Staff Pick
As someone who grew up in the LDS religion, this book brought to light so many devastating and gruesome historical truths in the church. I can't recommend it enough — whether you are a member yourself, or are curious to know about this American-born faith. Take it from me, you won't ever be able to view Joseph Smith or his followers the same. Recommended By Alex Y., Powells.com
Alternating between historical accounts of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the more recent murders of fundamentalist LDS groups, Krakauer develops a jarring exposé of this American-born religion in Under the Banner of Heaven. Whether familiar with Mormonism or not, Under the Banner of Heaven will shock and inform readers, while asking how far some are willing to go to prove their religious devotion. Recommended By Alex Y., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty insist they were commanded to kill by God. Krakauer's investigation is a meticulously researched, bone-chilling narrative of polygamy, savage violence and unyielding faith: an incisive, gripping work of non-fiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behaviour.
'A provocative look at the twisted roots of American fundamentalism' Will Self, Evening Standard Books of the Year
'Excellent . . . a lucid, judicious, even sympathetic account not just of Mormon Fundamentalism but of the seductive power of fanaticism in general' Daily Telegraph
'Krakauer writes exceptionally well: as thrilling as Capote on true crime, as devastating as Nietzsche on religious fundamentalism' Scotland on Sunday
'Remarkable . . . for anyone interested in the wilder frontiers of spiritual conviction, this book is a must' Independent
'Krakauer is an adept chronicler of extremists, and he's as intent on understanding religious fanatics as he was in his earlier books on exploring the obsessions of monomaniacal adventurers' Los Angeles Times