Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer
Under the Banner of Heaven, Jon Krakauer
11 Rating(s)
List: $19.95 | Sale: $13.97
Club: $9.97

Under the Banner of Heaven
A Story of Violent Faith

Bestseller

Author: Jon Krakauer

Narrator: Scott Brick

Unabridged: 12 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/10/2003


Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Jon Krakauer is the author of Eiger DreamsInto the WildInto Thin AirUnder the Banner of HeavenWhere Men Win Glory, Three Cups of Deceit, and Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town, among others. He is also the editor of the Modern Library Exploration series.Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. His stage appearances throughout the US include CyranoHamlet, and MacBeth. In the audio industry, Scott has won over 20 Earphones Awards, as well as the 2003 Audie Award in the Best Science Fiction category for Dune: The Butlerian Jihad. After recording nearly 250 books in five years, AudioFile Magazine named Scott “one of the fastest-rising stars in the audiobook galaxy” and proclaimed him one of their Golden Voices. Brick’s range is unparalleled as he reads thrillers to narrative nonfiction, from biographies to science fiction with aplomb.


Reviews

AudiobooksNow review by Jennifer on 2007-05-19 15:29:07

very interesting book..

AudiobooksNow review by Beth on 2007-06-08 19:37:41

I knew nothing about this book when I selected it. The writing was excellent. As a psuedo true crime, it bothered me that the author's bias toward God and religion permeated the book. But, it really gave insight into Mormonism.

AudiobooksNow review by Debbie on 2009-03-28 21:03:40

I expect a crime drama, not a hybrid between an atheistic rant and a very slow to develop story. It took effort to finish and wasn't worth the effort. I am not a Mormon, am not insulted by his slams on the religion, but I resent all religous thought being dismissed as violent and negative. It felt like atheistic propoganda, which becomes a religon of sorts itself! Not what I hoped for!

Goodreads review by Len on August 11, 2020

I don't know where to start with this book -- I couldn't put it down. It was enthralling.......more

Goodreads review by Colleen on July 23, 2007

I read this book for the book club at my local library. Afterwards, I felt indignant, confused, intrigued, and disgusted about all forms of faith. So, I sincerely hoped that a Saint or two would show up at the book club meeting, to nullify my extremely negative view of the church. Alas, no LDS belie......more

Goodreads review by jessica on April 08, 2020

this book is quite different from what i thought it would be. i was excepting ‘in cold blood’ true crime vibes, and that is present, but much of the book explores the history of a particular religion and how extreme religious belief can sometimes inspire violent actions. while the in-depth history s......more

Goodreads review by Rachel on February 05, 2022

4 stars Under the Banner of Heaven is a book I was supposed to read many years ago and never did. Back when it came out, I was a part of a high school book club at my local library and this was the book selected for one of the meetings and I just…. never got around to it. Fifteen years later is bet......more

Goodreads review by Sharon on April 07, 2024

I thoroughly enjoyed Jon Krakauer's books, Into the Wild and Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster. His research is thorough and detailed. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith covers the beginnings of the Latter-Day Saints (LDS: Mormon) religion in the U.S. i......more


Quotes

“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

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

“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

“This year’s most audacious work of nonfiction. . . . A white-knuckle mix of true-crime reporting and provocative history.” —New York Post

“Krakauer writes with almost astonishing narrative force. It is hard to stop reading.” —The Baltimore Sun

“Stunningly researched. . . . Elegant reportage. . . . An evenhanded inquiry into the nature of religious belief itself.” —Newsday

“Captivating. . . . Fascinating and appalling. . . . [Krakauer] should be applauded—and read.” —The San Diego Union-Tribune

“A great book. . . . Krakauer has found a fascinating story in plain sight, right in the heart of the American West, and told it with the narrative drive and unflinching honesty that marked his 1998 best seller, Into Thin Air.” —The Oregonian

“Jon Krakauer is at his provocative best.” —The New Orleans Times-Picayune

“A fascinating page-turner. . . . Engrossing. . . . Krakauer’s knack for crackling narrative and taut focus . . . drives this thought-provoking story.” —The Columbus Dispatch

“A hair-raising true-crimer.” —Chicago Sun-Times

“Terrifying. . . . Startling. . . . Mov[es] deftly between past and present [and] provides a fascinating glimpse of the church today.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“A powerful portrait of how two seemingly ordinary Americans became murderers.” —The Economist

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

“Marvelous. . . . A departure from Into Thin Air and Into the Wild . . . but every bit as engrossing.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Well-researched and evenhanded. . . . Thought-provoking.” —USA Today

“Startling. . . . Timely. . . . Krakauer uncovers a ghastly trail of forced marriage, polygamy, violence and mind control. . . . A chilling look at Mormon fundamentalism.” —The Charlotte Observer

“Horrific, gripping. . . . Soberly written and courageously reported.” —Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

“Engrossing. . . . Incisive. . . . [Krakauer is] a very careful reporter. . . . His clear-headed, unbiased examination of the church—leavened with genuine respect—and his conclusions . . . are hard to argue with.” —Boulder Daily Camera

“One hell of a chilling read.” —Maxim

“Compelling. . . . Provocative. . . . Illuminating. . . . A gripping tale.” —The Christian Science Monitor

“A disturbing picture of Mormon fundamentalists. . . . Krakauer’s straightforward style and excellent storytelling ability make the book interesting.” —Rocky Mountain News

“A terrific read.” —Reader’s Digest

“Riveting. . . . Intriguing. . . . Breezy, smooth and vigorously written, this ambitious book is entertaining and informative. . . . Krakauer reconstructs the Lafferty brothers’ descent into fatal fanaticism magnificently, interweaving their story throughout the book and giving this wide-ranging work narrative coherence and emotional resonance. . . . [He is] a superb storyteller.” —The News & Observer

“A powerful look at how religious belief can cross the line into fanaticism.” —San Jose Mercury News