has two sources: the written record and a witness’s testimony. This is as it should be. Yet one is memory and the other is written, quite often, from memory. There is nothing to be done about this defect except acknowledge it for what it is. This is your field’s Achilles’ heel. You say in your letter that the historian writes the truth. Forgive me, I must disagree. The historian writes a truth. The memoirist writes a truth. The novelist writes a truth. And so on.”
And ultimately, it is for the reader to decide what to do with that truth. As it should be.
Since the LDS
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church touched my life in a major way about 20 years ago, I’ve always tried to understand people’s belief in it. Founded by a convicted con man, so grossly skewed to the male perspective, and shadowed in such secrecy. I remain convinced that things that are true and good should be shared with everyone – not hidden away and only revealed to those deemed good enough. Secrecy in religion, secrecy in politics – those are bad things and when that rock is turned over – the nasty, squirming truth is revealed.Ebershoff turns over the polygamy rock again in this book, this time from the perspective of the 19th wife of Brigham Young and from the viewpoint of a child who lived in a polygamous sect – a modern day one.
The costs, especially the ones to children, from this practice, are the most powerful parts of this book. Jordan, the young man who was banished from his home in Mesadale, UT when the Prophet deemed him a threat, describes his life in a home with one father and nineteen sister wives. “We slept in triple-decker bunks; or five to a bed, head to foot; or on the couch, four boys elbowing over three cushions; or on the living room floor, on blankets and pillows, twenty kids laid down like tiles. Shirts and sweaters in plastic garbage bins labeled by size. Shoes handed down. Tennis balls and kickballs stolen from one kid to the next. The only thing in that house that was all my own, that I never had to share with anyone ,was a drawer in a dresser, twelve inches wide by fifteen inches deep. I measured it a million times. If you’re bad at math, that’s 1.25 square feet, which was really more than I needed because I didn’t have anything to keep inside.”
And then later when Jordan reflects on the brainwashing the Prophet did to the children of the compound: “Like once he told us that Europe had been destroyed in a battle of good and evil. He said it didn’t exist anymore…I had no reason – no ability- to doubt any of it. Everyone around me said it was true. We didn’t have tv, there was no internet when I was a kid, everything we knew came from the Prophet.” The idea of this type of mind control is terrifying to me.
The damage to the women involved in plural marriage is no better. “The evidence suggests that Elizabeth was among those who mourned the night she passed her husband to another woman. As one Pioneer woman described it a decade later, “A piece of my soul chipped off that night and fell away.”
Ebershoff also brings forth an aspect of plural marriage that I’ve never seen addressed – the harm done to the men involved. When one thinks of a man with multiple wives – salacious thoughts come to mind – few of them negative from the male perspective. And yet the damage done to the male psyche – the degradation of the soul, the lessening love he is able to give to each new wife, every new child is something worth examining. I can’t remember the quote exactly, but one of the men in the book likens his heart to a piece of pie. There’s only so much, and for every piece that must be cut, the portion of love to give grows smaller and smaller.
For me, the power of this book comes not in the characters, but in the facts and day to day realities it brings to mind. I’ve read several books about Mormonism, talked to Mormons and am a fan of the show “Big Love” – and yet this book made me think about the realities of how awful plural marriage would be for all involved in ways I never have before.
There, too, lies my problem with this book. I had to keep reminding myself that while it is based on fact, involves real people and real events, it is a work of fiction and that the details I am reading about and being affected by, may or may not be real. I kept finding myself shocked by something I read, and then had to doubt the veracity of the incident and my reaction to it.
Ebershoff walks a fine line in this book and I’m not sure his balance holds. I like the concept of mirroring a plural wife from the 19th century to one of the 21st – while showing how very little has changed in that time, but I’m not sure I found enough sure truth to believe either the characters or the author. I believe in the underlying premise – but the rest leaves me very uncertain.
I will end with this quote – which I believe in absolutely.
“…history has one flaw. It is a subjective art, no less so than poetry or music. The true historian has two sources: the written record and a witness’s testimony. This is as it should be. Yet one is memory and the other is written, quite often, from memory. There is nothing to be done about this defect except acknowledge it for what it is. This is your field’s Achilles’ heel. You say in your letter that the historian writes the truth. Forgive me, I must disagree. The historian writes a truth. The memoirist writes a truth. The novelist writes a truth. And so on.”
And ultimately, it is for the reader to decide what to do with that truth. As it should be.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
About 12 years ago I read and loved Wife No. 19, the memoir of Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young's many wives. Everyone I've recommended it to since has loved it, too. When I heard of David Ebershoff's The 19th Wife, a novel combining Ann Eliza Young's story with a modern murder mystery, I knew
Since I was already familiar with Ann Eliza's story, I was aware I would experience this novel differently than someone who had never heard of her before. At first I was bothered by the differences between Ann Eliza's story in the novel and the story she told in her memoir. I would read a few pages of the novel and then compare them with Ann Eliza's own account. After the first 75 pages or so, I had grown used to the novel and quit consciously comparing it to Ann Eliza's writing. However, occasional anachronistic turns of phrase reminded me that I was reading a modern interpretation of Ann Eliza's story.
As is often the case with novels telling parallel stories, I was more interested in the 19th century story of Ann Eliza Webb Young and her family than in the modern story. I didn't connect with Jordan, and his quest to clear his mother of murder charges seemed unfocused in comparison with the historical part of the book. I thought the level of emphasis on Jordan's homosexuality detracted from the flow of the story, and it's probably what made the modern story seem less focused to me. One character, the twenty-something ex-Mormon, Tom, is, in my opinion, not necessary to the modern story, and I think it would have been a stronger story without him. The most interesting modern character is the young runaway, Johnny. He and Jordan have a common bond as "lost boys" from a polygamous sect, and their interaction seems more natural than any other part of the modern tale.
Readers interested in the history of Westward expansion and the history of the Latter-Day Saints will probably enjoy this book more than those who pick it up primarily for the mystery.
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I wanted to read it.Since I was already familiar with Ann Eliza's story, I was aware I would experience this novel differently than someone who had never heard of her before. At first I was bothered by the differences between Ann Eliza's story in the novel and the story she told in her memoir. I would read a few pages of the novel and then compare them with Ann Eliza's own account. After the first 75 pages or so, I had grown used to the novel and quit consciously comparing it to Ann Eliza's writing. However, occasional anachronistic turns of phrase reminded me that I was reading a modern interpretation of Ann Eliza's story.
