Under the Banner of Heaven
A Story of Violent Faith
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Narrated by:
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Jon Krakauer
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By:
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Jon Krakauer
About this listen
Jon Krakauer’s literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. In Under the Banner of Heaven, he shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders.
At the core of his audiobook is an appalling double murder committed by two Mormon Fundamentalist brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a revelation from God commanding them to kill their blameless victims. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this "divinely inspired" crime, Krakauer constructs a multilayered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, savage violence, polygamy, 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.
Krakauer takes listeners inside isolated communities in the American West, Canada, and Mexico, where some 40,000 Mormon Fundamentalists believe the mainstream Mormon Church went unforgivably astray when it renounced polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the leaders of these outlaw sects are zealots who answer only to God. Marrying prodigiously and with virtual impunity (the leader of the largest fundamentalist church took seventy-five "plural wives," several of whom were wed to him when they were fourteen or fifteen and he was in his eighties), fundamentalist prophets exercise absolute control over the lives of their followers, and preach that any day now the world will be swept clean in a hurricane of fire, sparing only their most obedient adherents.
Weaving the story of the Lafferty brothers and their fanatical brethren with a clear-eyed look at Mormonism's violent past, Krakauer examines the underbelly of the most successful homegrown faith in the United States, and finds a distinctly American brand of religious extremism. The result is vintage Krakauer, an utterly compelling work of nonfiction that illuminates an otherwise confounding realm of human behavior.
©2003 Jon Krakauer (P)2003 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Story
The technological marvel of its age, the Erie Canal grew out of a sudden fit of inspiration. Proponents didn't just dream; they built a 360-mile waterway entirely by hand and largely through wilderness. As excitement crackled down its length, the canal became the scene of the most striking outburst of imagination in American history. Zealots invented new religions and new modes of living. The Erie Canal made New York the financial capital of America and brought the modern world crashing into the frontier.
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An under told story of the United States.
- By JayHey on 08-28-16
By: Jack Kelly
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Seven Women
- And the Secret of Their Greatness
- By: Eric Metaxas
- Narrated by: Tom Parks
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
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In his eagerly anticipated follow-up to the enormously successful Seven Men, New York Times best-selling author Eric Metaxas gives us seven captivating portraits of some of history's greatest women, all of whom changed the course of history by following God's call upon their lives - as women.
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A Different Kind of Inspiring
- By Samuel Hudnet on 09-11-15
By: Eric Metaxas
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The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara
- By: David I. Kertzer
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Bologna, 1858: A police posse, acting on the orders of a Catholic inquisitor, invades the home of a Jewish merchant, Momolo Mortara, wrenches his crying six-year-old son from his arms, and rushes him off in a carriage bound for Rome. His mother is so distraught that she collapses and has to be taken to a neighbor's house, but her weeping can be heard across the city. With this terrifying scene - one that would haunt this family forever - David I. Kertzer begins his fascinating investigation of the dramatic kidnapping.
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Too much detail
- By L. WILLIAM on 03-03-24
By: David I. Kertzer
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The Wordy Shipmates
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Sarah Vowell
- Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Sarah Vowell's special brand of armchair history makes the bizarre and esoteric fascinatingly relevant and fun. She takes us from the modern-day reenactment of an Indian massacre to the Mohegan Sun casino, from old-timey Puritan poetry, where "righteousness" is rhymed with "wilderness," to a Mayflower-themed waterslide. Throughout, The Wordy Shipmates is rich in historical fact, humorous insight, and social commentary by one of America's most celebrated voices.
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I love Sarah Vowell
- By Audiophile on 10-25-09
By: Sarah Vowell
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A Man of Honor
- The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno
- By: Joseph Bonanno
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, Joseph Bonanno found his future amid the whiskey-running, riotous streets of Prohibition America in 1924, when he illegally entered the United States to pursue his dreams. By the age of only 26, Bonanno became a don. He eventually took over the New York underworld, igniting the "Castellammarese War", one of the bloodiest Family battles ever to hit New York City.
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A must read
- By E. Orlando on 05-03-17
By: Joseph Bonanno
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Raven
- The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People
- By: Tim Reiterman
- Narrated by: Mitch Horowitz
- Length: 29 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Tim Reiterman's Raven provides the seminal history of the Rev. Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the murderous ordeal at Jonestown in 1978. This PEN Award-winning work explores the ideals gone wrong, the intrigue, and the grim realities behind the Peoples Temple and its implosion in the jungle of South America.
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What a very thoroughly written book!
- By Traci P. on 04-22-17
By: Tim Reiterman
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They Were Christians
- The Inspiring Faith of Men and Women Who Changed the World
- By: Cristobal Krusen
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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What do Abraham Lincoln, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Louis Pasteur, Frederick Douglass, Florence Nightingale, and John D. Rockefeller, Sr., all have in common? They all changed the world - and they were all Christians. Now the little-known stories of faith behind 12 influential people of history are available in one inspiring volume. They Were Christians reveals the faith-filled motivations behind some of the most outstanding political, scientific, and humanitarian contributions of history.
