Rating: 
Summary: Another good JK read
Review: I don't know what worries me more; the fundamentalist movements described in this book, how much our tax dollars are paying to support some of them, or the fact that these fundamentalists have sprung forth from one of the most fanciful, ill-conceived, misguided religions ever. As described by this very well written book, by this very reptubable author, the popularity of Mormonism stands in stark contrast to its wobbly framework of obvious fictions. How so many people could find sincere gospel in a veritable comic book, (the Book of Mormon) conceived by an adulterous, convicted fraud using black-magic-like means, should rank as one of history's greatest mysteries. I came away from "Under the Banner of Heaven" somehow less concerned about the LDS fundamentalists, and more concerned about its confused, survival-obsessed, cancerous mother, the mainstream Mormon church. I would side with critics of this book who point out that Krakauer is not an objective author. Indeed, this book begs one to further educate himself or herself about the Mormon church, as I fully intend to do. But something tells me that no matter how much more I read on the subject, I won't likely be swayed in my general assessment that Krakauer has again written an important, accurate book. - an Agnostic
Rating:
Summary: Mormonism Explained, Religious Fanaticism Explored
Review: Under the Banner of Heaven is a two-part book in this departure story for adventure writer Jon Krakauer. Krakauer focuses on the murderous brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty who felt called by a god known only to them to brutally kill their sister-in-law and niece. The Lafferty's are excommunicated Latter Day Saints, thrown out from the church because of their insistence on taking founder Joseph Smith at his word and accepting such disavowed commandments as polygamy and blood atonement. Their crime was real and brutal. Krakauer was able to interview Dan Lafferty at length from his prison cell in Utah where he is serving two life sentences for his acts. Even years later, this man is externally at peace with himself in believing he answered the call of his lord to remove two who stood in the way of The Plan. In order to explain, or give background to the Lafferty's religiously inspired killings, Krakauer explores the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormons) at length. He describes Mormonism from its founding by Joseph Smith in upstate New York, through their bloody emigration west through Illinois and Missouri to Utah, and the establishment of what the early believers hoped would be a nation apart from the rest of the world. The bloody trials at the hands of suspicious neighbors in the American mid-west are detailed (confrontations that cost the life of their founder Smith and gave rise to Brigham Young). So is Young's establishment of the Mormon state of Utah (Deseret at the time) in an attempt to separate the Saints from America. The Mountain Meadows Massacre and the killing three of John Wesley Powell's Grand Canyon explorers are detailed. These last two violent chapters -- perpetrated by Mormons and possibly with the knowledge of Young in the case of Mountain Meadows (according to the author) -- bear witness to Mormonism at its most insular and reactionary. These killings were related at least in part to the original Mormon doctrine of blood atonement, a tenet revealed by Smith that called for the spilling of blood for "crimes" (or religious failings) serious enough that only death was judged a proper set off. Polygamy, or plural or celestial marriage, the taking of multiple wives as commanded by Joseph Smith and popularized by Brigham Young, is explored in depth. It was many things -- a distinguishing characteristic of Mormonism, the practice that caused non-Mormons to react in horror and disgust, the percipitator of Congressional laws and the tenet that kept Utah out of the embrace of the larger Union in the late 1800's. Although the church decided to abandon polygamy around 1890 as a price for gaining statehood and acceptance, it remained a sharp dividing line among Mormons. This abandonment of one of the Church's founding testaments has caused schisms in the church, excommunications and the creation of fundamentalist outposts throughout the American West of communities of practicing polygamists who while officially removed as LDS members by the mainstream church, consider themselves the true Mormon's and keepers of God's commandments as revealed through Smith. These Mormon fundamentalists have given rise to perpetrators of murder, statutory rape, female brutalization and other crimes in the last several decades. As true believers who are convinced that only they are living right with God