nonfiction

This was a fascinating book, but when I finished the last page I felt like I had read a 365-page story from the National Enquirer. The book oozes with juicy descriptions of fundamentalist Mormons, murderers who kill in the name of God, and the checkered history of the Mormon Church.

If you're expecting a clinical dissection of a murder, skip this book. It claims to focus on two brothers (Ron and Dan Lafferty) who murdered a woman and her baby two decades ago, but only one-third of the book really talks about the murder. Another third covers the history of the Mormon church, and the final third is a startling (and equally gossipy) survey of polygamist communities from Utah to Canada to Mexico.

As a story, the book hits a home run. Krakauer is a great writer, and his eye for detail is devastating. You read descriptions of the polygamist communities and you feel like laughing at the crackpots and crying for the victims at the same time.

Unfortunately--and this is why I give the book only three stars--Krakauer can't merely document the history and describe the events. His book quietly advocates two stealth theses. They don't belong in a book like this, at least not secretly, and I think the second thesis is wrong anyway.

His theses, which are never spelled out completely but nevertheless lurk below the surface in every chapter, are that (a) religion is a waste, and (b) the mainstream Mormon church has infused its followers with such a spirit of violence that it must share in the blame when its fanatic followers go berserk. These are perfectly valid topics to contemplate, but if you put them forth you should come clean and say so out loud, and then give data to prove them. Krakauer's book tries to prove these theses with anecdotes, extremely narrow vignettes of deranged persons, and sensationalized histories of century-old events. For example, we never hear what the "mainstream" polygamists think of the Laffertys' crime. I think they would probably denounce it, but Krakauer isn't going to give them voice in his book because it would weaken his second thesis. Instead (surprise, surprise) the last chapter revolves around an ex-fundamentalist who found his salvation in atheism. What's his connection to the Lafferty crime? None.

Krakauer is extrapolating a line from a single point. Can you really draw general conclusions about a worldwide church from the actions of two fundamentalist kooks? Krakauer thinks you can. Worse, he conflates three very different things (the mainstream Mormon church, the fundamentalist polygamists, and the Lafferty brothers) to the point where naive readers will start thinking they're all the same thing.

The author has right to ask hard questions about religion and the Mormon church, but I think it's wrong to write contentious things by making unilateral interpretations without giving all sides of the story.

The Appendix to my edition of the book (Anchor) contained a negative review of "Under the Banner of Heaven" by a Mormon official. Krakauer engages him and debates fair and square for a few pages. What the shame the rest of the book wasn't like that.

Krakauer uses the 1984 Lafferty Murders in Provo to launch an
exploration into the roots and evolution of the present-day Mormon (LDS)
fundamentalist movement. Krakauer presents what may be the most
comprehensive and current assesment of the polygamous/fundamentalist
movement -- the origins, the key players, the major communes, the legal
battles, and the abuses of women, children and the welfare system.

Krakauer devotes appropriate attention to the history of mormonism,
which is refreshingly less glossy (and concerned with PR) then other
mainstream accounts have been. Krakauer, unlike many authors who need
the church's assistance with their research, is not afraid to make
frequent reference to "No Man Knows My History", D. Michael Quinn, and
numerous unflattering historical documents and sources.

Joseph Smith is portrayed as the cunning, charismatic, delusional,
egomaniacal charlatan that he was, and his frequent run-ins with the
law, the government, supporters, wives (including women that were married to other men) are laid out in
brilliant detail.

The historical background of Joseph Smith and the beginnings of Mormonism is detailed, flows well, and dares to include details that most books by LDS authors omit. The historical review covers Joseph Smith's rise to power, his unquestioned spiritual power, and his plans for glory. The reader will learn how 14 year old girls were forced to marry the prophet (or face "spiritual destruction"), and how roving bands of Mormon "avengers" dispatched those who stood in the way of Joseph's kingdom.

The story moves to Brigham Young's reign (after Joseph's assasination and a schism over polygamy), the arrival of the saints in the Salt Lake Valley and the ensuing battle with the US government over polygamy. The Mountain Meadows massacre is explored with a precision not seen since Juanita Brooks landmark work on the subject. The Massacre was the premeditated, rehearsed and sanctioned slaughter of an entire emigrant wagon train from Arkansas that was unfortunate enough to pass through Utah. Visits to the site by Federal Investigators revealed a field "strewn with bodies..." and mangled bones of "men, women, children and infants." The massacre was a sort benchmark for the church in Utah; it established that the practice of slaying those who stood in the way of the kingdom would continue in the new Zion (Utah). As the Lafferty murders clearly illustrate, this practice continues to this day.

Krakauer makes the argument that it
was polygamy, and the church's love/hate relationship with the practice,
that gave birth to the fundamentalist movement and continues to fuel it to this day.

The history of polygamy is laid out right up until the present day,
where the focus is turned to the backgrounds of the Lafferty brothers,
who brutally murdered a sister-in-law and her infant daughter.

Instead of simply retelling the sick and gory story a la "USA Movie of
the Week", Krakauer delves into the twisted psyche of the mormon
fundamentalist, and explores how these men went from upstanding members
of the church to self-proclaimed prophets to cold-blooded killers.

This detailed and well-thought examination of the knots, bumps and
bruises in Mormon history and theology is unique to non-academic
writing, and is very engaging. Krakauer effectively draws upon
testimony from the trial (psychologists, witnesses, etc) and his own
interviews with the convicted at The Point Of The Mountain to point the
blame exactly where it falls: upon the mormon church, and it's
founders and leaders.

His concluding analysis of the current state of the LDS church and its
many fractured spin-offs is refreshingly up-to-date, and the author's
after word provides valuable insight into his opinions on organized
religion, and specifically the mormon faith.

This book is a breath of fresh air into LDS studies, and has the unique
benefit of being written by an immensely well-respected nonbeliever
under a major publisher.

This is one of the strongest examinations of mormonism in print,
because it is not an "anti-mormon" work. As indicated by modern church
leadership and public relations, nothing is more "anti-mormon" then the church's own
history, leaders, and fundamentalist members. "Under The Banner of
Heaven" is a factual, analytical treatise of a religion that has an
extremely dark and bloody past, and dares to bring to light the painful
legacy that that Mormonism perpetuates to this day.

For anyone who has left the church, is investigating the church, is LDS
or knows someone who is LDS, I strongly recommend this book.

Sociology, American History, Current Affairs and Religion bookworms
will also find this to be an especially compelling read...

I had read this author before and liked his work. I checked this book from the public library. I could not have guessed that he grew up Mormon until he tells the reader near the end of the book. There's so much here that I did not know. Fascinating.