Life for Irene Spencer was a series of devastating disappointments and hardships. Irene's first book, Shattered Dreams, is the staggering ...
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Jan 20, 2010
Kellyreaderofbooks
rated it: 
Cult Insanity is the true-life memoir of the author, a woman who for years was married to one of the LeBaron brothers. To say that this family was simply "crazy" is putting it lightly: several generations of family members hearing voices, being locked up in insane asylums, running around nude in preparation of UFOs landing, and, oh yeah, all the murders places this family in the realms of the seriously mentally disturbed.
I didn't read the first book the author wrote (Shatte More...
I didn't read the first book the author wrote (Shatte More...
Oct 26, 2009
Linda
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Cult Insanity is a riveting true story of a woman who lived in a Mormon polygamist cult in the 1970s. Unlike the polygamist members you may have seen living a wealthy lifestyle on TV, both in fiction and news shows, this cult lived in abject poverty in Mexico. It is an interesting story of the generational hold that this type of cult has on its members. There are quite a few people that you have to keep track of, but that is to be expected when the men had 10 or more wives and dozens of children
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Oct 22, 2009
Katrina
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This book was an intense and powerful look at a life I never knew existed. Although the writing was a bit amateurish in some areas, the subject matter and the actual story kept me enthralled with every page. It is the story of Evril LeBaron, the leader of a fundamentalist faction of the Mormon faith. Irene, the author is Evril's sister in-law and lived years in the same compound as Evril, with him being the "Patriarch" of the group. The things Irene describes are terrible and fright
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Sep 23, 2009
Lenore
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Oct 27, 2009
Rhonda
rated it:
Cult Insanity is a riveting true story of a woman who lived in a Mormon polygamist cult in the 1970s. Unlike the polygamist members you may have seen living a wealthy lifestyle on TV both in fiction and news shows, this cult lived in abject poverty in Mexico. It is an interesting story of the generational hold that this type of cult has on its members. There are quite a few people that you have to keep track of, but that is to be expected when the men had 10 or more wives and dozens of children.
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Oct 13, 2009
Carrie
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Parts autobiography, parts true crime thriller, "Cult Insanity" is the story of Ervil LeBaron's rise to power in two fundamentalist Mormon nut-job cults. First he's the number two man in his brother Joel's Church of the First Born, but he gets kicked out for a long list of screw-ups including an increasing thirst for "blood atonement." Basically, the guy quoted scriptures that said you could put people to death for even petty crimes. Most of which he commits himself, but you
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Mar 02, 2010
Cassandra
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This was yet another book picked up on a whim from the "New Book" shelf of my library. I kind of wish I had read the author's first book before tackling this one, as I was kind of lost. The book concentrates more on the cult itself than the relationships between the husband, the wives, and the many children.
What a heartbreaking story... It's a perfect example of what happens when someone gains too much power and starts controlling other people. I don't really understand po More...
What a heartbreaking story... It's a perfect example of what happens when someone gains too much power and starts controlling other people. I don't really understand po More...
Mar 05, 2011
Cherrybomb
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Not as good as Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife but still giving it four stars for an interesting read.
The one thing I didn't like about it was the tendency to skip around in time a bit. It was mostly chronological but a little back tracking of events got on my nerves. I may be nit picking so not holding it against the book. Just the fact that the author was able to remember all these people and their intertwined relationships is pretty impressive. More...
The one thing I didn't like about it was the tendency to skip around in time a bit. It was mostly chronological but a little back tracking of events got on my nerves. I may be nit picking so not holding it against the book. Just the fact that the author was able to remember all these people and their intertwined relationships is pretty impressive. More...
Nov 03, 2010
Katrina
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I really like Irene Spencers first book "Shattered Dreams" but this one was only ok. Still very interesting subject, but not written as well. My conjecture is that this book is all the stuff that was edited out of the first one. It doesn't have a good narrative flow. It is much more disjointed. Also, you HAVE to read the other one first or you will be pretty lost since she jumps around a lot. Definitely still worth reading to better understand all the CRAZY crap that went down among th
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Jan 18, 2012
Jessica
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I thought this would've been so much more interesting. The author seemed to be a strong, intelligent woman who could obviously see these men were nuts, so her story just came off as whining and complaining and it bored me. I didn't finish this book but got pretty far. I sort of have a feeling I may have cut it off just before it was about to get good. Oh well, it just wasn't worth waiting it out.
Jan 05, 2010
Becca
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This was a really powerful book about polygamous sects of Mormonism. I had no idea what life could be like for both the men and the women, and was shocked to read about what their daily lives were like. This book is a must read for anyone interested in various religions, or just anyone looking for something different than most other books they've read.
