Stolen Innocence

[ladypuglover]

I just found the book Stolen Innocence, by Elissa Wall in my bookcase that I had read years ago. Elissa writes how Warren Jeffs almost destroyed her life but was able to break free and the backlash from doing so. Jeffs married her off to her cousin when both were teens and then tried to marry her off to another man. She was meant to be a sister wife all along as her mother was but she knew something was wrong with it and it almost cost her her life trying to break free.

What I'm asking is if there are any other books, stories or articles of the women or men who tried to break free of Jeffs? Ones that don't try to make it their fault but say it how it really was.

Also, has anyone else read this book? I'm going to re-read it but do you believe her? I do remeber crying for her and being thankfull she was now free but could not believe how many people at the time just thought she was lieing.

[Rosa]

I believe her, but I don't think it's a very good book - the ghostwriting really shows, I think. I've heard Elissa speak a few times and her voice didn't come through in the book at all.

I really like Flora Jessop's book, and two of the books that came out of the LeBaron family, which are non-FLDS Mormon polygamists, are really good - Irene Spencer's (Shattered Dreams?) and Susan Ray's book Favorite Wife. They were married to the same man, partly at the same time, and Irene was raised in a different fundy Mormon church while Susan was raised in LeBaron's compound in Mexico, so they make really good counterpoints to each other.

[wtfrenchtoast]

Carolyn Jessop's book Triumph is really good. It's mostly about her life after leaving the cult. She wrote Escape, but I haven't read that one yet.

[Jessica]

It's on my to-read list along with Escape by Carolyn Jessop.

[ladypuglover]

I believe her, but I don't think it's a very good book - the ghostwriting really shows, I think. I've heard Elissa speak a few times and her voice didn't come through in the book at all.

I really like Flora Jessop's book, and two of the books that came out of the LeBaron family, which are non-FLDS Mormon polygamists, are really good - Irene Spencer's (Shattered Dreams?) and Susan Ray's book Favorite Wife. They were married to the same man, partly at the same time, and Irene was raised in a different fundy Mormon church while Susan was raised in LeBaron's compound in Mexico, so they make really good counterpoints to each other.

See, I don't remember much about the book at all, which is odd for me.

I'm going to look into those other books and see if either B&N or our Christian book store have those. I'm weird but this sect of the FLDS has always fascinated me and I can't help but stare at what must be the train wreck.

[Guest Anonymous]

I've read a bunch of the books written by the various escapees, Jessops is good. It gets confusing since these folks are all so intermarried. For instance two of the Sisterwives on TV are related to Jessops. All in all the stories were credible, and in many respects painful to read.

[acheronbeach]

It's on my to-read list along with Escape by Carolyn Jessop.

I highly recommend Escape.

[ladypuglover]

I highly recommend Escape.

Escape it is then. Will go looking on Weds.

[deelaem]

I read the book by Warren Jeffs' nephew, Brent - but the title escapes me right now. It's a very informative book, and he details how Warren Jeffs raped him and other little boys on a regular basis. Warren Jeffs is truly evil.

[Kitchen Princess]

Escape is available for Kindle.

[Austin]

I read the book by Warren Jeffs' nephew, Brent - but the title escapes me right now. It's a very informative book, and he details how Warren Jeffs raped him and other little boys on a regular basis. Warren Jeffs is truly evil.

Lost Boy by Maia Szalavitz and Brent W. Jeffs in case anyone is looking for more titles.

[deelaem]

Lost Boy by Maia Szalavitz and Brent W. Jeffs in case anyone is looking for more titles.

That's the one! Thank you Austin.

[Austin]

I just read it recently on my kindle, which happens to be right beside me :)

[deelaem]

I just read it recently on my kindle, which happens to be right beside me :)

I am now experiencing Kindle envy. :lol:

[dianapavelovna]

I've read this book and Escape by Carolyn Jessop. I agree that the writing was weak in Stolen Innocence, but the facts of the story rang true to me, especially since I read it after Escape, which is...fascinating. The ghostwriting/collaboration is much smoother and the story is harrowing.

Jessop has a college degree, but still struggled so much in leaving. The details of the night she and her children escaped have really stuck with me - hoping the van doesn't run out of gas, her oldest daughter putting up a fight. That daughter went back to the FLDS when she turned 18, and she's at their YFZ compound in Texas. Apparently she's writing her own book now, which, if true, will certainly be interesting...Carolyn's story in particular is interesting since her former husband is pretty high up in the church hierarchy, as far as I can tell.