As is often the case with novels telling parallel stories, I was more interested in the 19th century story of Ann Eliza Webb Young and her family than in the modern story. I didn't connect with Jordan, and his quest to clear his mother of murder charges seemed unfocused in comparison with the historical part of the book. I thought the level of emphasis on Jordan's homosexuality detracted from the flow of the story, and it's probably what made the modern story seem less focused to me. One character, the twenty-something ex-Mormon, Tom, is, in my opinion, not necessary to the modern story, and I think it would have been a stronger story without him. The most interesting modern character is the young runaway, Johnny. He and Jordan have a common bond as "lost boys" from a polygamous sect, and their interaction seems more natural than any other part of the modern tale.
Readers interested in the history of Westward expansion and the history of the Latter-Day Saints will probably enjoy this book more than those who pick it up primarily for the mystery.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
The last book I felt this strongly about was Jonathan Franzen's "The Corrections". Although very different books, they share a broadness of scope and an astonishing deftness to the writing. This is a novel of the highest quality.
"The 19th Wife" tells two stories; that of Ann Eliza Young, Brigham
A sprawling historical narrative and a modern day mystery novel should not comfortably mesh together, but the transitions are natural and flow so beautifully that they fit organically together.
This is going to be a huge bestseller and will certainly put David Ebershoff's name on the map. He deserves all the kudos and awards his book will certainly accumulate.
Also, Elektra rocks!
"The 19th Wife" tells two stories; that of Ann Eliza Young, Brigham
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Young's "19th wife", who leaves her husband and campaigns to abolish polygamy and that of Jordan Scott, who is expelled from a polygamous sect but who returns when his mother is arrested for the murder of his father.A sprawling historical narrative and a modern day mystery novel should not comfortably mesh together, but the transitions are natural and flow so beautifully that they fit organically together.
This is going to be a huge bestseller and will certainly put David Ebershoff's name on the map. He deserves all the kudos and awards his book will certainly accumulate.
Also, Elektra rocks!
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LibraryThing member writestuff
Ann Eliza Young was a plural wife of Brigham Young in the late 1800s. Her life, including her very public divorce and attack against Celestial Marriage (which spurred the passage of the Poland Act, and ultimately forced the LDS Church to ban the practice), is the basis for David Ebershoff’s third
Ebershoff’s writing engaged me immediately, especially when he speaks in Ann Eliza’s voice. He includes letters, newspaper reports and occasional other narrators to construct a complete picture of the life of this interesting historical female character. I was less engaged by the parallel story from present day. It was during those parts of the novel where I remembered I was reading a book. At times the plot felt contrived to connect to Ann Eliza’s life, and I never really related to the primary narrator who is the son of an accused murderess.
At times, Ebershoff tends to ramble a bit, but he quickly gets back on track and moves the plot forward. His portrayal of the first Saints is not entirely flattering and this may upset some people. But, he relies heavily on the history of the LDS church and its leaders to weave his tale, and for that he cannot be faulted.
The novel is a real door stopper at nearly 600 pages (I read an Advance Reader’s Edition) but despite its length, it is a fairly quick read which speaks well of Ebershoff’s direct and compelling prose. I would be interested to read Ebershoff’s first novel The Danish Girl, loosely based on the life of Danish painter Einar Wegener who became the first man to undergo a sex-change operation in 1931.
This novel will be released by Random House August 5th. For those readers who like historical novels or who are interested in the history of the LDS church and its leaders, this is a book you might like.
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historical novel The 19th Wife. Ebershoff weaves the fictionalized version of Ann Eliza’s story with that of a present day plural wife, her son and a murder mystery.Ebershoff’s writing engaged me immediately, especially when he speaks in Ann Eliza’s voice. He includes letters, newspaper reports and occasional other narrators to construct a complete picture of the life of this interesting historical female character. I was less engaged by the parallel story from present day. It was during those parts of the novel where I remembered I was reading a book. At times the plot felt contrived to connect to Ann Eliza’s life, and I never really related to the primary narrator who is the son of an accused murderess.
At times, Ebershoff tends to ramble a bit, but he quickly gets back on track and moves the plot forward. His portrayal of the first Saints is not entirely flattering and this may upset some people. But, he relies heavily on the history of the LDS church and its leaders to weave his tale, and for that he cannot be faulted.
The novel is a real door stopper at nearly 600 pages (I read an Advance Reader’s Edition) but despite its length, it is a fairly quick read which speaks well of Ebershoff’s direct and compelling prose. I would be interested to read Ebershoff’s first novel The Danish Girl, loosely based on the life of Danish painter Einar Wegener who became the first man to undergo a sex-change operation in 1931.
This novel will be released by Random House August 5th. For those readers who like historical novels or who are interested in the history of the LDS church and its leaders, this is a book you might like.
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LibraryThing member VisibleGhost
The 19th Wife is twinned books in one volume. One is an early history of Mormonism dressed up in the guise of historical fiction. It is presented in the form of excerpts from books, letters, depositions, and even research papers. Don't worry. The author makes it a painless history lesson. The
The twinned story is a modern day mystery featuring the break-away fundamental splinter groups that did not accept the LDS's proclamation that rescinded the practice of polygamy in 1890 and are still active today. The sheer number of children produced in such communities and the fates that befall some of those children that fall through the cracks is more enlightening than the mystery. Some of the boys are at the bottom of the pecking order with little or no room in these environments. Once they are teenagers harsh fates can be their destiny.
Faith stemming from childhood teachings is also explored resulting in some being unable and/or unwilling to accommodate any other viewpoint than the one in which they were raised.
Another issue brought forth is the modern LDS church's impact on members who are homosexuals in the current era.
The book should appeal to anyone that likes historical fiction, mysteries, dogs, and is interested in religion. It is well written, well researched, and covers a lot of territory.
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events are brought to life in an interesting way. The twinned story is a modern day mystery featuring the break-away fundamental splinter groups that did not accept the LDS's proclamation that rescinded the practice of polygamy in 1890 and are still active today. The sheer number of children produced in such communities and the fates that befall some of those children that fall through the cracks is more enlightening than the mystery. Some of the boys are at the bottom of the pecking order with little or no room in these environments. Once they are teenagers harsh fates can be their destiny.
