Prophet's Prey: My Seven-Year Investigation into Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of La...
"A remarkable man on many levels, Sam Brower is the real deal. Readers are apt to find his firsthand account of bringing Warren Jeffs t... read full description
reviews
Dec 19, 2011
Jenalyn C
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Make that 4 stars for content and 3 1/2 for writing (because of the repetition). When I moved to Utah 31 years ago I was puzzled by the pioneer-clothed people I encountered. They regularly frequented the same fabric stores as I did. I saw middle-aged women with young daughters picking out fabric for wedding dresses. After asking around I learned they were polygamists and Fundamentalists, a break-off group of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I also learned that the huge white comp
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Dec 16, 2011
Neil
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In the name of god???!!! what a book, Sam Brower who is a Mormon has written this book about the child molester +++++++ Warren Jeff the story is extremely disturbing, yet I could not put the book down, freedom of religious expression wow, one needs to read the whole story and realize the horrific things this man did in the name of god. Victims simply were so indoctrinated by him that they simply went along with his whoring ways, mostly underage women, whose parents allowed them to marry this sle
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Dec 04, 2011
Michelle
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I have read almost every nonfiction work that I can find related to polygamy, fundamentalist Mormonism, underage marriage, and the FLDS in America. So, when I heard that this book was coming out
I read a few reviews of this book before reading, Prophet's Prey, the one review that really gave me pause was one that stated that Brower's book was just a rehash of basically other books that had already been written.
I thought of this statement often, as I read. That did not really s More...
I read a few reviews of this book before reading, Prophet's Prey, the one review that really gave me pause was one that stated that Brower's book was just a rehash of basically other books that had already been written.
I thought of this statement often, as I read. That did not really s More...
Oct 27, 2011
Beth
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This is one of the few books that I think “everyone” should read. It’s an exhausting, harrowing look at the inside workings of cult leader Warren Jeffs and his FLDS.
The author’s credibility is unimpeachable. Brower worked as a private investigator for seven years on behalf of FLDS members who were kicked out of the church and on behalf of attorneys filing claims against the FLDS. He became friends with some of the former members, and he recalls past cordial working relationships w More...
The author’s credibility is unimpeachable. Brower worked as a private investigator for seven years on behalf of FLDS members who were kicked out of the church and on behalf of attorneys filing claims against the FLDS. He became friends with some of the former members, and he recalls past cordial working relationships w More...
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Sep 30, 2011
Carolyn
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I must say that this is a page turner. I am so concerned for the FLDS members now. I see Jim Jones and Branch Davidians and Nazis all over again, only worse.
I was very impressed with the structure of this story. The explanations and history really helped me understand more how this mess happened and continues on. I give thanks to Sam Brower and other hard working activists who never give up on exposing injustice when they see it. I wish I could say that our government agencies had More...
I was very impressed with the structure of this story. The explanations and history really helped me understand more how this mess happened and continues on. I give thanks to Sam Brower and other hard working activists who never give up on exposing injustice when they see it. I wish I could say that our government agencies had More...
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Sep 14, 2011
Ruth
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As a practicing member of the LDS church, I have always found myself see-sawing between repulsion and horrified fascination when I read about the twisted atrocities that the FLDS have made of polygamy and LDS church doctrine. As I've read some of the news accounts over the years, I've wondered "How could they possibly read the same scriptures I do, and NOT see how impossibly screwed up their practices are??"
So I really appreciated how Sam Brower, a private investigator a More...
So I really appreciated how Sam Brower, a private investigator a More...
Sep 14, 2011
Alisha
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I've read a few books about polygamy and I've always felt that it's reprehensible the way these cults treat their women and children, demeaning them, abusing them, by taking the word of the Bible and skewing those ideas to excuse their perverseness. It's just one subject that pisses me off to no end. So, I liked that Sam Brower didn't shy away from the cruelty that the FLDS inflicts on its members and didn't sugarcoat it. It is what it is. That being said, I found the Prophet's Prey, while a
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Jan 01, 2012
Bob
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I was curious about the FLDS church whenever the story broke nationally and wondered how gangly Warren Jeffs was able to control the lives of so many people; 'Prophet's Prey' answers these questions by exposing the monstrous power Jeffs wielded and how the FLDS power structure allowed it. Sam Brower uses his backgroud in the Mormon church with his investigative career to explain the in's and out's of the FLDS church and how its differences from the mainstream LDS church (most notably its take o
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Sep 26, 2011
Lindsay
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Out of all the books I've read about polygamy, this is definitely my favorite. It is written by an LDS cowboy who makes his living doing private investigating and a little bounty hunting on the side. I was expecting some red neck language, but he is surprisingly eloquent, and an excellent writer. I liked his perspective because it had a much wider scope than "Escape" or "Stolen Innocence." Sam Brower tells many different individual stories, and then outlines the legal battles
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Nov 25, 2011
Peggy
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The general public should be more aware of the abuses taking place even today by the leaders of the FLDS. It is abhorrent that a few self-centered individuals have mis-used religion for their own gain. They who were greedy for power, money, and influence stole the basic human rights of many, many of their followers. But the most shameful disclosure of this book, and several others that discuss Warren Jeffs, and the FLDS, is that those who were sworn to uphold the law, including governors, congre
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Oct 10, 2011
Funbrarian
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I realize that the title of this book makes it appear to be one of those poorly-researched and sensational true crime books. Not so. I decided to trust Booklist on this one (partly motivated by my obsession with Big Love), and I was absorbed within minutes. In PP, author Sam Brower details his efforts to reveal and halt the multitude of abuses that FLDS leadership has perpetrated on it's membership. Brower is genuine in his celebration of small victories and his regret that more hasn't been done
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Jan 01, 2012
Diane
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This book is the harrowing true story of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints written by a man who spent seven years investigating the cult. He was able to get the real story behind the leader Warren Jeffs and other men who married and abused children. Jeffs and his posse lived in luxury while others lived in poverty because of being required to give so much of their income to the church at the same time as producing as many children as possible. The book outlines the hunt for Jeffs as
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Aug 26, 2011
Linda
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I like seeing the FLDS from the POV of an investigator who spent 7 years on various cases in its midst. But what i really wanted was some insight into what makes someone a crazy cult leader and why people follow along, even when exposed to other ideas.
