Under the Banner of Heaven

A Story of Violent Faith

By: Jon Krakauer

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2003 Jon Krakauer (P)2003 Books on Tape, Inc., Published by arrangement with Random House Audio Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"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

“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

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

Wow!

So much information I had never heard as a child.
Makes me happy that I didn't believe it was true. Now I'm happy that I was considered a black sheep. Whew!

Excellent book in every way.

Misleading artwork suggests that it is read by the author. In fact, it is read by Scott Brick.

Creeps me out!

I grew up LDS adjacent- most of my siblings and my father saw through the fantastic and fanatic side of the "story". My mother (and so all of us) loved the community it promoted.
It all just creeps me out now! Krakauer does a thorough job of reporting.

Wow

This book was so great. Extremely well researched and so much more detailed about the early days of the Mormon faith than I expected.

Perfect book, odd narrator

It’s like the narrator was playing some corny character. He sounded like Trey Parker in Baseketball. Excellent book though!

A must read! Relevant to today’s culture wars and increasing lack of separation of church and state

This book was one of the best I’ve listened to on Audible. The performance by the author was perfect, too, and didn’t distract from the work… which I find common with audio books.

If you’ve always wanted to know

I’m a Jon Krakauer fan. I re-read (by listening) this book to prepare to watch the new TV series, and loved it all over again. Such a large part of U.S. history to have learned only in my 60’s! All of this story is riveting, but the descriptions of the LDS church’s origins, and its belief system, simply rocked my world. At least now i understand why there is such an “otherness” that i never understood in my LDS students, friends, etc. All of Krakauer’s
books take root in my head and set me ruminating, and often further researching, for days and weeks. Good brain food!

Engaging

An overall fascinating listen, layered well and the telling is engaging. Has me seeking out further information.

Outstanding

Well read by Scott. Another amazing read by Jon. If you’re watching the Hulu series, this is worth listening to get a deeper picture although the series is pretty great.

Ex-Mormon Millennial Review

So… I am not anti-Mormon, and I still have many family members in the fold, however this book blew me away. I hope each of them read or listen to it and receive the clarity I did about certain topics. I feel like the author came from a place of facts, rather than a place of embellished opinions. I look forward to listening to it again.