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Great book
- By Amazon Customer on 12-10-18
By: Cristobal Krusen
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Brigham Young
- Pioneer Prophet
- By: John G. Turner
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 19 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Brigham Young was a rough-hewn craftsman from New York whose impoverished and obscure life was electrified by the Mormon faith. He trudged around the United States and England to gain converts for Mormonism, spoke in spiritual tongues, married more than 50 women, and eventually transformed a barren desert into his vision of the Kingdom of God. While previous accounts of his life have been distorted by hagiography or polemical exposé, John Turner provides a fully realized portrait of a colossal figure in American religion, politics, and westward expansion.
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The Lion of the Lord says "Mind Your Own Business"
- By Darwin8u on 08-26-13
By: John G. Turner
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Massacre at Mountain Meadows
- By: Ronald W Walker, Richard E Turley, Glen M Leonard
- Narrated by: Bill Dewees
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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On September 11, 1857, a band of Mormon militia, under a flag of truce, lured unarmed members of a party of emigrants from their fortified encampment and, with their Paiute allies, killed them. More than 120 men, women, and children perished in the slaughter.
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Slow to get started - not fully balanced.
- By Chris on 02-28-10
By: Ronald W Walker, and others
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The Miracle Detective
- An Investigative Reporter Sets Out to Examine How the Catholic Church Investigates Holy Visions and Discovers His Own Faith
- By: Randall Sullivan
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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In a tiny, dilapidated trailer in northeastern Oregon, a young woman saw a vision of the Virgin Mary in an ordinary landscape painting hanging on her bedroom wall. After being met with skepticism from the local parish, the matter was officially placed "under investigation" by the Catholic diocese. Investigative journalist Randall Sullivan wanted to know how, exactly, one might conduct the official inquiry into such an incident, so he set off to interview theologians, historians, and postulators.
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Fascinating book on the study of miracles
- By H Walsh on 11-16-15
By: Randall Sullivan
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The House of Government
- A Saga of the Russian Revolution
- By: Yuri Slezkine, Claire Bloom - director
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 45 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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On the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, the epic story of an enormous apartment building where Communist true believers lived before their destruction. The House of Government is unlike any other book about the Russian Revolution and the Soviet experiment.
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Inside saga of the leaders of Bolshevism & the USSR
- By Edward V. Blanchard on 11-05-17
By: Yuri Slezkine, and others
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A Delusion of Satan
- The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials
- By: Frances Hill
- Narrated by: Wanda McCaddon
- Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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During the bleak winter of 1692 in the rigid Puritan community of Salem Village, Massachusetts, a group of young girls began experiencing violent fits, allegedly tormented by Satan and the witches who worshipped him. From the girls' initial denouncing of an Indian slave, the accusations soon multiplied. In less than two years, 19 men and women were hanged, one was pressed to death, and over a hundred others were imprisoned and impoverished. This evenhanded and now-classic history illuminates the horrifying episode with visceral clarity.
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A new take on the Witch Trials
- By Jolene Correll on 02-17-15
By: Frances Hill
What listeners say about Under the Banner of Heaven
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Gary
- 01-04-04
NOT FOR MORMON READERS
ANY ONE WHO RATES THIS BOOK LESS THAN FOUR STARS IS A MORMON. ANYONE WHO GIVES IT FIVE STARS IS, AT THE VERY LEAST. AN AGNOSTIC AND PROBABLY AN ATHIEST. THE WRITER COULD HAVE PICKED ANY OF THE HUNDREDS OF RELIGIONS PRACTICED IN THIS COUNTRY AND THEY WOULD ALL SOUND AS SILLY AS THIS ONE. CALVIN AND THE METHODIST, CAMPBEL AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. JIM JONES AND COOLAID,FATHER DIVINE,DAVID KORESH, JIM BAAKER. ALL CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH. ALL UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN. THE MORMON CHURCH IS THE FASTEST GROWING OF THEM ALL, THAT IS A SOBERING THOUGHT. HIGHLY RECOMENDED READING TO ADD TO YOUR DATA BASE ON RELIGON
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Scot
- 09-04-03
Great Book, But May Upset Some People...
I liked this book. Krakauer weaves the current timeline of recent events of the Lafferty killings, the Elizabeth Smart case and polygamist fundamentalist sects with a historical perspective of the LDS church. He attempts to show the motivations of religious fundamentalism and what grievous acts people will committ in the name of god.
Some people who are LDS members may be upset with some of Krakauer's historical accounts, especially regarding polygamy. I do not think Krakauer does this to attack LDS members, but to attempt to show the source of these fundamentalists' beliefs.
