Under the Banner of Heaven

A Story of Violent Faith

By: Jon Krakauer

Narrated by: Scott Brick

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air, this extraordinary work of investigative journalism takes readers inside America’s isolated Mormon Fundamentalist communities. • Now an acclaimed FX limited series streaming on HULU.

“Fantastic.... Right up there with In Cold Blood and The Executioner’s Song.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God; some 40,000 people still practice polygamy in these communities.

At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief.

©2003 Jon Krakauer (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc., Published by arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Scrupulously reported and written with Krakauer’s usual exacting flair, Under the Banner of Heaven is both illuminating and thrilling. It is also the creepiest book anyone has written in a long time—and that’s meant as the highest possible praise.” —Newsweek

“Powerfully illuminating. . . . Almost every section of the book is fascinating in its own right, and together the chapters make a rich picture. . . . An arresting portrait of depravity.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Illuminating . . . provocative. . . . Krakauer is an adept chronicler of extremists [and] the tour guide of choice for secular quests.” —Los Angeles Times Book Review

REVELATION

All Religions
I first read this in 2003 after it first came out. I talked about it so much, that my wife asked to listen to it. Writing about religion has got to be one of the hardest things to do without upsetting someone. Krakauer does occasionally call the Mormon religion, strange or something similar. You would think a good editor would have omitted that. I also had to keep in mind that most religions can be easily made to look strange. I remember teaching a middle school class at my Methodist Church and talking about the Resurrection, when one of the kids, said "Yuck,Jesus was a Zombie". Than of course the sacrament, where we supposedly eat of Jesus's body and drink his blood.

That Being Said
I have always been one to let people do as they want as long as they don't hurt others. That is were the break apart Fundamentalist's of this religion become a problem. Here in America, girls as young as twelve are being raped and made pregnant. Women are beaten and abused. Freedom of religion is one thing, freedom to rape and abuse children must be stopped. Sam Brower has written a follow up book called Prophet's Prey, which is even more revealing and discusses the abandoning of little boys, so as to have more girls to rape.

Terrific and Timely

This Audiobook sold me on the idea of "reading" by listening. I can remember where I was when I heard each section of the book. In fact, I have to admit that I missed part of the sites on a European vacation becuase I was lost in this story. It is well read, and well written. With the heat being turned up on the British Columbian community of Bountiful mentioned in this book, it is a great way to gather insights into the fundamentalist spin off of the Mormon Church that neither resemble the present day Saints, nor the average families you would expect to encounter today!! It is very interesting indeed.

Under the Banner of Heaven

This is the most disturbing book I have read in a very long time.
When Elizabeth Smart was found and the circumstances of her capture revealed, I was not surprised at all. Any child brought up under her conditions would probably have capitulated just as she did.
The Mormon faith is not a religion...it is a cult...fundamentalist and main stream Mormonism both. So, the next time those "nice" Mormon boys come to my door, I am prepared.
To think this is the fastest growing cult in the world is indeed frightening.

Awesome book..... though pure lunacy

This book drives a couple of key points home for me. First, anyone who professes to have a direct communication line to God should be locked up. Second, steer clear of anyone in the 21st century who thinks the earth is 6,000 years old. Other than that, the book is extremely well written and researched. I had know idea how violent, racist and outright perverted the founders of the LDS church were. All in the name of Jesus? Yeah right.

Not impressed

Good job disguising an interesting view of a church as a true crime book. If you want the information about this case Google Mike King Profiling Evil. He was one of the investigators and has original tapes and interviews concerning the case. He is also an expert on cults and serial killers. Always go to the direct source for information. Pass on this book as it was boring.

tv series is superior

I watched two episodes of the series. 9 out 10 times a book is better. in this instance the book fails to deliver.

interesting and good presentation

?Under the Banner of Heaven? is the latest book by Jon Krakauer I?ve read (or listened to) (after reading ?Into thin Air? and ?Into the Wild?). It is again a story of extremes, this time not involving nature but religion. The story starts by following the case of Dan and Ron Lafferty who killed their sister-in-law and their small child because ?God commanded them to do so?. Dan and Ron are ?extreme religious? aka Mormon fundamentalist. Jon Krakauer uses this case to follow the 200 year history of the Mormon church, with focus on some of the violent chapters in this history. The impact of ?plural marriage? on the history of the church as well as the impact on the building of the Mormon fundamentals movement outside of the church takes significant room. For the reader plural marriage isn?t easy to understand, one outcome seems to be huge families with the same surname which tends to confuse the reader. The details in this book are disturbing to say the least.
Overall a very interesting read, A lot about Mormon believes and also the far extreme believe of the Mormon fundamentalist outside of the church. I have the feeling Krakauer is fair to the Mormon church and paints a convincing picture of cause and effect of religious fundamentalist and religious dillusion ?

Aggravating narrator!

What did you like best about Under the Banner of Heaven? What did you like least?

The narrator--it was one of those experiences where the narrator's performance totally dominates, and in this case, wrecks the material. He's too affected and uses what seems to me like a cartoon villain voice, which complete distracts from what he's saying. Hate listening to him--I recently stopped listening to a different book when he was the narrator.

Would you ever listen to anything by Jon Krakauer again?

maybe

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Scott Brick?

No idea--the only reason I know his name is because he's terrible.

A Great understanding of the LDS beliefs

I would recommend this book to anyone that doesn’t know about the background of the LDS church.

There are many faiths that need to be given this kind of background and understanding...

Thank you

Terrific narrator, very informative and entertaining story

Outstanding narrator, period. Story is part tale abt murder (although not a mystery/suspense) and part historical narrative abt the Mormon’s history.

Id also highly rec “in cold blood” if you enjoyed this book.