Description

"Jon Krakauer's literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. He now shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders, taking readers inside isolated American communities where some 40,000 Mormon Fundamentalists still practice polygamy. 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.

"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 multilayered, 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." (From back cover.)

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part I

1. The City of the Saints
2. Short Creek
3. Bountiful
4. Elizabeth and Ruby
5. The Second Great Awakening
6. Cumorah
7. The Still Small Voice
8. The Peace Maker

Part II

9. Haun's Mill
10. Nauvoo
11. The Principle
12. Carthage
13. The Lafferty Boys
14. Brenda
15. The One Mighty and Strong
16. Removal

Part III

17. Exodus
18. For Water Will Not Do
19. Scapegoats
20. Under the Banner of Heaven

Part IV

21. Evangeline
22. Reno
23. Judgment in Provo
24. The Great and Dreadful Day
25. The American Religion
26. Canaan Mountain