and that they face an ungodly hostile world (counting LDS leadership), many turn to god-talking for revelations on how to deal with the challenges and frustrations that lay in their paths. These types of revelations have produced the Lafferty's -- convinced that God told them to take the lives of a young lady and her eighteen month old daughter, as well as the kidnappers of Samantha Smart. Krakauer does a good job of weaving the history of Mormonism, the religious split within the faith between accommodationists and fundamentalists and the fringe fundamentalist groups that have given rise to violent men like the Lafferty's. The author does point out that the vast Majority of Mormons -- and even the majority of Mormon fundamentalists -- are non-violent people living lives filled with close families, spirituality and wholesomeness. The religion has produced -- as have all religions -- seekers who establish at least in their own minds direct links to the almighty or revelations of the "true" plan of God that lead them to acts abhorred by their fellow travelers. These aberrants are the focus of the author. He does a good job of explaining the particular mind-set of Dan and Ron Lafferty and the background of America's only home-grown large religious denomination. Krakauer shows how this history spawned the doctrine, disagreements, schisms and personalities that gave voice and meaning to the terrible impulses that produced Dan and Ron Lafferty. This is a very interesting book. The history of Mormonism is fascinating and I think Krakauer does a good job of exploring the religion as it unfolded. I am sure LDS will accuse him of focusing on errors and omissions of the past instead of the millions of hard working and clean living LDS who are by very many measures the epitome of a stable, productive and happy people. This is true, but Krakauer is specifically hunting for the why that has enabled excommunicated Mormons who self style themselves as fundamentalists to produce religiously inspired perpetrators of ghastly violent acts. His exploration of some of these perpetrators, including the Laffertys, paints a disturbingly interesting portrait of some of the lunatic fringe who cloak themselves in what they see as the "true" image of Mormonism. A very intersting non-fiction book.
Rating: 
Summary: Say What?
Review: Several reviewers have made the observation that the only harsh critics of this book are Mormons. Implied in the suggestion is that Mormons are too biased to offer analysis. Does this mean that Krakauer's agnostic worldview make him objective? Well does it? Does his admission that his failure to interview one representative of the LDS faith because, "I knew what they would say," make his thesis more or less biased? My biased or unbiased view depending on the above (I am a Mormon) tells me upon my completion of Under the Banner of Heaven, that you could drive a truck through the holes in his thesis.
Rating: 
Summary: A good look into a New Religion
Review: First of I will talk about the book. Krakauer masterfully explains the history of Mormonism, the fanatical sects that have splintered from it, and the way these religious ideas and beliefs have tainted the minds of the Lafferty boys as well as many others. I was interested from beginning to end. Secondly I will try to disuade some of the negative reviews because from the looks of these reviews either they are Mormons themselves or they actually didn't read the book. In no way does Krakauer say that the murderous Lafferty brothers were affliated with the Church of Latter Day Saints. They were taught the Mormon religion but then abondoned after their beliefs no longer agreed with those of the LDS. They became a fanatical sect of the Mormon religion, similair to the hundred fanatical sects of Islam or of Catholicism for that matter. The reason why Mormonism is so facinating and compelling is because it is only 150 years old and it is bigger the Judiasm. It was founded by a man who had a vision of an Angel and golden plates when he was in his twenties in upstate New York! Amazing! Krakauer explains how through its breif history, Mormon beliefs were changed, manipulated, and misunderstood by many including its leaders which led to murder, polygamy, and some cases the raping of underage woman and incest. It is not a pretty picture, but after 3 years of reasearch and interviews Krakauer explains how these fanatical Mormon fundamentalists came to be. Krakauer is not trying to embarass or put down the Mormons or the Church of Latter Day Saints, he is merely explaining how the history of Mormonism and certain views about being able to communicate with God might have affected the Lafferty brothers to murder their brother's wife and baby daughter. A great book and a intriguing story.
