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Sep 30, 2009

Lena rated it:

Carolyn Jessop's story of her life in the polygamous community the FLDS is one of those books that is simultaneously hard to read and difficult to put down. It's hard to read because her tale is one of non-stop abuse, from the apocalyptic nightmare that was drilled into her head as a child to the regular violence committed against women and children in the community in the name of God. But it is when Carolyn is given at 18 to be the fourth wife of a man 30 years her senior that things really b More...

8 comments like (45 people liked it)

Jun 20, 2008

Laura rated it:

I sat up til 2 A.M. finishing this book. It was an intense experience. It made me grieve for the inequities in my own culture between men and women along with the fear that holds me down.

Having lived near Colorado City, reading this book made me look back on my experience living in St. George, Utah with new eyes. I attended Dixie College in the mid 1980's. There had been a girl in my Spanish class who wore the "plig" uniform and did her hair in the dippidy-doo flip. She wa More...

6 comments like (34 people liked it)

Apr 30, 2008

Rae rated it:

Have you ever read a book that completely encompassed your entire life? That is precisely how I felt about "Escape". Even when I was not reading it it would constantly be in the back of my mind. As I took my kid's to the park and then to Target for a special treat I would think, "How horrible that Carolyn did not even have the freedom to do something as small and inconsequential as this." When I was doing my laundry I would realize how easy it was for me and what a terrible o More...

3 comments like (14 people liked it)

Apr 20, 2008

Lena rated it:

This book was extremely disturbing and hard to read at points because of the child abuse and neglect, not to mention the physical and mental abuse of the women. There were times I wanted to shut it and never pick it up again because the contents just made me so sick to my stomach. What made it worse was that this was not a fiction book...it was real life so I knew it had actually happened. But I did finish it and it was eye-opening to say the least. I don't want to judge anyone else's religi More...

3 comments like (12 people liked it)

Apr 04, 2008

Aileen rated it:

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0 comments like (10 people liked it)

May 03, 2011

Catie rated it:

I don’t know why I spend so much time reading and searching for the next “utopian society gone horribly wrong” fiction, when there is a real such society existing right in my former backyard (Hi Arizona!). Actually, I do know why. When I stop and consider that not only is this shit real, but occurring in my own country (not to mention, to women around the world), it depresses the hell out of me. The polygamy isn’t really the scariest part – in theory, I actually don’t have a problem with poly More...

7 comments like (9 people liked it)

Jun 12, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

I head read Under The Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, had read about the raids in Texas, and heard about the arrest of Warren Jeffs, but nothing opened my eyes to what the FLDS was up to, until I read this book. It is scary to see how religion can become perversed by power hungry people. In fact, I was shocked to see that many of the tactics used to keep people loyal to the church are being used by our government to do the same with the American people. The kind of fear and mistrust of others More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Apr 02, 2008

Kim rated it:

I am not even halfway through this book and I am going to give it high marks already for being one of those books that you cannot put down. It is exceedingly appealing to the tiniest crumb of voyeur that you have in you, that which might be interested in polygamists, spouse abuse (not only husband-to-wife, but also wife-to-wife), weird clothing, weird sex, and just freaky shit in general. I race from page to page thinking, "That cannot have happened!" and "In this day and age?" More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Mar 23, 2009

Danielle rated it:

Wow. This book is quite the trip, if you're up for it. I had never really wondered all that much about what life would be like for women living in polygamy. My general attitude towards the whole FLDS culture (including Warren Jeffs, when he was getting tons of news coverage) was, "Well, that's their thing." But, this book makes it abundantly clear that this isn't just a matter of freedom of religion. It is opression, manipulation, and totalitarianism at its worst. Polygamy, as portraye More...

7 comments like (6 people liked it)

Mar 26, 2008

Patti rated it:

You hear about these things,but wonder to yourself if it's really true,and then put it out of your mind. After reading this book I not only belive these things are truly happening,but while reading it,I wanted to jump up and try to get all of those women out of that religion!! LOL Of course,I'm just an itty bitty woman that lives in an itty bitty town in Wisconsin,so not much I can do for these women.I just thank God that America's Most Wanted was able to "capture" the guy that became More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

May 25, 2010

Collette rated it:

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3 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jul 11, 2008

Laura rated it:

This is certainly a must-read if you live in Utah, or Texas; if you are Mormon; or if you think polygamy is a victimless crime. It would certainly be interesting if a current polygamist wife could write her version of life in the FLDS community! This book is horrifying, but fascinating. It's difficult to believe anything like this is happening in THIS century.

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Mar 01, 2008

Kristine rated it:

Jessop is a sixth generation polygamist who took her 8 kids and escaped the FLDS cult in Colorado City AZ. She was one of several wives and her husband was a major leader in the cult.

Pretty good book, although, her writing is a bit simple and every now and then she feels compelled to remind us how exceptional she is. I think she still has self esteem issues.

There's a large population of FLDS in AZ and every now and then there are news stories about runaway wives. Especia More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Feb 05, 2008

Bethany rated it:

A fascinating memoir and look into the FLDS freakshow (not to be confused with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have nothing to do with this group and have been very outspoken about the FLDS's heinous and unlawful ways). It was really interesting to see into family dynamics in a polygamist household and my heart just ached at the helplessness of the women and children to do anything about their situations without taking drastic measures. It also chronicled the reign of Warren More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

hilary rated it:

why am i reading this book?
why?
is it because of my strange, morbid fascination with rabid polygamist cults? or because it says on the cover that the author was married at eighteen to a fifty-year-old guy with three other wives and than had eight children in fifteen years, and who WOULDN'T be curious?
although the insider-cult bits pertaining to warren jeffs are interesting, the writing is very elementary and naive. i know it's not her "fault" that she, for instance, More...