From June 2011:
Look -- I started a polygamy shelf in goodreads.
From June 2011:
Look -- I started a polygamy shelf in goodreads.
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Jan 01, 2012
Maureen
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3.5 Stars- This book was disturbing and heartbreaking. To imagine that this sort of stomach-turning criminal activity is going on right under the noses of the authorities and nothing is being done to protect these women and children is outrageous. The book was full of a lot of information about the FLDS "church" that I had no idea about even though I lived in Utah for 25+ years. I do know that the Attorney General was as inept at doing anything to stop the abuses as his many predeces
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Nov 28, 2011
Paul
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This book really creeped me out but I had to read it all just to be sure justice was done at least to some degree. Warren Jeffs led a breakaway Mormon community that practiced polygamy except that it was a cover for massive abuse of young girls (and boys who were often abandoned by the community so olde rmen could have moer girls for themselves). The fact that 10-15,000 people still belong to this cult--maybe the Mormon Church is on one but the FLDS surely is--and remain loyal to its leaders and
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Jan 12, 2012
Karen
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3 1/2 stars
Very disturbing. It's sad that some people think this group is associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm glad to be more informed about the practices of this cult, which I can hardly call a church. It is shocking that law enforcement efforts are sometimes so lax or uncoordinated that the practices go on unchecked. Almost nobody in authority really wants to deal with this complex and difficult issue.
Despite the fact that Warren Jeffs i More...
Very disturbing. It's sad that some people think this group is associated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm glad to be more informed about the practices of this cult, which I can hardly call a church. It is shocking that law enforcement efforts are sometimes so lax or uncoordinated that the practices go on unchecked. Almost nobody in authority really wants to deal with this complex and difficult issue.
Despite the fact that Warren Jeffs i More...
Nov 06, 2011
Anne
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An excellent look at the case against Warren Jeffs and others in the FLDS as told by private investigator, Sam Brower. This book is not only a condemnation of the abuse within the religious group but by the various state agencies, law enforcement and even the federal government who know the truth but take no action.
It is not a pleasant story that Brower tells but it is insightful and important. The more who know and understand the truth of this matter the closer the women and child More...
It is not a pleasant story that Brower tells but it is insightful and important. The more who know and understand the truth of this matter the closer the women and child More...
Sep 28, 2011
Shirlene
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Prophet's Prey describes how Warren Jeff used sex, money and power disguised under the cover of religion and convinced thousands of people to follow him as a prophet. Sam Brower, a private investigator from Cedar City followed the FLDS communities in Short Creek, Arizona, Hillsdale,Utah, Canada, and Texas for seven years, focusing on those who tried to escape, were kicked out of the community or reassigned to find repentance. His report on former FLDS members, the findings at the YFX Ranch in
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Oct 15, 2011
Julia
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I've read most of the books out there about the FLDS but this one was different due to the POV of the author. A private investigator and member of the LDS church. I did think at times that he may have exaggerated his own role in the take down of Warren Jeffs. It was clear that he took great pride in his inside knowledge and role in the legal battles of the FLDS. I found myself rolling my eyes at him at several points as he bragged about himself. However, it was still an informative book. Y
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Jan 03, 2012
Megan
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We've all heard the strange stories coming from the FDLS community, but reading a detailed version of events from an investigator into FDLS crimes and abuses is mind-blowing. How are these people allowed to continue this lifestyle of brainwashing, corruption, and child abuse I'll never know. The sad part is, that the states of Arizona, Utah, and now Texas are so overwhlmed by the numbers of children in need of help, plus the secreacy that this community dictates, will continue to grow and fester
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Oct 12, 2011
Diane
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3 .5 I found this book very disturbing, not just because of the subject matter, but because this happened here in America. How one man and a church could be so perverted and have so much power over people is astonishing. The fact that our government and authorities let it go on so long, when so many laws were broken. My heart goes out to all those young girls and boys that were caught up in this perversion. Thank good ness for Sam Brower and the other who took on this supposed church, definitely
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Oct 26, 2011
Joanne
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This book is pretty accurate to what happened. I live in Las Vegas and travel quite often to Utah, where a lot of the polygamists live, so I've seen them first hand and even spoken with a couple of them. My sister lives in San Angelo, Texas; so she saw what was going on in the trials daily, and kept me informed as to what was happening there. Mr. Brower put a lot of effort into this book, and maybe now something will be done about all this abuse and the way these girls are raised: as nothing
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Nov 14, 2011
Carol
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This book gives a shocking account of how one psychopathic man took over a religion.