Rating:
Summary: Krakauer returns to pure journalism
Review: Jon Krakauer has always been a journalist first and foremost. However, he was also a first rate climber, which led to his pursuit of rather similar stories. Into the Wild and Into Thin Air were incredible stories, and had they not been consecutive pieces, he might have escaped the label of being an "adventure journalist." With Under the Banner of Heaven, Mr. Krakauer reminds us that he doesn't need the backdrop of extreme adventure sports in order to captivate his audience and weave a marvelous tale. First, a "truth in lending" statement. This work might be too narrowly focused for all readers. There are several reasons not to buy this book. If all that you want is a comprehensive history of the Mormon church, then there are better references. The story of the Lafferty brothers is a horrible, disturbing story, and there are certainly more cheerful subjects out there. And I'm not sure that many would consider the events all that significant in terms of American history or religious doctrine. If you are pressed for time, have a deep-burning desire to research a particular aspect of the LDS church, or are a bit squeamish, you should probably look elsewhere. Because of the subject matter, few will read this book and say that they loved it. Appreciated it -- maybe. Learned from it -- definitely. The bottom line is that this isn't a feel-good story with a clearly and cleanly resolved ending. Having said all that, Mr. Krakauer delivers as promised in telling this chilling story. He simply is the best at laying out the facts surround the case, mixing in the historical context, adding in his personal observations and interviews, and then letting the reader draw his own conclusions. And in this work, he's free to do so without the personal investment that was apparent throughout Into the Wild and Into Thin Air. By this point, I'm sure you are aware that there has been much criticism of this book by the Mormon church. All I can say is that from my vantage point, the book is beyond reproach. Mr. Krakauer makes no broad sweeping accusations and very clearly distinguishes between the current church leadership, the church's founders, and the fundamentalist off-shoots. So, why read this book, if it's a disturbing story with no real ending, let alone a happy one? There are several reasons, and you only need to pick one. Mormonism is a uniquely American religion, but most Americans are surprisingly ignorant of its particulars. In this age of global terrorism and the increasing conflict between religious fundamentalist groups, the subject matter is timely and relevant to us all. But most importantly, in my opinion, is that Mr. Krakauer can just plain write. He obviously pours his heart into his craft, and few do it better.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, meandering, and lacking focus
Review: In "Under the Banner of Heaven," Krakauer is trying to do two things: give the history of the Mormon religion and tell the story of a heinous crime that happened to be committed by Mormons. Taken seperately, the two goals are very intersting. The story of the Mormon religion and its founding only 150 years ago is faciniating. The same is true for the Mormon fundamentalist Lafferty brothers who plan and execute the murder of a woman and her daughter. But then the author tries to draw these two stories together, the result is a rambling book that jumps back in fourth through time without any rhyme or reason. One moment, the author is giving us the testimony of the murderers, the next moment, he is talking about Brigham Young. I found this book very hard to keep track of. However, Krakauer does present some facinating facts about the formation of a relgion and the founding of a faith. Originally, this book was to be a story of the Mormon relgion, and if Krakauer had stuck with that topic, the book would have been much better. If you like Krakauer or are interested in how relgions are formed, read this book. Otherwise, you are justified in skipping it.
Rating:
Summary: UNDER THE BANNER OF HEARSAY
Review: If you are interested in the lives and eccentricities of religious fundamentalists, fanatics and polygamists, their bizarre behavior and their propensity to violence in defending their beliefs then this book will offer some interest and enlightenment. I read the book specifically to find out more about Dan Lafferty and the murder of his sister-in-law and niece. I wanted to read the interviews that Krakauer had had with Lafferty and to get a better understanding as to how such heinous crimes could be perpetrated against members of the Lafferty family--Dan's own extended family-- in the name of religion. The book was informative from that standpoint. But if you think that this book will give you the supposed inside story of a possible dark side of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) you are sadly mistaken. Krakauer's approach to this book goes markedly against the grain of responsible journalism. Are their two sides to this story? Absolutely! But Krakauer is careful to tell only a limited, one-sided version that is totally misleading. Had Krakauer been fair enough to give both sides of the account I would be writing a very different review. Instead what you have is a hard cover tabloid. In the first place, none of the fundamentalists interviewed by Krakauer are members of the LDS Church. Since the late 1800's all individuals practicing polygamy and, more importantly, given to views and teachings that are inflammatory and contrary to those accepted by the LDS Church are