Faith stemming from childhood teachings is also explored resulting in some being unable and/or unwilling to accommodate any other viewpoint than the one in which they were raised.
Another issue brought forth is the modern LDS church's impact on members who are homosexuals in the current era.
The book should appeal to anyone that likes historical fiction, mysteries, dogs, and is interested in religion. It is well written, well researched, and covers a lot of territory.
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LibraryThing member Carlie
As much as I dislike beginning a review with my take on the ending, that is where I find myself. The irony is that although I did find the ending anti-climatic, it in no way tainted my praise of the novel. In fact, I prefer endings that ring with a dull thud over a symphonic overture. I tend toward
Actually, there were two endings. Written as a story within a story, one ending was a mystery solved and the other was a mystery never to be solved. The first story concerns Jordon Scott, a gay ex-Mormon from a remote Utah sect called the Firsts. The Firsts claim to fame is their adherence to polygamy in spite of the Church's official stance of banning the practice. As a teen, Jordon was abandoned by his mother. The reunion of mother and son after many years is at a prison where his mother is being held, accused of murdering her husband. She was his 19th wife.
The second story also tells of a 19th wife. This one concerns Ann Eliza, 19th wife of Brigham Young. She became a powerful agent in ending the practice of polygamy within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and criminalizing it in the rest of the country. Blackmailed into marrying the Church's prophet then basically ignored and neglected by him, Ann Eliza begins to doubt the central tenets of the Church. Eventually she leaves the Church, begins a lecturing tour, and pens an autobiography. Her book, along with other documents depicting life in early Church history, is interspersed with the story of Jordon Scott.
I love the story within a story idea, and Ebershoff pulls it off nicely. However, the Jordon Scott story often took a backseat much of the time to the Ann Eliza story. Her story and the supporting documents were used in a compelling way. It was much more of a well-researched historical novel than a present-day murder mystery. The Ann Eliza story and the Jordon Scott story filled in gaps for each other, making each one more compelling than if told individually. I appreciated this writing technique; Jordon provides the sparse prose with blunt dialogue, while Ann Eliza provides the deeper emotions of being one of many wives and the toll it took on the many children involved.
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ambivalent endings. This book brought that ambivalence as well as a concrete yet superficial-feeling resolution.Actually, there were two endings. Written as a story within a story, one ending was a mystery solved and the other was a mystery never to be solved. The first story concerns Jordon Scott, a gay ex-Mormon from a remote Utah sect called the Firsts. The Firsts claim to fame is their adherence to polygamy in spite of the Church's official stance of banning the practice. As a teen, Jordon was abandoned by his mother. The reunion of mother and son after many years is at a prison where his mother is being held, accused of murdering her husband. She was his 19th wife.
The second story also tells of a 19th wife. This one concerns Ann Eliza, 19th wife of Brigham Young. She became a powerful agent in ending the practice of polygamy within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and criminalizing it in the rest of the country. Blackmailed into marrying the Church's prophet then basically ignored and neglected by him, Ann Eliza begins to doubt the central tenets of the Church. Eventually she leaves the Church, begins a lecturing tour, and pens an autobiography. Her book, along with other documents depicting life in early Church history, is interspersed with the story of Jordon Scott.
I love the story within a story idea, and Ebershoff pulls it off nicely. However, the Jordon Scott story often took a backseat much of the time to the Ann Eliza story. Her story and the supporting documents were used in a compelling way. It was much more of a well-researched historical novel than a present-day murder mystery. The Ann Eliza story and the Jordon Scott story filled in gaps for each other, making each one more compelling than if told individually. I appreciated this writing technique; Jordon provides the sparse prose with blunt dialogue, while Ann Eliza provides the deeper emotions of being one of many wives and the toll it took on the many children involved.
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LibraryThing member lenoreva
I read The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff for the Early Reviewers program. It's part historical (about Brigham Young's 19th wife, Ana Eliza, who brings attention to the polygamy problem) and part modern day murder mystery where a "lost boy" (young Mormon boys kicked out of the community so that they
The historical part of the book starts with Ana Eliza’s mother’s back story and conversion to LDS (Latter Day Saints), her marriage, and her devastation when her husband is ordered by the prophet to take a second wife. As the narrative goes on, we see how plural marriage negatively affects nearly everyone involved, certainly the wives who become jealous, petty, and bitter, but also the husbands who don’t have enough resources to cope with so many wives and children, and then the children who must compete for affection with scores of others. We also see how anyone who disagrees with the doctrine of the church (or Brigham Young’s whims) is systematically destroyed (emotionally, financially, physically or all three).
The modern day part is a fascinating look into polygamy as it exists today (a very timely subject considering the recent raid on a compound in Texas). The main character here, the teenaged Jordan, is definitely damaged from his abandonment, but is resourceful and forgiving enough to help his mother with her legal woes (she’s been accused of killing Jordan’s father but swears she didn't do it). He enlists help from a colorful cast of characters, including 2 young Mesadale runaways, a sympathetic postmaster in Mesadale, a hotel worker with which he has a romance of sorts, and a step-sister Queenie who still lives within the compound and is now married to one of its police officers.
Though this novel is almost 600 pages long and includes many historical documents, it never felt like a chore to read. I don’t read that much historical fiction, but interestingly enough, the last one I did read (and loved), Kurt Anderson’s “Heyday” covered roughly the same time period and even explored some of the Mormon settlements that appear here. I also knew some about Mormon history going in (I did live in Utah for 2 years), but this filled in a lot of blanks.
I am very glad I got the chance to read this, and highly recommend other readers check it out when it comes out on August 5th.
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won’t be competition for the older men in getting girls) tries to help clear his mother (herself a 19th wife) from murder charges.The historical part of the book starts with Ana Eliza’s mother’s back story and conversion to LDS (Latter Day Saints), her marriage, and her devastation when her husband is ordered by the prophet to take a second wife. As the narrative goes on, we see how plural marriage negatively affects nearly everyone involved, certainly the wives who become jealous, petty, and bitter, but also the husbands who don’t have enough resources to cope with so many wives and children, and then the children who must compete for affection with scores of others. We also see how anyone who disagrees with the doctrine of the church (or Brigham Young’s whims) is systematically destroyed (emotionally, financially, physically or all three).
