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)

Loved it!

I loved how the author told such a scaring and intense story with a lot of class. One of the best cult books i have read.

Powerful 💙💙💙

GRATEFUL for it. Definitely one of the most powerful stories I've had the opportunity to listen to.

Loved it! Fascinating!

Loved it! Can't believe this happens right under our noses. This was so fascinating to listen to. She is so brave.

long, detailed, informative

I read everything I can get my hands on about the FLDS. This account is long and detailed - from a readers perspective maybe a bit too long and detailed but the author deserves this forum imho.

Amazing Story

The author has unbelievable perseverance. This story is heartbreaking and also inspiring. It gives me hope that there are better days ahead for others like her.

Blown Away

Narrator was great. As soon as I started the book I couldn't stop I had to know what would happen and all the shocking details in between. I don't know how she survived that long in a work like that but I guess if it's all you know, you don't know better. I felt it could have been written better. I felt like I kept hearing repetitive phases and maybe that was done to make a point but it was a little too often you heard the same thing.

1/3 of the fundamentalist story

I recently read three books regarding fundamentalist Mormon experiences. They were all highly informative and covered (mostly) different material. "Prophets Prey" by Sam Brower deals with the more recent story of the FLDS sect now run by Warrant Jeffs from prison. "Escape" by Carolyn Jessop is an account of her experience as a plural wife who escapes the faith with her eight children. "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer recounts the history of the Mormon church and the splinters into fundamentalist factions. All excellent reading choices. **I gave Carolyn's book a 4 as it was written from her point of view and I felt that the real characters were not able to respond to her accusations.

Loved this book

Highly highly recommend. I liked it so much I went back a year later and relistened.

Scary and challenging

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This story touched me in so many ways. It is hard to believe that she was capable of making such a huge decision. It is also amazing that she survived any court system at all. Fabulous acceptance to change.

Interesting

The subject matter of the book was interesting to me - lifestyle of the members of the community as well as the edicts which dictated their actions. I was fascinated by the transformation of the community over time. It was also a really unique perspective to hear about the community from a person who although born into the religion never could make herself believe the doctrine. At first I was concerned I would not enjoy the book because I felt the author was rather vitriolic but as she continued her story, I did not feel put off by the tone at all. I never felt the book was too long or read in a boring way. All in all, I found the book very interesting to listen to & it made me appreciate the life I was born into.