Toward the end, it gets a bit tedious, but maybe that's because I already knew most of what it was about.
I have worked with Sam Brower and know how hard he worked on this book. There were times when he emailed me at 3 in the morning with a point or two about Warren Jeff's trial. Kudos to Sam! I don't believe Warren Jeffs would be in jail today if it weren't for him.
Even the Texas authorities More...
Toward the end, it gets a bit tedious, but maybe that's because I already knew most of what it was about.
I have worked with Sam Brower and know how hard he worked on this book. There were times when he emailed me at 3 in the morning with a point or two about Warren Jeff's trial. Kudos to Sam! I don't believe Warren Jeffs would be in jail today if it weren't for him.
Even the Texas authorities More...
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Oct 29, 2011
Karin
rated it:
Holy moly. One of the most frustrating, disturbing, and sickening books I've ever read. Thank goodness the author left out all the sordid details of the endless abuse suffered by the unfortunate children born into the FLDS "church". By the end I was shaking my head, bewildered by the ineptitude of various government agencies and how the disgusting men who constantly manipulate and torture so many can keep getting away with it.
The writing is often choppy and repetitive, b More...
The writing is often choppy and repetitive, b More...
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Jan 02, 2012
Ruthette
rated it:
What Sam Brower, professional private eye and bounty hunter, may lack in writing skills, he more than makes up for with heart and sheer determination that the crimes of the FLDS church be made known. Actually, although I expected the writing to be horrific, it's really not. Although lacking the structural/organizational genius of several of our favorite narrative non-fiction writers, Brower still manages to deliver an interesting, totally subjective account of his investigation into Warren Jeffs
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Dec 04, 2011
Mary
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The whole Yearning for Zion Ranch thing fascinates me, and Brower was a large character in the investigations of the community of Short Creek and of Warren Steed Jeffs. Brower feels the government of Texas and the federal government dropped the investigation before the FLDS had been stopped. There is likely to be more trafficking of children and casting off of young men. It's creepy stuff, and it is compelling reading. I would have like more references, and the index is not complete, which b
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Nov 28, 2011
Ashley
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Sam Brower's Prophet's Prey details the author's seven year journey investigating the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). I received a copy of this book thanks to goodreads' first reads, and was totally sucked in from the first page. Like many Americans, I followed the FLDS saga from a far. I knew they were an off shoot of the Mormon religion, I knew they believed in plural marriages, and I knew their prophet, Warren Jeffs, was more than a little bit crazy.
But I have More...
But I have More...
Jan 19, 2012
Susie
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I always knew Warren Jeffs was a bad guy, I’ve seen the news reports and read Carolyn Jessop’s book but I didn’t realize he ranked right up there with Jim Jones & David Koresh in getting people to believe everything he says and to do things no matter how bad. I think it’s a good thing he was investigated and put in the spotlight because with his personality it could have ended the way Jonestown and Waco did. I also knew that he was a pedophile marrying young girls but what I didn’t know was that
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Nov 05, 2011
Rae
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I have tried to read other material about the Fundamentalist polygamous groups and have not, for whatever reason, been able to finish. But I didn't want to put this one down. I was morbidly fascinated by the entire investigation--and Brower was an insider, as well as an active member of the mainstream Mormon church--perhaps that's what made the difference. It's difficult to stomach Warren Jeffs and his cronies, but I recommend this book to those who have both the interest and the stamina. A grea
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Feb 09, 2012
Donna
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What a sad sort of affairs. Anyone knows when a person makes you give up your beloved pets to be murdered by thugs that person is SATAN. This was worse then the Michael Vick saga.
Who in there right mind would want to stay in a commune when your father has been tossed out and you have a new Daddy, you must use the new last name of your newest Daddy. This is just sick and it should be STOPPED now. Shut the damn place down, bull doze the houses and make it a garbage dump.
I a
Who in there right mind would want to stay in a commune when your father has been tossed out and you have a new Daddy, you must use the new last name of your newest Daddy. This is just sick and it should be STOPPED now. Shut the damn place down, bull doze the houses and make it a garbage dump.
I a
