From: "Edlund, Mark J" Subject: [LDS-Bookshelf] Krakauer in the NYT Date: 04 Aug 2003 21:20:30 -0500 I got around to reading my copy of yesterday's New York Times today and noted that "Under the Banner of Heaven" was featured on the cover of the book review section. It has reached number 4 on their hardcover non-fiction list. Mark Edlund - LDS-Bookshelf, information and discussion of LDS books - To unsubscribe, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with - "unsubscribe lds-bookshelf" (without quotes) in the message body. - For assistance, mail to "lds-bookshelf-owner@lists.xmission.com" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Joe Geisner" Subject: Re: [LDS-Bookshelf] Krakauer in the NYT Date: 09 Aug 2003 15:03:18 -0700 Those on Mormon Library please excuse the cross post. I finally finished “Under the Banner of Heaven”. As a Mormon with some knowledge of its history I wish Krakauer had spent little to no time on Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. His treatment of Missouri, Nauvoo, Carthage, the Utah War, Mountain Meadows Massacre and John D. Lee were frustrating for me. I understand why he wrote about these events, and why he relates them to Lafferty’s and FLDS, but the connections frustrate me and I am not convinced by his dots. Yes the Lafferty’s and the FLDS are products of the Mormon community, but I seriously doubt they are much of a student of history of these events and people. People like Joseph Musser, Loren Woolley, John Koyle and Warren Johnson had one sided understanding of these events because they lived in some of them. People like Fred Collier and Ogden Kraut have tried to learn and understand these events in a historical setting, but I think Fred and Ogden are unique in the fundamentalist community. I understand Kraukauer is writing to a non-Mormon audience and wants to place the FLDS and Lafferty’s in historical context, but for me it seemed over kill. Having Joseph Smith, Brian David Mitchell, Ruby Jessop’s “husband” and the Kingston’s tied together historically because they all married fourteen year old girls is difficult for me to follow. I would suggest there are other reasons for the similarity. A shortage of woman, the vulnerability of the young girls and the ability to manipulate them, or the “need” to show virility by the men makes more sense to me than any connection to history. Being God’s mouth piece is just a way to manipulate people. I think the biggest problem with the book is Krakauer’s lack of coverage on Allen Lafferty and Claudine Lafferty. What kind of a person can sit around and hear her daughter-in-law and grand-daughter’s murder being planned and do nothing? What kind of person can know about a “revelation” to kill his wife and do nothing? What kind of people can belong to this”School of the Prophet’s” and hear a revelation about murdering people and do nothing? I am guessing all of these people refused to talk with Krakauer and this is why the lack of coverage. I also wonder if the pressure to get a book out was another reason. I do see a connection to MMM and the planning of these murders, and the group think in planning murder. The strength’s of this book is Krakauer’s coverage of current FLDS, the insights he gives into Dan and Ron Lafferty, his detailing of the murder’s. These are all complicated and difficult subjects and Krakauer does a great job in explaining and helping the reader understand. I especially liked his discussion on narcissistic personality disorder and its relation to Ron Lafferty. I learned quite a bit about modern fundamentalist and I understand the disgust of J. Reuben Clark and Spencer Kimball to polygamy. Joe Mark Edlund writes: > I got around to reading my copy of yesterday's New York Times today and >noted that "Under the Banner of Heaven" was featured on the cover of the >book review section. It has reached number 4 on their hardcover >non-fiction >list. > >Mark Edlund > _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail - LDS-Bookshelf, information and discussion of LDS books - To unsubscribe, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with - "unsubscribe lds-bookshelf" (without quotes) in the message body. - For assistance, mail to "lds-bookshelf-owner@lists.xmission.com" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Joe Geisner" Subject: [LDS-Bookshelf] Will Bagley at his best Date: 10 Aug 2003 09:48:36 -0700 Part I ( last week's column ): http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Aug/08032003/utah/80804.asp Today's Part II is found at http://www.sltrib.com/2003/aug/08102003/utah/82736.asp _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail - LDS-Bookshelf, information and discussion of LDS books - To unsubscribe, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with - "unsubscribe lds-bookshelf" (without quotes) in the message body. - For assistance, mail to "lds-bookshelf-owner@lists.xmission.com" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Steve Eccles" Subject: [LDS-Bookshelf] Prominent (ex)LDS dies Date: 17 Aug 2003 17:45:31 -0500 Will: This link may be of interest to you --- http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/obituaries/story/7205229p-8150957c.ht ml --Steve - LDS-Bookshelf, information and discussion of LDS books - To unsubscribe, send an email to "majordomo@xmission.com" with - "unsubscribe lds-bookshelf" (without quotes) in the message body. - For assistance, mail to "lds-bookshelf-owner@lists.xmission.com"