The modern day part is a fascinating look into polygamy as it exists today (a very timely subject considering the recent raid on a compound in Texas). The main character here, the teenaged Jordan, is definitely damaged from his abandonment, but is resourceful and forgiving enough to help his mother with her legal woes (she’s been accused of killing Jordan’s father but swears she didn't do it). He enlists help from a colorful cast of characters, including 2 young Mesadale runaways, a sympathetic postmaster in Mesadale, a hotel worker with which he has a romance of sorts, and a step-sister Queenie who still lives within the compound and is now married to one of its police officers.
Though this novel is almost 600 pages long and includes many historical documents, it never felt like a chore to read. I don’t read that much historical fiction, but interestingly enough, the last one I did read (and loved), Kurt Anderson’s “Heyday” covered roughly the same time period and even explored some of the Mormon settlements that appear here. I also knew some about Mormon history going in (I did live in Utah for 2 years), but this filled in a lot of blanks.
I am very glad I got the chance to read this, and highly recommend other readers check it out when it comes out on August 5th.
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LibraryThing member angrystarlyt
Part of the appeal of this book is its ties to Mormon history. I'm not LDS, although my husband used to be, and I've spent a fair share of my time in Utah, so the fact that this involved such a close study of characters of real historical characters really drew me to requesting this book. I will
Ebershoff assuaged both my fears with this absorbing read. The Firsts, which may be comparable to the Fundamental LDS we see in the news nightly now, are clearly demarcated from modern LDS, and through Ann Eliza's and Elizabeth's testimony, the real pain and heartbreak of living in a polygamous relationship by *choice* were made devastatingly clear. I enjoyed the several narrative strains going through, arranging it in an almost scrapbook-like sequence (as we are to find out, it's someone's master thesis, which, unless she was in a creative writing program [as Mr. Ebershoff might teach!], I highly doubt this would pass).
I wasn't overly fond of the way Jordan spoke--the voices of his other characters which more truer, and although Ebershoff was attempting to catch a breezy, modern form of speaking, Jordan came off as being less intelligent than I think we are meant to embrace him as. Plus, since so much of Ann Eliza's narrative (which I am curious--how much of this is Ebershoff and how much of this is Ms. Young's?) makes up the bulk of the book that Jordan and, for that matter, Johnny or 5 (but not Johnny 5, hehe) are never properly characterized. While showing how hard it is for Ann Eliza and Elizabeth, the book never really shows the point that it is so careful to stress: it is the *children* who are most affected by polygamy. Jordan could have been a walking example of this, but when we meet him, he's open to the next gay LDS member in a Malibu Inn he finds.
All in all, though, I couldn't put the novel down--at first to find out if BeckyLyn really did kill Jordan's dad, but eventually just because the voice of the narrators drew me in (I was especially fond of the historical men--Lorenzo, Gilbert, Chauncey). I am quite interested in hearing more from this writer.
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admit I was doubtful coming in, however, mainly because I am sensitive to the way this religion gets treated in much of the Mormon fiction I've read, focusing mainly on the juicy parts of their history and leading the reader to believe that's what they are today. Plus, and this may be a little strange, I didn't actually think I *had* a problem with polygamy--it seemed like a lifestyle choice akin to a commune, practicing sexual activities which were none of *my* business, but with accorded legal rights.Ebershoff assuaged both my fears with this absorbing read. The Firsts, which may be comparable to the Fundamental LDS we see in the news nightly now, are clearly demarcated from modern LDS, and through Ann Eliza's and Elizabeth's testimony, the real pain and heartbreak of living in a polygamous relationship by *choice* were made devastatingly clear. I enjoyed the several narrative strains going through, arranging it in an almost scrapbook-like sequence (as we are to find out, it's someone's master thesis, which, unless she was in a creative writing program [as Mr. Ebershoff might teach!], I highly doubt this would pass).
I wasn't overly fond of the way Jordan spoke--the voices of his other characters which more truer, and although Ebershoff was attempting to catch a breezy, modern form of speaking, Jordan came off as being less intelligent than I think we are meant to embrace him as. Plus, since so much of Ann Eliza's narrative (which I am curious--how much of this is Ebershoff and how much of this is Ms. Young's?) makes up the bulk of the book that Jordan and, for that matter, Johnny or 5 (but not Johnny 5, hehe) are never properly characterized. While showing how hard it is for Ann Eliza and Elizabeth, the book never really shows the point that it is so careful to stress: it is the *children* who are most affected by polygamy. Jordan could have been a walking example of this, but when we meet him, he's open to the next gay LDS member in a Malibu Inn he finds.
All in all, though, I couldn't put the novel down--at first to find out if BeckyLyn really did kill Jordan's dad, but eventually just because the voice of the narrators drew me in (I was especially fond of the historical men--Lorenzo, Gilbert, Chauncey). I am quite interested in hearing more from this writer.
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LibraryThing member veevoxvoom
The 19th Wife is the combination of two narratives. One tells the story of Ann Eliza Young, the nineteenth wife of Brigham Young, a prophet of the fledgling Mormon church during the 1800s. The other story is the contemporary murder mystery of a Mormon-offshoot patriarch killed by his nineteenth
First off, this is a long book but it never felt excessive. I have to admit that at first the two narratives were confusing, but once I settled into the characters’ voices I no longer had problems separating them. Jordan’s saga started out with greater strength than Ann Eliza Young’s. I found his descriptions of growing up in a plural household fascinating and was hungry for every little detail he doled out. Ann Eliza’s was less interesting at first, but I did get into it halfway through, especially with her descriptions of Brigham and his wives. As for the murder mystery aspect, I thought it was handled well for being a secondary plotline. I was genuinely surprised when the real murderer was revealed and certain plot twists were made evident. Still, the focus on this book is primarily polygamy and its effect on lives.
I liked how Ebershoff used several characters and storylines. It’s a tricky device to get right but I thought it made his story more three-dimensional and epic. Now, it’s clear what stance he takes on the polygamy issue, but I appreciated that he gave Brigham and Chauncey a voice as well as their wives.
Overall, I highly enjoyed The 19th Wife and its tender portrayal of people in plural households. The use of two narratives was a bit shaky at times but I would rather have it there than not. The 19th Wife, as I said, is a thick book but I read it in two sittings and ignored three phone calls, so bravo!