I haven't read Triumph, but it's on my list.

Don't know if the spoiler tags were really necessary since this is non-fiction, but since some in the thread are planning to read the book, I included them just in case.

[Guest Anonymous]

I just read it recently on my kindle, which happens to be right beside me :)

I was slow to accept a book without moving parts but 6 months later I'm thrilled.

[HopelessWanderer]

I just finished reading this on my Nook, and while it dragged a bit since the writing was not stellar, I still enjoyed it purely for the fact that her story was made public. It helped to expose yet another piece of just how horrible Warren Jeffs is and how that has altered many people's live forever. On a side note i was a little sketchy about an e reader at first, but it is truly the BEST gift my husband has ever gotten me, but I have made it a rule that when i read a book on there that i fall in love with, I buy the hard copy as well!

[ADoyle90815]

I'm another person who enjoyed Escape, and I have Stolen Innocence on my list of books to read. If anyone is looking for more titles, Under the Banner of Heaven also mentions the FLDS cult.

[Lillybee]

Warren Jeffs is now in critical condition at a local hospital because he has not eaten in three days. I for one am not praying for his recovery.

[contrary]

i just finished stolen innocence. i certainly believed her, and found the book very readable, but the ghost writing was evident.

i've not read any of the flora jessop books, but they're on my list.

i HIGHLY recommend "Prophet's Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints", by Sam Brower. It was well-written, fascinating, and horrifying.

also, ditto the kindle love. i resisted it at first because i love books so, but it has changed my freaking life.

[mirele]

I'm another person who enjoyed Escape, and I have Stolen Innocence on my list of books to read. If anyone is looking for more titles, Under the Banner of Heaven also mentions the FLDS cult.

If I was going to pick one book to read, Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer would be it. Of course it annoyed the polygamists; the LDS Church wasn't too fond of the fact that it pointed out that polygamy was practiced by church leaders even after the Manifesto (1890) (among other things).

Krakauer, whose writings had, up until that point, been about adventure themes, got sucked into writing about polygamists after a negative encounter with the FLDS near the twin cities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT. So, in a sense, they brought it on themselves with their hostile behavior towards outsiders.

[Austin]

I was slow to accept a book without moving parts but 6 months later I'm thrilled.

Me, too and me, too!

I've had a Kindle since April of 2008 and have read 343 books. It's like a dream come true for me to be able to have a book whenever I want it. Brave new world. . . :D

[Austin]

If I was going to pick one book to read, Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer would be it. Of course it annoyed the polygamists; the LDS Church wasn't too fond of the fact that it pointed out that polygamy was practiced by church leaders even after the Manifesto (1890) (among other things).

Krakauer, whose writings had, up until that point, been about adventure themes, got sucked into writing about polygamists after a negative encounter with the FLDS near the twin cities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT. So, in a sense, they brought it on themselves with their hostile behavior towards outsiders.

Having read all of these books, I totally agree. It's also the best one to start with, IMO. I think it helps to have a very clear understanding of the whole faith (cult) to truly understand the FLDS culture and Krakauer does a fantastic job of delving into this on a number of different levels, plus all of his work is riveting and so well-written anyway, IMO.

[deborahlynn1979]

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I literally finished Stolen Innocence the day before yesterday (the writing style was definitely extremely weak, although the story was interesting enough to compel me to continue going forward) and am wanting to delve some more into this strange, strange world. And of course, Warren Jeffs is back in the news as he's in an induced coma right now in jail: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44316224/ns ... nd_courts/

[Antigone]

thanks for the reccomendation, just put it on a hold with my public library. and yes I love my e-reader, but sometimes it just can't beat a trip to the library, I like the solid feel of a page turning and the triumph of putting down a book just completed :)

Fwiw, I juuuust read Stolen Innocence a couple of weeks ago. Great book, and kind of obvious that it was ghostwritten since it sounded a bit - idk, off in the narrative. I still would reccomend it, it gives a closer look at Jeffs than in the Jessop books. I've been to Utah and I got shivers when I realized I pretty much must have driven by half of those homes while I was there.

Unfortunately now I have a new addiction- the FLDS cult of polygamy and probably, this will lead to reading about Polyandry, lol. I hate the double standard that a guy can have many wives but a gal can't have more than one guy... geesh. (just trying to make a sad situation a bit light...)