Title: Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith
Author: Jon Krakauer
Published: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 372
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
In this book, Krakauer explores the Mormon fundamentalist faith and its history, with the core of the book being two brothers who insist they have been commanded by God to kill an innocent women and her baby girl.
Review:
This book was, all at once, enlightening, disturbing, fascinating and harrowing.
I've never educated myself on the Mormon religion to any further extent than grasping the basics, but this book really delves into the faith, its history and how it came to be what it is today. It feels like an unbiased depiction as well, simply and in a well-researched manner telling you about it. It also looks at the power of faith and its sometimes gruesome consequences - in this case, the murder of two innocent people.
The case of the brothers is quite interesting, though in most ways horrifying to read about, and I feel like the book explains how someone could get to that point very well. It doesn't, in my opinion, get into the heads of the murderers, but I suspect that might not really be possible.
The writing is fairly simple, but paints a rather intense and gripping picture, and it does this without too much judgement. I feel the balance between the history and the true crime was fairly well-divided, though I will say some parts did drag out slightly when it came to some of the historical events.
The book has thought-provoking and fascinating things to say about not only Mormonism, but all religions, and of people, fanaticism and where it all might come from.
You can get this book at The Book Depository*
You can read more about it on Goodreads
Author: Jon Krakauer
Published: 2003
Language: English
Pages: 372
Rating: 4/5
Summary:
In this book, Krakauer explores the Mormon fundamentalist faith and its history, with the core of the book being two brothers who insist they have been commanded by God to kill an innocent women and her baby girl.
Review:
This book was, all at once, enlightening, disturbing, fascinating and harrowing.
I've never educated myself on the Mormon religion to any further extent than grasping the basics, but this book really delves into the faith, its history and how it came to be what it is today. It feels like an unbiased depiction as well, simply and in a well-researched manner telling you about it. It also looks at the power of faith and its sometimes gruesome consequences - in this case, the murder of two innocent people.
The case of the brothers is quite interesting, though in most ways horrifying to read about, and I feel like the book explains how someone could get to that point very well. It doesn't, in my opinion, get into the heads of the murderers, but I suspect that might not really be possible.
The writing is fairly simple, but paints a rather intense and gripping picture, and it does this without too much judgement. I feel the balance between the history and the true crime was fairly well-divided, though I will say some parts did drag out slightly when it came to some of the historical events.
The book has thought-provoking and fascinating things to say about not only Mormonism, but all religions, and of people, fanaticism and where it all might come from.
You can read more about it on Goodreads
*AFFILIATE LINK