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wife, with their excommunicated son off to clear his mother’s name.First off, this is a long book but it never felt excessive. I have to admit that at first the two narratives were confusing, but once I settled into the characters’ voices I no longer had problems separating them. Jordan’s saga started out with greater strength than Ann Eliza Young’s. I found his descriptions of growing up in a plural household fascinating and was hungry for every little detail he doled out. Ann Eliza’s was less interesting at first, but I did get into it halfway through, especially with her descriptions of Brigham and his wives. As for the murder mystery aspect, I thought it was handled well for being a secondary plotline. I was genuinely surprised when the real murderer was revealed and certain plot twists were made evident. Still, the focus on this book is primarily polygamy and its effect on lives.
I liked how Ebershoff used several characters and storylines. It’s a tricky device to get right but I thought it made his story more three-dimensional and epic. Now, it’s clear what stance he takes on the polygamy issue, but I appreciated that he gave Brigham and Chauncey a voice as well as their wives.
Overall, I highly enjoyed The 19th Wife and its tender portrayal of people in plural households. The use of two narratives was a bit shaky at times but I would rather have it there than not. The 19th Wife, as I said, is a thick book but I read it in two sittings and ignored three phone calls, so bravo!
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LibraryThing member RHLibrary
At first glance this novel appears to be straightforward historical fiction surrounding the life of Ann Eliza Young, the outcast wife of Brigham Young, a founding prophet and leader of the Mormon Church. Yet, intertwined is a modern tale of a murder mystery involving a polygamist family in
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present-day Utah. The research lengths the author went to for his novel are impressive. At a recent lunch event he told attendees stories of interviewing former members of FLDS communities, of visiting one Utah community himself, and of hours spent poring over historical documents. While the connection between the historical and fictitious is especially strong, what is most extraordinary are the “documents” interspersed within it: a Wikipedia entry, newspaper articles, a college thesis paper, and more, all penned by the author himself but seemingly so authentic that I had to flip back to the Author’s Note to check for citations. A complex, timely and addictive mixture of past and present, this book will no doubt spark discussion and entice readers to learn more about this piece of American religious history. Show Less
LibraryThing member teaperson
This book succeeds in many ways at explaining what polygamy is like and why it's bad - although it does not always succeed in its literary ambitions.
After reading this book, I am able to explain why polygamy is bad and not on a slippery slope from gay marriage, which is legal in my state and which
Ann Eliza Young's story, as the '19th' wife of Brigham Young, is told in a first-person memoir, and is quite convincing. The story of a young man who was thrown out of a modern-day polygamous sect and is trying to clear his mother (also a '19th wife') of killing her husband is less so. The mystery often feels like a thin thread holding together the disparate narratives. But the nature of polygamy is painted very clearly, both in modern times and in 19th-century Mormon country.
After reading this book, I am able to explain why polygamy is bad and not on a slippery slope from gay marriage, which is legal in my state and which
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I support. Gay marriage is two people in an equal relationship. Polygamy is an unequal relationship, in which one person gives up her equality -- for the sake of heaven, and doesn't see an alternative.Ann Eliza Young's story, as the '19th' wife of Brigham Young, is told in a first-person memoir, and is quite convincing. The story of a young man who was thrown out of a modern-day polygamous sect and is trying to clear his mother (also a '19th wife') of killing her husband is less so. The mystery often feels like a thin thread holding together the disparate narratives. But the nature of polygamy is painted very clearly, both in modern times and in 19th-century Mormon country.
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LibraryThing member jjenn1960
This book is a fascinating look at the history of Mormonism and the impact of polygamy on its women and children. It is a searing indictment of male power over women and the impact and dangers of religious fanaticism. Told from the historical viewpoint of one of Brigham Young's wives and the
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fictional viewpoint of a child of polygamy, the stories mesh and resonate with the reader. In light of the recent events in Texas involving a polygamist sect, the book is riveting and relevant. It held my interest throughout and left me wanting more information about Ann Eliza Young, Brigham Young's apostate wife. It also left me wanting to read David Ebershoff's other works. Show Less
LibraryThing member suedutton
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff tells two stories - one is a fictionalized account of Ann Eliza Young, and the other is a modern-day murder mystery. The book jumps back and forth between the two tales, and the narration is interspersed with newspaper articles, letters, and journal entries to help
Ann Eliza (Webb) Young married Brigham Young in 1868 as one of his many wives. She later sued him successfully for divorce and made a career of lecturing around the country about the evils of polygamy. Her speeches were instrumental in persuading Congress to pass stricter anti-polygamy legislation in the late 1800's. I found these parts of the book fascinating as this was a whole chapter of American history that was never covered in my high school class. I am inspired to read more about the early history of the Mormon church, and any book that leaves me wanting to know more was definitely worth the read.
The murder mystery part of the book was a page-turning who-done-it about who killed a present-day polygamist. I enjoyed this part of the book as well.
The two stories were skillfully intertwined. It was a bit of Girl With Pearl Earring meets James Patterson, but somehow it still worked.
My one objection to the book was its treatment of polygamy. The polygamists were either unlikable characters or people who know-in-their-heart-polygamy-is-wrong but struggle to reconcile that with their faith. It just seemed to me that the author was picking on a really easy target. It is not difficult to portray polygamists as bad, and it might have been interesting to see more nuance.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read (despite being 600 pages) and I would recommend it.
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tell the tale.Ann Eliza (Webb) Young married Brigham Young in 1868 as one of his many wives. She later sued him successfully for divorce and made a career of lecturing around the country about the evils of polygamy. Her speeches were instrumental in persuading Congress to pass stricter anti-polygamy legislation in the late 1800's. I found these parts of the book fascinating as this was a whole chapter of American history that was never covered in my high school class. I am inspired to read more about the early history of the Mormon church, and any book that leaves me wanting to know more was definitely worth the read.
The murder mystery part of the book was a page-turning who-done-it about who killed a present-day polygamist. I enjoyed this part of the book as well.
The two stories were skillfully intertwined. It was a bit of Girl With Pearl Earring meets James Patterson, but somehow it still worked.
