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 enlarge | Authors: Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
Publisher: Broadway
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy Used: $7.45
You Save: $17.50 (70%)
New (54) Collectible (1) from $10.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  278 reviews
Sales Rank: 448
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 432
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.6
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.4
ISBN: 0767927567
Dewey Decimal Number: 289.3092
EAN: 9780767927567
ASIN: 0767927567
Publication Date: October 16, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Interesting read; incredible and horrific long-term abuse in every way July 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The constant abuse that went on is beyond imagination. In fact, there is SO much of it, that there were times that I reached a point where I said, "enough". I can't even imagine actually living with this for almost two decades. For all the people that defend these FLDS pedophiles, rapists, wife and women abusers (basically mysogynists), all I have to say is that you need to open up your eyes and possibly hearts and realize the amount of inhumanity that is prevalent in this type of culture. Faithful FLDS women who have churned out a dozen children (oftentimes more) get dumped to the curb in their 40's or 50's as they can no longer bear children or start losing their looks. The other wives are thrilled when that happens because it puts them in the position of becoming Alpha wife. Mental illness is disregarded and is in fact blamed on the woman for being "rebellious". Any physical handicaps, illness, sickness is also blamed on the woman and is part of the "rebellious" mantra that is indoctrinated in these people. In fact, everything that can go wrong is blamed on "rebelliousness". This sort of thinking/mindset leaves room for the "husband" to do anything to anybody at anytime as it's his job to keep everyone in line and invite them to heaven...where they can all live in their little god planet and churn out dozens and dozens of children while faithfully serving their priests (husbands). Personally, I'd rather spend time with Beelzebub than be NEAR one of these FLDS nutjobs (like Warren Jeffs), for example.
The FLDS women/wives/mothers (on TV) portray themselves as loving their children and being some sort of exemplatary mothers. The truth, however, is quite different (despite the pioneer frocks which are supposed to add to the illusion). According to the book, some of the mothers don't even LIVE with the children; they are SENT away trying to earn a living for the polygamist family while the other sister wives are "raising" them (by "raising" them, I mean, "abusing" them). The money earned by the wives is handed over to the "husband" who handles all the money; most of it being turned over to the Alpha Wife who acts like some sort of Wicked Stepmother as depicted in fairytales.
The kids that are from the non-Alpha wives often go hungry, are beaten for going hungry, for not being awake at the prayer meetings/services held by the all mighty "husband/father" at midnight. These poor kids are beaten to the point where they are several degrees from death. And in the end, it's all their fault because they were "rebellious". This type of physical abuse is perfectly fine as it's about making the kids fearful as this is what keeps them in line. Women, children (and some men) are treated like chattel, to say the least. This is a PC way of putting it.
The incredible amount of abuse that goes on is beyond comprehension. From the blatant mysogyny, to the physical, mental, and emotional abuse, to the assigning and reassigning of wives and children to other men, to the abuse and cruelty of animals (cutting off a live cow's head with a hand saw); it's all too much.
I give credit to Joseph Smith and his successors; that he/they could get so many people to buy into this ("religions"), hook, line, and sinker and actually BELIEVE this nonsense. This BELIEF is what gives the FLDS the power to continue these crimes against humanity. The "law" is not making it any better when they protect the abusers more than the victims. It doesn't help when the "law" is FLDS.
This book is a good read as it takes you into the mind and lifestyle of the FLDS. I don't know if all of the FLDS is this way, but there are sure enough of these bad apples that have tarnished the reputation of any possibly "good apples" of the FLDS.
 Amazing Book July 16, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Carolyn Jessop did an amazing job writing this book. I could not put it down!!! While it was incredibly difficult to relate to why she stayed with her evil "husband", I could relate to her love for her children. HOW MUCH ABUSE IS TOO MUCH???
Hopefully this book can be smuggled in to the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado,Texas and others will read it and be inspired to escape from the FLDS Evil Empire, also!! There is nothing on earth she could have done that would have been better than writing this account of her life in the FLDS with Merril Jessop. I kept wondering if he has read it. I would be willing to bet that he HAS, and I would have loved to have seen the look on his face as all of his warts were exposed to the world.
Rude comments under customer images. July 13, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I haven't read this book, but it looks like a devoted FLDS member uploaded most of the "customer images" and put some pretty rude captions underneath some of them.
I agree with the 6/27/2008 review July 9, 2008
1 out of 6 found this review helpful
I bought this book full-price from Wal-Mart because of all the hype and couldn't get past page 150. The story, if exciting or interesting, was not reflected in the writing of this book at all. This book read like a teenager's diary. And then and then I did we did how could I what would I . . . It was too boring for words. When I think about it, what I think the book's writing is missing is feeling. I got no feeling from Jessop at all from reading this book. I wanted to note that she evokes the same reaction in her tv interviews too.
the message.....Don't give up!! July 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book was good. I love to read books about people's triumphs to give themselves a better life. And this courages woman did alone with eight kids under her wing. It was very impressive how she manages to overcome such cruel situations in a polygamy world and live to tell about it. If you need inspiration this is a great read.
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