summarily excommunicated. Moreover, Dan Lafferty--even in the Krakauer interviews--admits that he is not a member of the LDS Church and that his beliefs depart dramatically from anything the LDS Church teaches. In the second place, Krakauer's supposed research is extremely limited and riddled with references to the works of individuals like Fawn Brodie--an self avowed nonobjective enemy of the LDS faith who wasted her life away writing unbelievable drivel about the LDS Church's origins. Mind you, she didn't stop with unsupportable rubbish about Mormonism. She also wrote a "landmark" series of books about America's Founding Fathers that painted them as nothing more than a lecherous bunch of womanizers who just got lucky when it came to democracy. Those familiar with Brodie's writings recognize that her reverse chauvinism is as transparent as water and the chip on her shoulder all too evident. If you are sincerely and fairly interested in historic facts regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints read Leonard Arrington's excellent biography of Brigham Young, American Moses. It provides a fair narrative of many of the events included in Krakauer's book--information terribly twisted and misrepresented, I might add. If you want to read this book in order to look at radical religious fundamentalism, especially the tragic events centering on Dan Lafferty and his brother, Ron, then do so. But take Krakauer's supposed "facts" about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints as what they are--nothing more than mean-spirited, small-minded hearsay. Douglas McAllister
Rating:
Summary: A Chilling Story
Review: When I was a college student from the east coast, back in the summer of '69, my cousin and I worked in a nat'l park in southern Utah for the season. Here we met and worked with a large number of Mormons, who for the most part were friendly, industrious, peaceful people. I remember tho, hearing the name Uncle Roy being mentioned by a cabin maid from farther south. She didn't tell me exactly who this obviously important individual was at the time. He is mentioned in Under the Banner of Heaven as one of patriarchs who wielded absolute power in Colorado City, on the Utah - Arizona border. That town was, and is, a haven of Fundamentalist Mormons who follow Prophet Joseph Smiths Section 132 in the book of Doctrine and Covenants advocating plural marriage for men in the Church.
After that summer, I became so interested in the Mormons and their settlement of Utah, that I did some term papers on these topics in college, and read fairly extensively on the subject after graduating. So I was familiar with most of the historical background that Krakauer gives concerning the founding of the religion. His descriptions of the more radical off-shoots of the LDS Church were, however, for the most part new information for me. The extent of violence, and the extreme oppression of women and children as detailed by him was chilling. Before reading the book, I had been inclined to regard the practices of renegade Mormons as their business. Now I can see that there are too many unwilling, innocent victims involved to take a laissez faire attitude to the situation these people find themselves in.
At any rate, I highly recommend the book. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of the author's admittedly biased view toward all religion. He's perfectly entitled to his agnostic beliefs, but by stating them outright in his book, he may cause some would-be readers to doubt his objectivity. Nevertheless, once again, I would urge everyone interested not only in religious extremism, but in human rights in general to read this fascinating narrative. It will be time well spent.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent expsoure of extremism
Review: The Mormon reviewers who are panning this book on Amazon.com are missing the point. Krakauer did not set out to embarass or harass Mormons. His book illustrates what happens when a few crackpots and extremists pervert a belief system. The Lafferties and the other extremists whom he describes in this book could just as easily have been Islamic fundamentalists hiding in caves in Afghanistan, snake handlers in Cocke County TN, or Catholic inquisitors burning heretics at the stake. Of course, Krakauer does an excellent job of describing, without comment, the roots of the Mormon faith -- Joseph Smith and his golden plates. Anyone reading that fairy tale can come to only one conclusion -- and perhaps it's this revelation that the Mormon reviewers do not like. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing yet fascinating read
Review: To be honest, I bought the book after reading an article about its controversial nature and wasn't expecting much. I wound up having quite a bit of trouble putting the book down at night!! Krakauer takes the story of the Lafferty brothers and the horrible murders they commited and uses it as a springboard to discuss the evolution of Mormon fundamantalism in the US and Canada. He mingles past history with current events in a way that keeps the reader engaged. Krakauer also does an excellent job of not tying the bliefs of mainstream mormons to the delusional and dangerous ideas of the fundamantalists. He discusses mainstream mormonism with respect and dignity thropughout - in my opinion. His writing style makes it an easy read, despite the disturbing relevations. I truly enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to others. I hope you find this as interesting a read as I did.
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