Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a 2004 Anchor publication.
I just finished the Hulu limited series based on this book. That show is defUnder the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a 2004 Anchor publication.
I just finished the Hulu limited series based on this book. That show is definitely a fictional dramatization- so, once I finished the series, I wanted to read this book to get the full, non-fictional account of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her fifteen-month-old daughter, by her own brothers-in-law.
Unfortunately, though, while the title suggests this is a 'true crime' book, what one actually gets is a long, long, detailed history of Mormonism.
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with that if that is what you were looking for. I did find it fascinating on occasion, but I grew weary of it because that was not why I picked this book up. What I was wanting was a sharper focus on the Lafferty crime, but that mostly ran in the background.
I have no doubt the book is well-researched, but I’d also take the time to read a few books on the subject, like those the author used as resources and references, if you are looking to read about the history of Mormanism.
On the other hand, if you are looking for a book specifically about the Lafferty case, you might look to see if anyone else has written a book about that crime, in particular. I do think to understand the situation, some history or insights into Mormonism must be a part of the book, but it doesn’t need to overpower the particulars of this sect.
Overall, this book was not exactly what I was expecting. Once it became obvious that the book was more history than true crime I skipped over whole chapters, feeling I had gotten the point and didn’t need to absorb more historical facts- so I only read the sections that pertained to Brenda’s murder and the subsequent trial of the Lafferty brothers.
While the book is very comprehensive, well-researched, and well-written, it simply did not deliver what I had ordered- or thought I had ordered, I guess I should say. Should I lower my rating because of that? That’s a hard choice to make- so let me be clear that there wasn’t anything wrong with the writing, organization, etc., so from a critical thinking standpoint its an easy 4+ stars- but from a personal perspective, it’s only a three-star experience. So, I’m going to give it 3.5 stars. Round up or down? UGH. I’m on the fence, but I really do have to round up simply because of the obvious effort the author put into the book- which was years in the making. The author does have great writing skills and I have a couple of his book on my Kindle I will get around to reading someday.
Waco by Jeff Guinn is a 2023 Simon & Schuster publication.
There have been other books published on this subject, and I have been tempted to read one Waco by Jeff Guinn is a 2023 Simon & Schuster publication.
There have been other books published on this subject, and I have been tempted to read one or the other of them over the years, but could never decide how trustworthy they might be- so I passed over them. But when I saw Jeff Guinn had been brave enough to tackle this highly volatile topic, I knew I’d be in good hands.
After twenty years, and many attempts to manage my own emotions about the ‘legacy of rage’, (which I am in full agreement with the author about that), I had forgotten how chaotic the situation was back then. I had forgotten just what it was the Branch Davidians believed and how Koresh touted himself as Christ. The portrait of him painted here is disgusting, vile and beyond chilling.
The first- hand accounts -from all angles- surviving Branch Davidians, ATF agents, FBI, and deep research into David Koresh’s life and his psychological makeup, the powerful influence he had over his followers, and the mounting tension that culminated in the fiery climax of a seven week siege is riveting, but extremely disturbing on many levels.
Guinn’s deep dive is well organized and as always, he sticks to facts, not opinions. My only quibble is that the segments on how Waco is linked to current day cult behavior and certain hardcore cultures, didn’t get the same in-depth attention as the other portions of the book did. It was a connection I wish more people could see and understand.
Overall, I think this must have been a challenging book for Guinn, as even today, there is a murkiness surrounding all that really happened in April 1993, and there will never be any pat answers to those remaining questions.
But, Guinn’s experience in the study of cult leaders is evident as he gives us a much clearer image of Koresh, the mindset of the government agencies involved, and lays out all the various blunders that helped to create a long lasting distrust and paranoia, giving rise to influential conspiracy theorists, and helping to escalate a dangerous culture that has imbedded itself into our country in truly terrifying ways, and shows no signs of slowing down.
Bad Day Breaking by John Galligan is a 2022 Atria publication.
Heidi Kick, besides dealing with the usual politics of Bad Axe County, must now figure Bad Day Breaking by John Galligan is a 2022 Atria publication.
Heidi Kick, besides dealing with the usual politics of Bad Axe County, must now figure out how to handle a religious cult that has moved in and are beginning to display troublesome signs akin the situation in Waco back in the early 90s. It’s a slippery slope under normal circumstances, as nobody wants history repeating itself. But for Heidi the stakes are raised even higher when a couple of people from her past seem bent on revenge....
This is a good, gritty, atmospheric thriller. Again, the Wisconsin winter backdrop helps create the dark undercurrents, punctuating the bleakness and corruption. The cult segments weren’t as cohesive as I would have liked, but their agenda is clear enough.
Heidi is a complex character. She’s vulnerable and her past is always on the periphery of her subconsciousness. She’s not perfect- and her fate is certainly precarious, but there is no doubt that she’s a survivor- she’s smart, tough, and tenacious- and I hope her story will pick back up soon… another installment is most definitely required!!
Overall, despite a few uneven segments, this is a perfect thriller for deep winter reading!
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