Dec 23, 2009
Jeannie
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This book got only 3 stars due to the disjointed way it was written, there were too many names thrown around with no explanation of who they really were, it like to drove me nuts reading it. Lets put it this way...this is NOT a smooth read. The subject matter on the other hand was so interesting. I just don't understand the fundamentalists Mormons, the whole time I am readng this I am thinking "any normal, sane person would of walked away" why anyone would subject their children or
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Sep 06, 2009
Dayna
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Fascinating account. She included many in-page references to other books which also talk about her experiences with the cult....I found these references unnecessary, as everything she says rings true. There is no need to justify her story. I already believe it. I wish the story was written in chronological order, but I'll take it.
Aug 19, 2010
Misty
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This woman has an amazing story to tell. She was one of the plig wives of a Labaron brother. They lived in Mexico in poverty and unbelievable conditions. I've read other memoirs on this that I liked better and her writing wasn't great but it was still very interesting.
Sep 03, 2009
This is a sequel to "Shattered Dreams" that talks about the leader of this branch of the Mormon Fundamentalists living in northern Mexico, and how the brother of their leader became obsessed with blood atonement and began to kill members whom he disagreed with.
Aug 30, 2009
Julie
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I read her first book - it was interesting and heartbreaking. I think she should've stopped there, and included tiny bits from this book in her first. It didn't flow well and seemed really scattered. I feel sad for her to have lost so many years, though.
Sep 13, 2009
Elise
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Time for another polygamy book... This was about the LeBaron clan. Not nearly as interesting/disturbing as the other books we've read. I really didn't feel sorry for her - I know I should but I didn't really like her. There were alot of chances for her to have made the change, and she actually could have. That was different about this story versus Carolyn Jessop and Elisa Wall.
Jan 02, 2012
Pam
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Chilling, true life account of a womans' experience in a polygamous morman cult in 50's to the 80's. Not the best written of books, but one I couldn't put down due to the madness of these peoples lives.
Apr 06, 2011
Maggie
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This is the story of Irene Spencer and the blood atonement that went on in the religious groups she was associated with. While reading this book I kept going back to the thought that with so much insanity running thorough the blood line I would be really worried about my children's futures. I suppose if you are worried about living through the day it isn't as concerning as it would otherwise be.
I read this book because I really enjoyed Shattered Lives by the same author. This was a More...
I read this book because I really enjoyed Shattered Lives by the same author. This was a More...
Aug 08, 2011
Micaela
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If you don't know much about the Mormon religion or who is who, then this book will be confusing at best. The author jumps around from topic to topic a lot, and not always in chronological order.
Mar 07, 2011
Kristina
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Still interesting, but not as captivating as her first book. I think by the time I read this one, I was almost sick of the characters and felt too much pity for them.
May 07, 2011
Sonya
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Tough read because of the million people referenced throughout the book. I would recommend reading this authors first book before trying to tackle this one.
Jan 04, 2011
Michelle
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Really interesting I'm glad I read this book but it is such a heavy topic that I had to read something really light and simple afterward.
Jun 07, 2011
Rebekah
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i love books about this crazy religion! i dont know why but i find them endlessly entertaining. This one really lives up to its title! what a bunch of freaks!
Oct 02, 2011
Anne
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This Is Irene Spencers sequel to Shattered Dreams. This story delves into the murderous path of one of the Lebarron brothers. If you read Shattered Dreams you will want to read Cult Insanity.
Sep 14, 2011
Lana
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I'll admit, I'm fascinated by the topic. Fairly well written and an interesting read (when read with the same caveats as any memoir).
Nov 27, 2011
Cynmo
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Men who are convinced that they are priests, or infallible, in a milieu that encourages the nutty to believe that they are the one mighty and strong; the resurrected. Add the ethic of multiple wives. And you get a bunch of assholes who use their daughters as a medium of political exchange, giving 15 year old girls to old men as plural wives.
Compare to the Islamic multiple wive social structure. There's something intrinsic in this polygamous organization that devalues women even as women are the More...
Compare to the Islamic multiple wive social structure. There's something intrinsic in this polygamous organization that devalues women even as women are the More...
Jul 28, 2010
Another account of how horrible life is for women involved in the Fundamentalist Mormon religion.
Jan 04, 2011
Cetta
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Compelling book on Ervil LeBaron and his quest to kill everyone who wouldn't follow him.
Feb 09, 2010
michelle
rated it:
disappointing after loving shattered dreams - too much about the politics of the family & not the relationships i think
