Rated of 5
by Georgia Under the Banner of Heaven
Jon Krakauer's book was exciting and hard to put down. Coming from a Mormon background drew me in because I appreciated another perspective on the Church that I had not focused on before. Our family was active in my growing up years and no longer are any of us involved in the Mormon church. The polygamists that believe in the FLDS church are following a way of life that was practiced ages ago in the Bible and to them it seems logical and correct. The lifestyle is workable if it has complete agreement from the women. Without that, it is dead. But when the Lafferty brothers come forward and say they have a revelation that affirms they need to "remove" the non believers, they have gone too far -- and they make for a very interesting read!
Rated of 5
by Pat Interesting Reviews
I suspect the reviewers who gave this book a "1" are fundamentalist Mormons. One of which does not even understand that the concept of fundamentalism can apply to any religion. Excellent, insightful read.
Rated of 5
by Maralie Stunning and Frightening
An engaging and well-written historical analysis of the Mormon Church and its tenets as well as an exploration of religious fanaticism generally. I heard about the book from a friend and not being a fan of "adventure' writing, might not have read it otherwise. Amazing that people the likes of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young are still held in such high esteem in the modern LDS. That in and of itself should make any would-be follower question the wisdom of hooking their cart to such a wagon. If the lack of regard for the equality of women, African Americans and unthinking worship of old, white men doesn't. It was a significant book in 2003 and even more so now as we approach another presidential election. If the nice guy next door can suddenly receive a message from God that he must accept without question and murder two innocent people, what about the guy or gal with the nuclear launch codes?
Rated of 5
by Pam Haws should be classed as "fiction" book
Wrong facts and wrong assumptions in this "nonfiction" book.
"fundamentalists" are not and never have been "MORMONS". They are a separate identity, just as Jehovah's Witnesses are a separate sect. So what does the killing have to do with "Mormons" really except give a good story?
Why all the hoopla about polygamy. Read your bible people--polygamy is all over the old testament practiced by great prophets--Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. King David had like 200 wives and then another 200concubines.... Polygamy has been a "God law" in the past. It is not now for some reason--ask God and find out why. Before you go condemn how awful polygamy is read your bible--you may be condemning God. I can't say I like the idea of polygamy either but I am not going to condemn something God has sanctioned in the past!!!
Rated of 5
by Matthew (SML) Awesome
Down right scary in places, but puts what you have always been thinking about organized religion into print. A heroic effort to open your mind to most anything. Very well written.
Rated of 5
by Steve in MI Under the Banner of Heaven
I feel like such a nit wit and I see that I am not the only person writing here who "bought" the stories premise "hook, line, and sinker."
No doubt that this author is a terrific writer and a great story teller and I must thank him for whetting my appetite for more reading. It was because of the additional reading, that I got a more balanced view of the Mormons and found the myriad of historical inaccuracies that pervade this writing.
I found that much or the author's research was a rehashing of much of the agenda driven anti-religion hatched jobs written throughout the ages against many faiths.
If you, like me, feel intellectually sucker-punched by the colored stories that attempt to jade our Mormon neighbors, simply go to Wikipedia - scroll to the bottom and start with the well cited critical response to this atrocity. How cunning are the atheists and agnostics of this world, but dispassionate vetting can keep us from stepping into the leavings of the proverbial male bovine.
A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary," the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the burgeoning metropolis of early twentieth century New York.
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
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Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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British Parliament asks Amazon to clarify why it pays $9 million in income tax on $23 billion of UK sales.(May 20 2013) Amazon will be called back to give further evidence to members of the British Parliament "to clarify how its activities in the U.K. justify its low corporate...
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by Steve in MI 