2 comments like (5 people liked it)

May 06, 2008

Marnae rated it:

I did like this book but it was very disturbing to me in the sense that people really live in that kind of abuse. I was interested in reading it with all of the "YFZ" stuff on the news. It is a true story about a woman who after living in a polygamy colony all her life and being one of the wives of an abusive husband finally, in her own word, "escapes". It was heartbreaking to me what she lived through. I thought I wanted to choose this book to read for book club but I have More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Apr 09, 2009

Lisa rated it:

This book was very informative about flds culture and easy to read. I admit I skimmed parts, but I was more interested in getting the big picture and dude, what a hard life.

It always frustrates me so much when people are so blithe about pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, as though it's just so easy to escape the circumstances of our birth and culture and build an independent life. This book clearly illustrates the many flaws in the whole boot-strap mind-set. It took a lot o More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jun 25, 2008

Carol rated it:

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1 comment like (3 people liked it)

May 28, 2008

Holly rated it:

I used to think the FLDS were basically good people, just a little confused but doing their best to live their religion. I was horrified that their children were taken from them. After reading this book I am not so sure anymore???

According to Carolyn Jessop's story these people are brainwashed, seriously confused, unable to think for themselves, physically and mentally abusive to each other, They have taken a celestial principle and turned it into sheer wickedness. The way they ha More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

May 12, 2008

Paige rated it:

I just finished this for my book club. I gave it a 4 because it was a very interesting look into the FLDS religion. I wouldn't take her account as absolutely true of every FLDS family--and she admits a lot of the abuse she experienced was unique to her particular situation. As a member of the LDS church, I was annoyed by the author's mingling of "mainstream Mormons" and the FLDS. It was clear (to me) that she didn't know much about the LDS church and seemed to think we hold a lot o More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

May 23, 2008

Janette rated it:

Wow! This is an unbelievably true story about an amazing woman who escaped the FLDS community. (Which really was a prison camp, disguised as a religious sect.) I got a glimpse into this bizarre culture that I’m not sure I wanted. For example, followers could not make choices or attend public school, women were forced to be subservient to men, children were brainwashed, and abuse was encouraged. Girls were not allowed to socialize with boys and were forced to marry whatever man the leaders dec More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 20, 2007

Anne rated it:

I was completely fascinated by this book. Part of it was the rubbernecker in me that was mesmerized by the tragedy and horror that was this woman's life. I was awed by this woman's strength and courage to leave the only life she had ever known. She left with 8 children, one incredibly sick and the rest reluctant to leave, no money and the knowledge that a powerful organization would try to get the kids back and if they did, she'd never see them again. She gave up everything she knew and buil More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 10, 2009

Jacqui rated it:

I just finished reading this harrowing tale of a woman raised and trapped in the FLDS religion and culture. I was appalled by the way she was treated, by the things that are forced on the FLDS women (and some men) by their leaders on a regular basis, and especially by Warren Jeff's takeover of the sect.

Being active LDS (which has nothing to do with the FLDS except a shared history over 100 years ago), it was crazy to me to read verbage and other things that the FLDS people use that More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 14, 2011

Janet rated it:

"Here is something I have learned the hard way, but which a lot of well-meaning people in the West have a hard time accepting: All human beings are equal but all cultures and religions are not. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Nomad, p. 212

I could barely put Caroly Jessop's harrowing story of her life within and escape from the FLDS church and community down and I can't stop thinking about it now.

Tony Campolo theorizes in The Power Delusion that in personal and corporate relations More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 15, 2008

Peggy rated it:

Carolyn Jessop was a member of Fundamentalist Church of the Latter Day Saints who believe in polygamy. This is the story of her life and her escape from this group. I saw an interview with CArolyn a few weeks ago.

Carolyn grew up in this fundamentalist group. As a child, her father only had one wife. The family even lived outside the group for a year when she was a child. As a teenager, her father was asked to marry another wife. Her second mother never lived with them at first, b More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Ever rated it:

I couldn't put this book down, so I read it in one day. I'm not sure what's more outrageous - the fact that this book is NOT fiction, or the fact that this craziness is going on in the 21st century United States. Despite the horror of Jessop's story, her words are still uplifting and her triumphs against such impossible odds are inspiring. I was tearing up at the end. Definitely a must-read.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 28, 2009

S rated it:

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0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 06, 2008

Clodagh rated it:

This is the first MisLit book i've read. I don't think the writing is especially good, Carolyn often jumps inexplicably from one event to another 5 years in the future and writes sentences like "I'll never forgive him. Never."
Nonetheless it is an amazing story and I could barely put it down - as you can tell from the title she escapes from a fundamentalist mormon community that she grew up in (They hate the government, wear freaky clothes, have their own hair styles and their ow More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 03, 2009

Megan rated it:

Interesting -- kind of like watching Cops is interesting. You don't really like it, but you can't pull yourself away beause it's so unbelievable.

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Jan 11, 2010

itpdx rated it:

This is a fascinating book. It is Carolyn Jessop's story of growing up in an FLDS community (one of the sects that split away from the Mormon Church and still practice polygamy). She becomes the fourth wife of one of the community's men who follows Warren Jeffs. We hear how a family that includes more than 30 children and six wives goes on vacation, and does the laundry. How the sister-wives in her family bicker and vie for influence. She tells us how the leaders of the community control th More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

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