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Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
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Average Rating:  out of 730 Reviews
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Price: $14.95
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Sale: $5.95
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Manufacturer: Anchor
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EAN (European Article Number): 9781400032808
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Paperback
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Author: Jon Krakauer
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Publisher: Anchor
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Dewey Decimal Number: 289.33
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Publication Date: 2004-06-08
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Reading Level: 432
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Description: In 1984, Ron and Dan Lafferty murdered the wife and infant daughter of their younger brother Allen. The crimes were noteworthy not merely for their brutality but for the brothers' claim that they were acting on direct orders from God. In Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer tells the story of the killers and their crime but also explores the shadowy world of Mormon fundamentalism from which the two emerged. The Mormon Church was founded, in part, on the idea that true believers could speak directly with God. But while the mainstream church attempted to be more palatable to the general public by rejecting the controversial tenet of polygamy, fundamentalist splinter groups saw this as apostasy and took to the hills to live what they believed to be a righteous life. When their beliefs are challenged or their patriarchal, cult-like order defied, these still-active groups, according to Krakauer, are capable of fighting back with tremendous violence. While Krakauer's research into the history of the church is admirably extensive, the real power of the book comes from present-day information, notably jailhouse interviews with Dan Lafferty. Far from being the brooding maniac one might expect, Lafferty is chillingly coherent, still insisting that his motive was merely to obey God's command. Krakauer's accounts of the actual murders are graphic and disturbing, but such detail makes the brothers' claim of divine instruction all the more horrifying. In an age where Westerners have trouble comprehending what drives Islamic fundamentalists to kill, Jon Krakauer advises us to look within America's own borders. --John Moe
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: Compelling |
Date: 2008-11-08 |
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Details: While not as enjoyable as Krakauer's other works, UTBOH is a compelling read. Insightful, giving the outsider a view of the FLDS church that is seldom seen and even less understood. Some of the passages are disturbing and violent. The book sometimes has a feel of anti-religious propaganda, but give credit to Krakauer for being someone who attempts to deliver the facts as best he can. I am sure this was a very difficult book to research due to the "closed" nature of the society he was investigating. Great read for those interested in the topic. The casual reader, however, will be lost in the confusing morass that is the FLDS church. |
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Review Summary: Excellent book, difficult subject matter |
Date: 2008-11-07 |
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Details: I'm not a fan of crime literature and I wasn't excited about reading this book. I'd devoured everything else of Krakauer's since "Into Thin Air" and his writing does not disappoint here, even when the going gets thick and rough and you almost need a program to figure out which Mormon is murdering whom on direct orders from God.
I'd never given Mormonism much thought, they seem like nice people, but I'd never heard of "fundamental" Mormonism, which was just about as creepy as anything I'd ever read about any other group or religion or cult. The idea of "celestial marriage" seems like a loony idea dreamt up by a horny old goat, it's laughable, yet it exists.
It's a fascinating history overall, and it is a Jon Krakauer book, so it's worth reading, but it is work to read about a couple of lunatics who conveniently receive instruction from God to murder an "uppity wife" of one of their own flesh-and-blood brothers. Certainly religious mania is stretched to transparency when a God-ordered killing plainly serves one's own interests.
Absent is the sense of a doomed but inspired hero as in "Into Thin Air" and "Into The Wild" -- the perpetrators deserve no sympathy and some sections of the book detail such heinous crimes that I wanted to put it down and go bathe in live steam to try and erase what I'd read. It's not an easy read and I'm glad I'm done with it.
Fascinating history, however. Worth reading. |
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Review Summary: Scary and enlightening |
Date: 2008-10-28 |
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Details: this book is applicable to all religions. It asks the disturbing question -- why do people kill other people for the benefit of their religion? the book also contains interesting history about the american southwest --- learn about the other american tragedy that occured on sept 11, but about 150 years ago. |
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Review Summary: morbid and fascinating |
Date: 2008-10-24 |
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Details: I love Jon Krakauer's mountaineering writing; this was different but no less fascinating. Highly recommended if you can stomach both the violence and the religious weirdness. |
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Review Summary: Absolutely brutal, but very informative. |
Date: 2008-10-18 |
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Details: This book really struck home for me. The story of the Lafferty family is one that reminds me greatly of how religion can completely blind somebody from logic and reason. Living in the heart of Mormon Utah, I can see where fundamentalists such as Rulon and Warren Jeffs, developed the base of their beliefs. Krakauer makes an excellent point about how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints can take progressive steps towards worldwide acceptance if they just open up their archives and history and allow people to study them. Enough secrecy, enough cover ups, just be honest and tell us about the history of your religion. I agree with Krakauer that they can make a better name for themselves if they just open up a little. Overall, this book was one i'm glad I picked up. Although absolutely brutal at moments, it was very informative and deep. Great read! |
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