Stolen Innocence

[Rosa]

Yeah, the voice was just off. The few times Elissa Wall appeared on TV or been quoted in the press (Salt Lake Tribune has a journalist who covers polygamists, who had some quotes & trial testimony quotes when it was going on) she was impressive - brave, sincere, poised - but also she has a kind of country accent and her word choices aren't as flat and neutral as the book was. I kind of came away feeling like the ghostwriter tried to make her sound more like a middle-class suburban girl, almost, or redacted things that people might have thought were poor choices, to make her a more "perfect" victim. As if just her age and lack of parental support weren't enough.

Both of the Jessop women who've written books are older and their voices just come through as a lot more distinct.

[shesinsane]

I think all of these books have been mentioned in this thread, here's the FLDS reading list:

Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer, a history of the FLDS and polygamy.

Shattered Dreams - Irene Spencer, growing up and raising kids in the LeBaron branch of the FLDS, sister wife to Susan Schmidt.

Favorite Wife - Susan Schmidt, growing up and raising kids int he LeBaron branch of the FLDS, sister wife to Irene Spencer.

Escape - Carolyn Jessop, growing up and raising kids in Short Creek and escaping the cult.

Triumph - Carolyn Jessop, follow up to Escape.

Church of Lies - Flora Jessop, growing up in Short Creek's FLDS, escaping, and trying to rescue others still in the cult.

Stolen Innocence - Elissa Wall, growing up in FLDS and the case against Warren Jeffs.

Lost Boy - Brent Jeffs, growing up and escaping the FLDS from a male perspective.

Add in a book by someone famliar with Winston Blackmore's Canadian branch of FLDS, I think you'll get a balanced picture of the FLDS chuch and the society they've created. Funny, but I can't find any books by members of the FLDS describing how great life is in the cult, or how polygamy and Warren Jeffs led them to happiness.

[VenusJS]

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.

That was a good one -- it was partially present day nonfiction about the FLDS murder of a woman and child (I think, read it awhile back) and mixes it with historical nonfiction about the early days of the LDS when they moved from New York to Illinois to Missouri to Utah and all the drama involved with that. Highly recommend.

Another good FLDS biography was "Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing up in Polygamy" by Dorothy Allred Solomon.

[Rosa]

The woman & child murdered were killed by the splinter group of LeBarons, and it's tangentially included in both Shattered Dreams and Favorite Wife. Shattered dreams is more of a personal story, Favorite Wife covers more of how the LeBaron church just fell apart when the founder died and the one bad brother tried to take over.

One of the "blood atonement" murderers just got out of jail, I saw that on the texaspolygamy board I think. Susan's cousin.

[keen23]

That was a good one -- it was partially present day nonfiction about the FLDS murder of a woman and child (I think, read it awhile back) and mixes it with historical nonfiction about the early days of the LDS when they moved from New York to Illinois to Missouri to Utah and all the drama involved with that. Highly recommend.

Another good FLDS biography was "Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing up in Polygamy" by Dorothy Allred Solomon.

I second this recommendation. The Allred family is fascinating, as is the feud between rival polygamist groups led by the Allreds and the LeBarons.

If you want to go back to the roots of polygamy in the US, you should try to read In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith. It's a book about the wives, and not good ole Joe.

[VenusJS]

Also, "When Men Become Gods" by Stephen Singulair. I saw someone on here had mentioned a book by Sam Brower and he is mentioned in this one. Singulair, a journalist, documents the rise of Warren Jeffs. I thought it might be kind of dry, but it ended up being pretty good.

[Austin]

I saw someone on here had mentioned a book by Sam Brower and he is mentioned in this one.

Oh, I totally concur. Lots and lots of info in Brower's book that I didn't find anywhere else, and he connects the dots like few others. And Krakauer collaborated with him on it a bit. Prophet's Pray: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the FDLS is Sam Brower's book (also available on Kinde for the ereaders among us - and no, I really don't work for Amazon :D ).

[synchroswimr]

Thanks for all the suggestions!!

[Antigone]

geez my library works fast. I just got an email informing me my reservation was now on the hold-shelf. So now I gotta go add more to the hold-shelf, thanks for putting up a little FLDS book list.. lol. I've read shattered dreams, and it was OK... for some reason it took longer for me to read than Escape-probably because I didn't take well to the "voice" of the author, who was great, great story, but... idk, a bit 'dry'.

I am also curious about 'Lost Boys'- any books re: that part of the FLDS lifestyle? I haven't heard of any books about those boys I hear about being dumped at the side of the freeway, and I have always wondered about them....

[contrary]

there are several lost boys memoirs out there...i've not read any, but seen them on my recommendation lists, after i bought kindle versions of the browar book and the elissa wall book.

[Witsec6]

I know it isn't a book, but there is a documentary called "leaving bountiful"

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDtmFBrh6ls) about another FLDS community in Southern BC. Winston Blackmore used to be a Jeffs follower, but he broke off because he disagreed some of Jeffs' practices.

Blackmore is a pretty public figure in the news out this way-- he's fighting to have polygamy made legal in BC, but I don't know why since his practices of child slavery would have to go.

ETA: I've read a few books by people from Bountiful, but I can't remember the titles. Will look them up this afternoon.

[ladypuglover]

I am sooo going to the library today.

