Escape

By: Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

Length: 15 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

When she was 18 years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger - a man 32 years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn's heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church. Over the next 15 years, Carolyn had eight children and withstood her husband's psychological abuse and the watchful eyes of his other wives, who were locked in a constant battle for supremacy.

Carolyn was miserable for years and wanted out, but she knew that if she tried to leave and got caught, her children would be taken away from her. But in 2003 Carolyn chose freedom over fear and fled her home with her eight children.

Escape exposes a world that is tantamount to a prison camp, created by religious fanatics. Against this background, Carolyn Jessop's flight takes on an extraordinary, inspiring power. She became the first woman ever granted full custody of her children in a contested suit involving the FLDS. And in 2006 her reports to the Utah attorney general on church abuses formed a crucial part of the case that led to the arrest of its notorious leader, Warren Jeffs.

©2007 Visionary Classics, LLC (P)2007 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"The story Carolyn Jessop tells is so weird and shocking that one hesitates to believe a sect like this, with 10,000 polygamous followers, could really exist in 21st-century America. But Jessop's courageous, heart-wrenching account is absolutely factual. This riveting book reminds us that truth can indeed be much, much stranger than fiction." (Jon Krakauer, author of Into Thin Air and Into the Wild)

Sad story, awesome read!

Sad story. So glad to hear she got out. I pray for her, and all the folks who have gotten out...and those who haven't yet. God will help you. Just have to take courage and take the first step. Blessings!

LOVED!!

Highly recommend! My husband even enjoyed it while I would listen when driving! Very detailed

A woman’s view of life in polygamy

This book gives an interesting yet often heartbreaking and scary look at life in polygamy from a woman who was born into this cult. She shares many accounts of the hardships, abuse, and neglect that she and other women and children (small and teenage) endured on a daily basis. It’s amazing that she eventually escaped with all 8 of her children. You will cheer her on as she navigates the unfamiliar world of freedom.

Inspiring

I love the way the author continues to pursue her flight to freedom and the strength it took to survive!

Eye opener!

This book is of course about an escape from a polygamist religious group. However, what I found the most striking is the underlying explanation on how some fanatics can manipulate people just on the basis of religious grounds; how this can be continued for tens of years just by cutting believers out of communication and education. The comparison with the way other religious group operate could come into the readers' mind. This book is about control and power, and what you need to do to survive in such environment. Escape was the outcome for the author, but is even not an option for many.

Eye Opening

I cannot believe that this has been happening in my country! Jessup's tale is horrifying yet hopeful. I thought the pace was a bit uneven throughout, and started slow, but the injustices mount until you reach saturation levels and know the escape must be imminent. It was not the best read book I've downloaded, but not the worst either. Would recommend.

Excellent!

I loved this audiobook. I saw an interview with the author on one of the morning shows and became interested in reading the book. I was so happy audible had it. The book exceeded my expectations. I thought the narrator did a great job and the book keep my attention. I listened to it every spare moment until I finished it. I learned alot about the FLDS and it gave me new insight into all the things happening in West Texas with the 400 or so children taken from an FLDS compound by CPS. I would highly recomemend you listen to this book.

wow... just wow!

God was truly watching over this woman during her escape from the FLDS. Such a role model.

Captivating and Wretched

This was incredibly interesting and a very detailed account of the harrowing experience of a young woman raised in polygamy. It's very important to note that polygamy isn't just 2 consenting adults agreeing to be in a plural marriage. The insidious details are just unbelievable to the average person. It took me a little while to get past the performance. The speaker is very clear but she sounds a bit like a kindergarten teacher and a hypnotist blended. You need to get past it because it's a great book.

heartwrenching

this book made me smile, cry, and gasp from shock. but in the end a truly inspiring story