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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
dark
informative
medium-paced
read this bc I’ve enjoyed krakauers other books and also bc i grew up around mormons.
It was interesting. Although there is a story within the book, it is primarily a history book. The author does a good job of explaining the history and how it affected the actions of the current day story.
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Krakauer is again an excellent story teller. The book is comprised of four parts. Too much of the book is about Dan and Ron Lafferty (for my interests). The book opens with (and returns with chilling detail) the brutal 1984 murder of Brenda (Dan and Ron’s sister-in-law) and her 15-month-old daughter (Erica) in the name of a divine revelation. A lot of content is focused on FLDS (fundamentalists and excommunicated off shoots from LDS). I found myself disturbed and rather upset that this book is non-fiction. I was gripped by the history of the LDS/ Mormon church. Prior this book, I knew little about Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois, and the Mountain Meadows Massacre in Utah. Starting in upstate New York to the Midwest and finally with Brigham Young to Utah. Learning about this slice of history that makes the American West what it is. I’ve driven past many sections of the Mormon trail and landmarks, and toured a LDS temple in Fort Collins and visited the SLC temple square. My hometown founded by Mormons fleeing persecution.
I don’t think the violence presented herein is unique to one specific religion.. but it certainly isn’t something to make me want to rejoin active participation in an organized version of a white males control of women.
I don’t think the violence presented herein is unique to one specific religion.. but it certainly isn’t something to make me want to rejoin active participation in an organized version of a white males control of women.
3.75 stars.
While the book is primarily about a murder that transpired in the 1980's in Salt Lake City by a group of Mormon Fundamentalist, there is a large part of the book that explains how Mormonism came about. I do enjoy learning about various religions and their origins however, hearing almost unnecessary information about the religion really took me out of the book.
I would recommend this book to a specific type of reader, those that are interested in learning about true crime while simultaneously learning about deep, heavy handed history most people have no idea about.
While the book is primarily about a murder that transpired in the 1980's in Salt Lake City by a group of Mormon Fundamentalist, there is a large part of the book that explains how Mormonism came about. I do enjoy learning about various religions and their origins however, hearing almost unnecessary information about the religion really took me out of the book.
I would recommend this book to a specific type of reader, those that are interested in learning about true crime while simultaneously learning about deep, heavy handed history most people have no idea about.
I found this book to be extremely fascinating. I listened to it via audible but I think I want to read it as well.
A little disjointed, but everything Krakauer covers here is fascinating and appalling.
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
CAWPILE score: 7.86
A really interesting book about the Mormon religion — its origins and how broader fundamentalist religious thought contributed to the murder of a woman and her daughter.
A really interesting book about the Mormon religion — its origins and how broader fundamentalist religious thought contributed to the murder of a woman and her daughter.