Library's review
In order to explain how the FLDS differs from the mainstream LDS church, Krakauer explores the history of this uniquely American and modern religion. As he explains in an afterword, he initially set out to write a more general book about religion but was drawn to writing about Joseph Smith and the LDS church in large part because it was founded recently enough (the early 19th century) to have an extensive written record about its founder and its development. There are plenty of unsavory aspects in this history, as there are with pretty much every religion I can think of. Krakauer tries to make the case that the LDS church has a particularly violent bent, with its belief in "blood atonement" (there's a deep dive into the late 19th century "Mountain Meadows Massacre" to support his case), but I wasn't persuaded that it was much different from, again, many other religions (the Crusades? the Inquisition?).
The primary modern-day focus for Krakauer is the case of Ron and Dan Lafferty, brothers who teamed up to murder their sister-in-law and her baby daughter in 1984 because she tried to prevent her husband (their brother Allen) from joining fully in their fundamentalist beliefs and actions. It's a sickening crime, and Dan Lafferty's continued belief that the murders were ordered by God is upsetting to read. Krakauer evidently interviewed him extensively in the prison where he's serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. There's an interesting discussion in this part of the book about whether religious believers who believe that they can talk with God should be considered mentally ill. Krakauer makes a compelling argument against that notion, but it's not a slam-dunk.
Overall, I found this account to be well-written and interesting. I learned a lot that I didn't know about the Mormon faith and in particular about the fundamentalist offshoots. Nothing in the book makes me think any differently about the various Mormon individuals I know, most of whom are wonderful people and a few of whom are jerks. But then, you could substitute any other religious denomination (or "atheist" for that matter) for "Mormon" in that sentence and it would still be true. :-)
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Description
Religion & Spirituality. Sociology. True Crime. Nonfiction. HTML:NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ? From the author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, this extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes readers inside America??s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities. Now an the acclaimed FX limited series streaming on HULU. ??Fantastic.... Right up there with In Cold Blood and The Executioner??s Song.? ??San Francisco Chronicle Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God; some 40,000 people still practice polygamy in these communities. At the core of Krakauer??s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America??s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nat… (more)
Media reviews
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Krakauer's thesis is less convincing when he tries to explain the historical roots of polygamist fundamentalism by a brief and, at
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This is a haunting book because it is a reminder of Utah at its worst.