My one objection to the book was its treatment of polygamy. The polygamists were either unlikable characters or people who know-in-their-heart-polygamy-is-wrong but struggle to reconcile that with their faith. It just seemed to me that the author was picking on a really easy target. It is not difficult to portray polygamists as bad, and it might have been interesting to see more nuance.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read (despite being 600 pages) and I would recommend it.
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LibraryThing member alluvia
I was so happy to get an early reviewer copy of this book - finished reading about half the novel on a 3-hour plane ride and was fully entertained. Other reviewers mention that the 600-page size could be intimidating, but just a peek at the huge font size and spacing of this printing should allay
At first, I was worried that the story-telling devices in this novel were too self-consciously clever, but as I got about 70 pages into the book, I felt firmly in the worlds of the main narrators and understood the structure and no longer suspected the author of Infinite-Jest-esque "over-cuteness."
The modern-day story line features wonderfully warm, flawed, funny, believable characters and I kept finding myself wishing for more of that story and not so much of the 19th century tale. As I read further, I saw how the past narrative informed the reality of the modern-day story and I think it gave the settings and situations more depth. I wonder if the braid of the Mormon wife on the cover of the book represents how these stories are woven together. If so, nice touch!
Much of the plot is driven by a murder mystery, which kept me turning pages. I wish the resolution of the mystery had been played out a bit more and not just plunked down in the final chapter without, I felt, enough foreshadowing or building of that story line.
It would have been easy to go the tawdry route with a subject like polygamy, but Ebershoff gives his characters much dignity and lets us have excellent insight into their contradictory and oh-so-human minds and hearts.
The timing of this publication is especially interesting, given all the news recently about the FLDS sect in Texas and all of the children placed under protective services.
After reading this book, I can't wait to get started on Ebershoff's earlier novel, The Danish Girl.
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any fears. At first, I was worried that the story-telling devices in this novel were too self-consciously clever, but as I got about 70 pages into the book, I felt firmly in the worlds of the main narrators and understood the structure and no longer suspected the author of Infinite-Jest-esque "over-cuteness."
The modern-day story line features wonderfully warm, flawed, funny, believable characters and I kept finding myself wishing for more of that story and not so much of the 19th century tale. As I read further, I saw how the past narrative informed the reality of the modern-day story and I think it gave the settings and situations more depth. I wonder if the braid of the Mormon wife on the cover of the book represents how these stories are woven together. If so, nice touch!
Much of the plot is driven by a murder mystery, which kept me turning pages. I wish the resolution of the mystery had been played out a bit more and not just plunked down in the final chapter without, I felt, enough foreshadowing or building of that story line.
It would have been easy to go the tawdry route with a subject like polygamy, but Ebershoff gives his characters much dignity and lets us have excellent insight into their contradictory and oh-so-human minds and hearts.
The timing of this publication is especially interesting, given all the news recently about the FLDS sect in Texas and all of the children placed under protective services.
After reading this book, I can't wait to get started on Ebershoff's earlier novel, The Danish Girl.
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LibraryThing member avisannschild
The 19th Wife is a fascinating fictional account of both the origins of plural marriage in the Mormon faith and a present-day incarnation of this practice among fundamentalist Mormons. The novel is divided into two stories: the first of Brigham Young’s nineteenth wife, Ann Eliza Young (written in
A slightly different version of this review can be found on my blog, she reads and reads.
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the form of a memoir) and the second of a contemporary nineteenth wife who has been arrested for the murder of her husband (written from the point of view of her son). However, this novel is actually more complex than that as it also contains diary excerpts, newspaper clippings, academic papers, letters, emails and more. In less capable hands, this might have made for a disjointed and unwieldy mess, but Ebershoff masterfully weaves all these pieces together to create an extraordinary tale, keeping each voice distinct and completely believable. Although the two stories don’t connect in any traditional sense, Eliza’s story provides backdrop and context for the modern one, as well as being an amazing piece of historical reconstruction. My only criticism is that the resolution of the modern mystery is a little too pat, but otherwise I have to agree with one of the characters who says: “All speculation and imagination, yet so true, I know, so true” (p. 496). I feel like Ebershoff has really captured the essence of the realities he writes about.A slightly different version of this review can be found on my blog, she reads and reads.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
Talk about timing -- with the big raid a month ago at the Yearning For Zion ranch and all of the news from that event, this book is going to sell, big time. Personally, I'm fascinated with the whole issue of polygamy -- not that I'd want to do it, but I do wonder why others subject themselves and
So now that I've ranted, the book is structured so that there is a present-day mystery that focuses on a woman who has been arrested and imprisoned for killing her husband. It turns out that she is the 19th wife, and her estranged son reads about her arrest on the internet. Seems that when he was younger, he was tossed out of the local polygamist community, "The Firsts," where they believed they were carrying on the mission of the first and true LDS church, when polygamy was the norm. So off he trots to Utah to see his mother and then gets involved in trying to prove her innocence. At the same time, there is another thread running in this book, the story of another 19th wife, Ann Eliza Young, who married Brigham Young and then squared off against him and the whole polygamy issue publicly. The present-day story is minor compared to Ann Eliza's story, beginning with her mother's conversion to Mormonism and then her descent into the hell that was polygamy after the prophet had a revelation from God that men should take more than one wife. The two stories are interspersed, but Ann Eliza's story is (imho) the better of the two. More than the present-day story, her story had me glued to the book.
The characters were well drawn and Ebershoff did a fine job with the whole polygamy thing, especially describing the plight of the children from polygamous marriages. This is not something I probably would have picked up at a bookstore, but the topic intrigued me and the story got my dander up. I would say that Ebershoff's done his job as a writer -- getting the reader very involved. Personally, if he'd have left it with the story of Ann Eliza, I probably would have liked it better.
I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in the topic of polygamy, and if you liked this one, try Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven.
