Yes, its non-fiction happened in the USA

books:


	• Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife Irene Spencer Center Street, 2007 - 400 pages average customer review:based on 80 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

What is wrong with these people?

I don't mean to be that harsh. I've made many mistakes in life and will continue to do so. OK. The book is certainly worth reading as one more testament to what life is like as a polygamist--for wives, kids, and some husbands. A person should read some of these, there have been several published in the last couple of years or so. Events in Texas with the FLDS make them even more timely.

Irene is writing about her life. I did find that the stories became basically minor variations on a theme of astounding fecundity and potency, extreme poverty, unhappiness/unfulfillment, and the goofiness of her husband with his detachment from any reality or awareness of what he was doing and what the effects were on the enormous number of people he had under his control. I, too, grew weary of one story after another; I thought the point had already been made. Again, it is HER story, though, and she can tell it as she sees fit. It's OK.

I think there is a great lesson here for many people. As I read this book (and the others by ex-polygamists) it made me consider in some detail why I believe the things I believe. Although I cannot accept "new" divine revelations, in this case from Smith about 170 years ago, I had to think about why I accept the Bible or anything about the Godhead. Maybe there is no difference between how polygamists approach the truth and how I do, I wondered. Well, for me the important difference in approach is that I allow myself to ask questions. I allow myself to question another person's authority over me. I feel I must be free to accept or reject doctrine and dogma, not have it crammed down my throat with threats of "going to Hell" and being banished from the community.

Irene's story made me consider these things and the whole issue of "mind control" and "behavior control." (Anything similar to recent events in Texas?) For me, this is why it would be important to read Irene's book and several of the others. (For an interesting account of one of Irene's sister-wives in this LeBaron clan, read Susan Ray Schmidt's book, available on Amazon.)

One does wonder why it took Irene so long to finally accept the reality of what was actually happening, both to herself and her children. Ultimately, she finally got out; maybe that's all that is important.

I must admit to a visceral reaction to one other element of the book. If I had ever met her husband while alive, I would have felt obligated to apply my size 13's swiftly and solidly to his rear. But, it would have only convinced him further about his status as one of the Elect and mine as a Satan inspired Gentile.

Still, read this book. Find the lessons meaningful for you in her story. We can be thankful she finally acted appropriately and got out.

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Yes, its non-fiction happened in the USA

I also read Irene's other ex-sister wife's book, "His
Favorite Wife". I found it to be very interesting how
they could all have the same husband. At times I felt
sorry for Irene, but at the same time, its liked, 'hey,
wake up, you are in America", women should not not be
suppressed like that, all in the name of believing in that
religion they were brought up with.
For all those people, who cannot comprehended how and
why they lived the polygamy life, read this..a clear
understanding, but, yet, totally its all about choices
they could make, if they were not fanatics.

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Fascinating book, not 100% accurate

I could not put this book down. I went from one heartbreaking chapter to the next. I am so glad Irene has found happiness and a good man to love.

I am LDS and feel she missed the mark a bit in her accuracy. However, I understand she was recounting doctrines as she believed or was told. People continue to fail to understand that LDS people do not recognize any off-shoots as "LDS." Either you're maintream or you are as different a religion as Catholics or Baptists. If you are not a baptized member of the LDS faith, you are not LDS, period. Our church is in NO way affiliated with FLDS or any other sect practicing polygamy. It is an error to refer to them in any way as "mormon."

This book so clearly illustrates what is lost when people fall away from the prophet and start their own churches. Doctrines like polygamy are turned into something that does not resemble in any way the way plural marriage was practiced by the actual LDS church.

I cringed as I read about how Irene starved for affection from Verlan and the trauma each new wife brought. I know that God wants all his children to be happy and that no matter what, no child of His is ever forgotten. Irene needed these experiences and probably wouldn't give up 1 of her many children to be the person she is today. She should be proud that although there were many difficult years of adversity, she emerged from it a good person and has found happiness. She is an inspiration to anyone who didn't (or doesn't) live in an ideal situation that there is always hope beyond your circumstances.

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The Story She Needs to Tell

The sad, sad life of a woman trapped in a polygamous marriage. Trapped because she is afraid to experience change even if it can only be for the better and trapped because if it were a monogamous marriage she would be able to love the weak man she married.

Reading the book, you know her life could only improve if Irene were to leave her life of poverty, of constant hunger and lack of clothing all in a small shack of a home shared with all the other wives.

Yet it is amazing how this religion has hold of Irene to such an extent that it takes years and years of hunger, filth, and jealousy to finally break free.

It is a good lesson about women and how women can put up with so much misery out of fear of the unknown. It is why the seclusion and brainwashing are so effective. It is a sad story of a woman who could have been so much and instead was crushed by the cult.

While reading the book I was struck by how much Irene seemed to want the reader to believe she was feisty and strong yet in the telling of the story lies the truth; Irene was scared, she wanted desperately to be loved, and the thought of leaving all that nothing for something was ominous to her.

The writing is not exceptional, in fact it is sometimes poor, but that is not the most important thing about this book and so it is easy to forgive for the story she needs to tell.

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Unusual, honest

This is the 3rd book on polygamy I have purchased and read since the recent news about pologamy. This book in my opinion is equal to "My Favorite Wife" and much better reading than "Escape".

The author of this book, Irene Spencer is an unusual woman and tells her story with honesty, not attempting to blame everyone else for her lot in life. Very interesting reading, especially in the light of the recent news.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Irene Spencer did as she felt God
commanded in marrying her
brother-in-law Verlan LeBaron, becoming
his second wife. When the
government raided the fundamentalist, polygamous
Mormon village of Short Creek, Arizona,
Irene and her family fled to
Verlan's brothers' Mexican ranch.
They lived in squalor and desolate
conditions in the Mexican desert
with Verlan's six brothers, one sister,
and numerous wives and children.
Readers will be appalled and
astonished, but most amazingly,
greatly inspired. Irene's dramatic
story reveals how far religion can
be stretched and abused and how one woman and her
children found their way out, into truth and redemption.

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