@ shesinsane, thanks for making that list, makes it a lot easier to copy down my wish list.

[Witsec6]

Found a list of books about Bountiful on the Wikipedia page:

Bramham, Daphne (2008). The Secret Lives of Saints:Child Brides and Lost Boys in a Polygamous Mormon Sect. Random House Canada. ISBN 978-0-307-35588-1.

Perrin, Dave, Palmer, Debbie (2004). Keep Sweet:Children of Polygamy. Dave's Press Inc. ISBN 0-9687943-3-5.

Krakauer, Jon (2004). Under the Banner of Heaven:A story of Violent Faith. Anchor Books. p. 337. ISBN 1-4000-3280-6.

Wall, Elissa and Pulitzer, Lisa (2008). Stolen Innocence. Harper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bountiful, ... h_Columbia

[clarinetpower]

I read Lost Boys and enjoyed it. He goes more into Jeffs' sexual abuse of the boys and the abandonment, so it's another side the women don't see. Plus what they had to do to survive after leaving. Scary.

I read Escape; the story was compelling but I thought the editing was poor. I also read a fiction book called The 19th Wife: A Novel by David Ebershoff. I like mysteries, and it was pretty decent. I enjoyed the Krakauer, but did think it was a bit dry, too. I'm not a Krakauer fan, though.

[Austin]

I enjoyed the Krakauer, but did think it was a bit dry, too. I'm not a Krakauer fan, though.

Really? :) I think he may be my favorite author ever (of non-classics). I think he could write a book on the paper clip and make it riveting.

I think it's so interesting to hear another viewpoint, though. It's like Ann Rule, who fulfills my true-crime obsession. I think she's great (in that genre - did not care for her foray into fiction), but I have friends who are true crime buffs who don't like her at all.

[bionicmlle]

Austin -- ITA! I love Krakauer and enjoyed Under the Banner of Heaven. Fascinating stuff but I could see how it might be dry?

[cate]

I'm a little obsessed, too. So far I've read:

(Warren Jeffs/FLDS related):

Church of Lies - Flora Jessop

Escape - Carolyn Jessop

Lost Boy - Brent Jeffs

Prophet's Prey - Sam Brower (currently reading...it's an inside look from an outsider's perspective)

Stolen Innocence - Elissa Wall

When Men Become Gods - Stephen Singular (like Prophet's Prey - both are written by/about the people investigating the FLDS to uncover their crimes that led to Jeffs being caught)

(LeBaron Family related):

Cult Insanity - Irene Spencer

Favorite Wife - Susan Ray Schmidt

Shattered Dreams - Irene Spencer

(General Mormonism, not necessarily polygamy related):

Leaving the Saints - Martha Beck

The Sisterhood - Dorothy Allred Solomon (didn't finish this one, but probably will eventually)

Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer

(Polygamy fiction):

Burned - Ellen Hopkins

Sarah: The 4th Wife - Berta James

The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams

The Lonely Polygamist - Brady Udall

Wives and Sisters - Natalie R. Collins (the end of this was weird and...meh)

All of these are available on Nook (that's how I read them all!). Yeah, I've got a bit of a problem. But if anyone can recommend any more, I'd be thrilled!

[ladypuglover]

What's the name of the book that the youngest wife of B. Young wrote? She wrote it after her escape back in the mid to late 1800's... I have the damn book, just can't find it.

[Austin]

I'm a little obsessed, too. So far I've read:

(Warren Jeffs/FLDS related):

Church of Lies - Flora Jessop

Escape - Carolyn Jessop

Lost Boy - Brent Jeffs

Prophet's Prey - Sam Brower (currently reading...it's an inside look from an outsider's perspective)

Stolen Innocence - Elissa Wall

When Men Become Gods - Stephen Singular (like Prophet's Prey - both are written by/about the people investigating the FLDS to uncover their crimes that led to Jeffs being caught)

(LeBaron Family related):

Cult Insanity - Irene Spencer

Favorite Wife - Susan Ray Schmidt

Shattered Dreams - Irene Spencer

(General Mormonism, not necessarily polygamy related):

Leaving the Saints - Martha Beck

The Sisterhood - Dorothy Allred Solomon (didn't finish this one, but probably will eventually)

Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer

(Polygamy fiction):

Burned - Ellen Hopkins

Sarah: The 4th Wife - Berta James

The Chosen One - Carol Lynch Williams

The Lonely Polygamist - Brady Udall

Wives and Sisters - Natalie R. Collins (the end of this was weird and...meh)

All of these are available on Nook (that's how I read them all!). Yeah, I've got a bit of a problem. But if anyone can recommend any more, I'd be thrilled!

We should start a support group, cate. I may need an intervention. I am kind of embarrassed at how much $$$ I've spent on Kindle books in not quite 3 1/2 years. It's a good thing I don't have a lot of other vices. . . but hey, I need titles, too, so cough 'em up, people! :D

[VenusJS]

What's the name of the book that the youngest wife of B. Young wrote? She wrote it after her escape back in the mid to late 1800's... I have the damn book, just can't find it.

Not sure if I'm correct, but is it Ann Eliza Young that you're thinking of? She wrote "Wife No. 19".

[ladypuglover]

Not sure if I'm correct, but is it Ann Eliza Young that you're thinking of? She wrote "Wife No. 19".

Thank you!!