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furthermore, I wonder why the government hasn't just come right out and reminded law enforcement that polygamy is illegal and that leads to my wondering why this is still going on. The whole brainwashing thing eludes me as well, but then again, the issues brought up in this book are part of the reason I shy away from any sort of organized religion. Ebershoff may have written fiction, but the issue of brainwashing is very real. Take the Yearning For Zion thing in Texas -- the women there were scared to death of having to live on the outside because of all the things they are taught about the real world while they are under the sway of the FLDS leadership at the ranch. Or in the novel -- it's rife with examples of how the church leadership managed to convince some seemingly intelligent women that they needed to share their husbands with other women, sometimes under the same roof. It's all about salvation, you know? Fantasy camp for men; for women and especially for their children, well, what can I say? Sorry about the diatribe, but you know, the whole polygamy thing has a tendency to rankle me, and I appreciate Ebershoff's book -- it pointed out the many issues about this practice justified in the name of salvation. So now that I've ranted, the book is structured so that there is a present-day mystery that focuses on a woman who has been arrested and imprisoned for killing her husband. It turns out that she is the 19th wife, and her estranged son reads about her arrest on the internet. Seems that when he was younger, he was tossed out of the local polygamist community, "The Firsts," where they believed they were carrying on the mission of the first and true LDS church, when polygamy was the norm. So off he trots to Utah to see his mother and then gets involved in trying to prove her innocence. At the same time, there is another thread running in this book, the story of another 19th wife, Ann Eliza Young, who married Brigham Young and then squared off against him and the whole polygamy issue publicly. The present-day story is minor compared to Ann Eliza's story, beginning with her mother's conversion to Mormonism and then her descent into the hell that was polygamy after the prophet had a revelation from God that men should take more than one wife. The two stories are interspersed, but Ann Eliza's story is (imho) the better of the two. More than the present-day story, her story had me glued to the book.
The characters were well drawn and Ebershoff did a fine job with the whole polygamy thing, especially describing the plight of the children from polygamous marriages. This is not something I probably would have picked up at a bookstore, but the topic intrigued me and the story got my dander up. I would say that Ebershoff's done his job as a writer -- getting the reader very involved. Personally, if he'd have left it with the story of Ann Eliza, I probably would have liked it better.
I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in the topic of polygamy, and if you liked this one, try Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven.
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LibraryThing member ellevee
An uneven, but ultimately fascinating and enjoyable book. A young man tries to solve the murder of his polygamist father and come to terms with his own life and relationship with his mother. Interspersed throughout are 'historical' pieces and chapters from books relating the history of famous
The real problem with the book, for me, is that the historical pieces are much more interesting than the present-day mystery. I was less worried about whether Jordan's mother killed his father, and more excited to read about the evolution of polygamy and its end as told by the 'original' 19th wife.
The ending is simultaneously corny and predictable, and unexpected and immensely satisfying. It's complicated, to say the least. The book is definitely worth reading, and will provide a late summer read that also teaches you about the history and effects of one of the most mysterious religions in America.
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polygamists, most significantly that of the woman who brought about polygamy's end.The real problem with the book, for me, is that the historical pieces are much more interesting than the present-day mystery. I was less worried about whether Jordan's mother killed his father, and more excited to read about the evolution of polygamy and its end as told by the 'original' 19th wife.
The ending is simultaneously corny and predictable, and unexpected and immensely satisfying. It's complicated, to say the least. The book is definitely worth reading, and will provide a late summer read that also teaches you about the history and effects of one of the most mysterious religions in America.
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LibraryThing member sshartelg
This is the first time I've read a book by David Ebershoff and it was definitely good enough to make me want to read some of his others.
"The 19th Wife" is, as the title suggests, a novel about the Mormon Church. It delves into the lives of both the original Mormons ("the firsts" as they are called)
The book alternates between the stories of Ann Eliza Young, Bringham Young's 19th wife - a real woman who rebelled against her husband and her faith in the late 1800s - and a present day 19th wife and her son, Jordan Scott. Jordan, a young gay man of 20, was banished from the desert compound he grew up on at age 14 (ironically, it turns out, for holding the hand of one of his step-sisters) and has finally managed to make a home for himself in California when he gets sucked back into his old world after reading on the internet that his mother has been arrested for murdering his father. Convinced of his mother's innocence, Jordan returns to Utah to try and prove that someone else on the compound murdered his father.
Having previously read Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven," a non-fiction book about the history of the Mormon Church, I had a fair amount of background knowledge about the history presented in Ebershoff's novel. This previous knowledge enhanced my appreciation of the way Ebershoff's seamlessly weaves history into his fictional story.
I found both portions of the novel to be equally engrossing and enjoyed the way Ebershoff used different formats (traditional first-person narration, journal entries, Wikipedia entries, letters, art, newspaper articles, etc.) to tell his story.
This book is a great read for someone who knows nothing about the Mormon Church as well as for those who have some interest in its history or just like watching HBO's "Big Love."
"The 19th Wife" is, as the title suggests, a novel about the Mormon Church. It delves into the lives of both the original Mormons ("the firsts" as they are called)
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as well as the lives of modern adherents to the faith. These contemporary characters include actual LDS members who no longer practice polygamy but who are still trying to come to grips with the church's early history and members of a cult-like group of worshipers who broke away from the church at the turn of the last century due to their convictions that polygamy should still be practiced by true believers, even if that meant they must exile themselves to a dry, hot Utah desert where no one else would ever consider living. The book alternates between the stories of Ann Eliza Young, Bringham Young's 19th wife - a real woman who rebelled against her husband and her faith in the late 1800s - and a present day 19th wife and her son, Jordan Scott. Jordan, a young gay man of 20, was banished from the desert compound he grew up on at age 14 (ironically, it turns out, for holding the hand of one of his step-sisters) and has finally managed to make a home for himself in California when he gets sucked back into his old world after reading on the internet that his mother has been arrested for murdering his father. Convinced of his mother's innocence, Jordan returns to Utah to try and prove that someone else on the compound murdered his father.
Having previously read Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven," a non-fiction book about the history of the Mormon Church, I had a fair amount of background knowledge about the history presented in Ebershoff's novel. This previous knowledge enhanced my appreciation of the way Ebershoff's seamlessly weaves history into his fictional story.
I found both portions of the novel to be equally engrossing and enjoyed the way Ebershoff used different formats (traditional first-person narration, journal entries, Wikipedia entries, letters, art, newspaper articles, etc.) to tell his story.
This book is a great read for someone who knows nothing about the Mormon Church as well as for those who have some interest in its history or just like watching HBO's "Big Love."
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LibraryThing member Peripa
The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff Review
David Ebershoff's timely third novel, The 19th Wife, follows the story of a murder in a present-day polygamist community alongside a retelling of Ann Eliza Young's life, the '19th wife' of Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church.
