Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
This book gave quite a lot of detailed history of Mormonism, which was interesting since I had read a lot of basic history already. This filled in the details. The specific crime spoken about in the book was terrible, though, and I had to skip a few pages.
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual violence, Violence
Part true-crime story, part Western epic, part history of the Mormon church, part expose on fringe groups, part critique of religion in general -- tying together multiple stories and timelines in Krakauer's driving narrative style. Absolutely could not put this one down.
I read this book on the recommendation of a friend, and I wasn't really sure what to expect. Coming from the Rochester, NY area - my husband and I have had numerous encounters with Mormons on more than one occasion. My husband knows much more about the faith through research and conversation with Mormons. Anyways, I felt this book presented a basic overview of Mormon history that is worth knowing (because honestly most people don't know HALF of this - it's stuff that's never taught in schools). And while it is highly contentious to the LDS church, I felt that Krakauer presents information in a fair and honest way that leads the reader to draw their own conclusions. It's a compelling read, worth looking at if you're interested in Church history, American history, or how faith can lead people to do some pretty unbelievable things. Also, I should mention that I think Krakauer is a master at writing what I would call the "non-fiction story." He effectively conveys facts/information in a story-like way that compels you to keep reading. I've read some of his other work and enjoy it very much.
4.5 stars. Fascinating mix of history and true crime.
An expository true crime story with a historical backdrop based on the LDS church origins. Krakauer provides the reader with enough enticing information to care about a murder crime and how the roots of a religion may have influenced the two men who did it. I personally enjoyed more the interviews with Dan Lafferty than the tangents about LDS church history. Seriously, the writing was exciting and the subsequent court case even more so. In particular, I appreciated the inclusion of the professional opinions during the court case about Dan's mental state. Overall, a telling story that begs the question about how society views faith or religious violence towards others/groups.
informative
I love Jon Krakauer. I think he is a phenomenal journalist. This is a fascinating documentary on the strength and power of religious belief. I recently moved to Salt Lake City, so my knowledge of Mormonism had a good foundation. However Under the Banner of Heaven describes the founding, evolution, and fanatics of the LDS church in an informative and intriguing way. I'd recommend this book to anyone not only interested in the curiosities of the LDS faith, but also how religious zealots can develop (applicable within and outside of this particular faith).