It is a great book and should receive a higher score, but some people have some moral problems with the book and are very harsh. I have read all of Krakauer's books and trust that he put a good amount of research forward.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Helen Slack
- 12-08-03
Compulsary Reading in Schools?
I would love to see this book compulsary reading in schools. My second Audio book and just couldn't stop listening until it all finished. Before this book I hardly knew anything about the Morman faith but this book is much more than that. It really helps give an understanding how some people go to extremes within thier respective faiths. A great book to read/listen and opens doors to many a debate.
I will definatley look out for more books from this Author.
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Overall
- Irene Adler
- 08-10-03
Probably too true for the God fearing
As an individual with solid Mormon ancestry on both sides, I believe that this is first book that seamlessly combines a starkly realistic and accurate account of Mormon history and militant Mormon fundamentalism. In the process, it demonstrates the relationship between the two and exposes the inevitable consequences of strongly held religious beliefs, consequences that are strewn through out history, but are here etched into dramatic relief by a religion conjured up only 170 years ago.
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55 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Howard
- 01-10-04
Oops. I Take it Back.
I wrote my first review after listening to an hour of the unabridged version of this audiobook. At that point, I made a snap judgement that the author, who was new to me, was simply presenting a shallow analysis of religious faith, and trying to sell books on the back of a lurid double murder and the titillation of describing the tawdry details of polygamist sects. But I had listened to all my other titles, so I stayed with the book. To my suprise, I got caught up with the fascinating history of the Mormons, presented with what seemed to be admirable objectivity. But when the author described the retrial of Ron Lafferty, the book's true payoff became clear. Through the words of the psychiatrists and psychologists mustered by the defense and prosecution, a devastating portrait of the puzzling, infuriating double murderer was painted. The real question is this: what is the difference between the defendant and personalities like Joseph Smith, described by William James as a "religious genius?" I found the answer provocative and compelling. I have never understood the workings of minds that conceive and carry out seemingly senseless actions like those described here. For the first time, this book gave me a glimmer of such an understanding. It also convinced me of the justice of the death sentence handed down in this case. I'm glad I kept listening!
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Michael D. Fleetwood
- 12-08-03
Only one regret...
I only regret that I settled for the abridged audio version of the book (hence, a rating of four instead of five). Krakauer's rendition of the foundations of Mormonism and of a modern case of fundamentalism gone awry are equally compelling. It would be worth reading the complete, unabridged novel.
Krakauer's question is not one of the legitimacy of all religious faith but of how religious faith is often twisted to justify heinous actions. Fundamental Mormonism provides an intriguing case to study because of the religion's relatively modern roots. Certainly, any conclusions the reader draws could be applied to any set of values taken to an extreme end. The combination of the fascinating history of a religion (albeit a brief and possibly biased one) combined with an interesting set of moral questions makes for a very entertaining and thoughtful read (or listen). Highly recommended.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall
- Yvonne
- 09-23-03
Under the Banner of Heaven
Gave the reader a new perspective and understanding of Mormons. As a non-mormon I had no real understanding of Mormon history. Tying current events (Smart abduction) with past events in the Mormon church was interesting. Interesting the manner in which the author goes back and forth in time.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Karen
- 10-13-03
On target...frightening...and slow paced.
Krakauer is a good author and certainly has done his research for this one. I have studied the Mormon faith - as I have many others - and find that his research is right on target and thorough. I recommend this book for it's research and documentary merits but have to reserve unqualified praise because it sometimes misses the mark and slowly meanders from its theme leaving one waiting for the point to be made, or, waiting for the point to STOP being made! I wasn't drawn into the characters' lives as I expected, nor was I made to feel any compelling empathy for the victims here. Certainly I felt moral outrage with the Mormon hierarchy and its apparent hypocrisy as well as with the perpetrators of a truly despicable crime. I felt frightened by the moral certitude that the brothers felt and with the parallels with "jihad" in our world. What I did not find was a compelling listen. So, in summary, this is worth the listen - definitely - for its subject matter, but it does have some limitations in its presentation. Recommended with qualification.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Anna
- 10-28-03
Imperative
A must read -his education on the mormon faith and it's history is necessary for any reader. Good narration by the author.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Inge A Rese
- 02-11-04
Religious fanatics....
Gives a good picture on how religion may turn individuals into monsters. Religious belief is a human right, but some people moves past the outer limit of acceptance. A good book telling us not to turn the other cheek, but try to do something to stop these crazy people before they ruin somebodys life.
Childmolesters living in a pedophilia heaven(godgiven right to polygamy and to marry children. Murder committed on direct orders from God. Hey, you dont have to go to the middle-east to see religious fanatics, take a look in your neighbourhood.....
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1 person found this helpful