Through
A superb blur of fact and fiction, past and present, The 19th Wife, while maintaining a 'murder mystery' storyline, gives insight to the history of polygamy in America and the affect polygamy has on the men, women, and especially on the children involved.
David Ebershoff's timely third novel, The 19th Wife, follows the story of a murder in a present-day polygamist community alongside a retelling of Ann Eliza Young's life, the '19th wife' of Brigham Young, prophet and leader of the Mormon Church.
Through
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fictionalized first person accounts, newspaper articles, sermons, letters, and even Wikipedia entries, Ebershoff provides the reader with a fascinating glimpse of the evolution of the Latter Day Saints and the outcome of polygamist families across three centuries. Although one knows it is a work of fiction, it takes effort to disbelieve all that Ebershoff has written – such is the authenticity in his writing.A superb blur of fact and fiction, past and present, The 19th Wife, while maintaining a 'murder mystery' storyline, gives insight to the history of polygamy in America and the affect polygamy has on the men, women, and especially on the children involved.
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LibraryThing member KaskaskiaVic
This historical novel explores the complexity of Mormonism by interweaving two stories separated by time. One story set in present day Utah, propels the reader into a Mormon murder mystery. The second story, based on the 19th wife of the leader of the Utah Saints and Mormon Church Brigham Young,
Despite being unfamiliar with Mormonism, the book provided the necessary background on the history of the church and the biographical information on the founders and their families. I appreciated the author’s notes on how much truth blended with fiction to recreate this world. In fact, this novel propels the reader to explore other works. The listing of the sources provides credence to this rich portrayal of apostasy and polygamy in the past and in the current times. Fascinating.
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carries the book. Both stories could easily have stood as separate novels. Despite being unfamiliar with Mormonism, the book provided the necessary background on the history of the church and the biographical information on the founders and their families. I appreciated the author’s notes on how much truth blended with fiction to recreate this world. In fact, this novel propels the reader to explore other works. The listing of the sources provides credence to this rich portrayal of apostasy and polygamy in the past and in the current times. Fascinating.
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LibraryThing member susiesharp
This book was about 2 "19th" Wives one in the 1800's and one modern.(19 is in quotes because neither of these women were really the 19th but thats what they were called).
Ann Eliza was married to Brigham Young ,the historical fiction part of the book about Ann Eliza goes from her childhood till she
I found Ann Eliza's story really good it kept me interested and those parts of the book were written very well.
I however did not like the present day story or that the author seemed to think that if Jordan said the F-word ever other sentence then we'd know it was the present day story.I just really didn't like this part of the book at all when it finally came out who killed Jordans father did I care ? No , I guess I really didn't.
If this book would have just been about Ann Eliza It would have gotten 4 - 4 1/2 stars but the present day story takes away from it too much.
Ann Eliza was married to Brigham Young ,the historical fiction part of the book about Ann Eliza goes from her childhood till she
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divorced Brigham and went on a tour of the country talking about abolishing polygamy.I found Ann Eliza's story really good it kept me interested and those parts of the book were written very well.
I however did not like the present day story or that the author seemed to think that if Jordan said the F-word ever other sentence then we'd know it was the present day story.I just really didn't like this part of the book at all when it finally came out who killed Jordans father did I care ? No , I guess I really didn't.
If this book would have just been about Ann Eliza It would have gotten 4 - 4 1/2 stars but the present day story takes away from it too much.
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LibraryThing member leadmomma
Have you ever read a book that is so good that you want to tell everyone you run into about it? This is one of those books.
"Paper or plastic?"
"I brought my own..but have you read a good book lately? You need to read 'The 19th Wife'"
Perhaps the current events made this book even more relevant,
The author did a fantastic job of weaving a complex story into something very readable, with just enough historical information to provide context and information.
I found the characters all dynamic and interesting. The story had mystery and a sense of urgency -- which made it a terrific read; one that I am still recommending to people weeks after I've finished it.
"Paper or plastic?"
"I brought my own..but have you read a good book lately? You need to read 'The 19th Wife'"
Perhaps the current events made this book even more relevant,
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perhaps it's my interest in Mormon history and its role in the development of The West, perhaps it is because this is a great book -- no matter which one it is, I really enjoyed this book. The author did a fantastic job of weaving a complex story into something very readable, with just enough historical information to provide context and information.
I found the characters all dynamic and interesting. The story had mystery and a sense of urgency -- which made it a terrific read; one that I am still recommending to people weeks after I've finished it.
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LibraryThing member the_awesome_opossum
The 19th Wife tells two stories. First is the memoir of Ann Eliza Young, one of Brigham Young's wives and later an apostate and crusader against polygamy. Second is the present-day story of Jordan Scott, who grew up in the "Firsts," a modern polygamist cult, and whose mother (the nineteenth wife of
The story is "mixed media," told through narratives, letters, and church documents, and we follow the history of Mormon polygamy from the conception of the church itself to the modern-day cults. I had nothing but sympathy for Ann Eliza and the other wives, seeing the helplessness and emotional pummeling they faced under the circumstances of their marriages. Not only are they tied to their husbands and families by their personal relationship, but also their relationship to their church and to their god, making it extremely daunting to leave.
Ebershoff got very lucky with this book, given the real life polygamist events of just a few months ago, making this a very timely read. It was an engrossing book, and with all the issues it raised, a very provocative one as well
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a polygamist) has just been accused of murdering her husband.The story is "mixed media," told through narratives, letters, and church documents, and we follow the history of Mormon polygamy from the conception of the church itself to the modern-day cults. I had nothing but sympathy for Ann Eliza and the other wives, seeing the helplessness and emotional pummeling they faced under the circumstances of their marriages. Not only are they tied to their husbands and families by their personal relationship, but also their relationship to their church and to their god, making it extremely daunting to leave.
Ebershoff got very lucky with this book, given the real life polygamist events of just a few months ago, making this a very timely read. It was an engrossing book, and with all the issues it raised, a very provocative one as well
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Awards
Publishing Triangle Awards (Finalist — Ferro-Grumley Award for LGBTQ Fiction — 2009)
British Book Award (Shortlist — Popular Fiction — 2009)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008-08-05
Physical description
7.8 inches
ISBN
0552774987 / 9780552774987