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Loading... Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a…by Elissa Wall
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. I've been reading several FLDS related books lately in an attempt to learn more about a subject that has been major national news recently. I find the similarities in stories shocking. Whether the person had a happy childhood or not, the details they give about the practices, beliefs, and happenings within the church are consistent. The names mentioned of major or well-known figures within the church all match, as do descriptions. So, as unbelievable as it all sounds to those of us who didn't grow up in their world, it's definitely the truth. Even better, the more you read, the more perspectives you gather, and the better you understand all that happens. This book is definitely deserving of being added to the must-read list of anyone interested in the subject. (  )TiffanyAK | Jun 12, 2009 |   This title was selected by one of my bookgroups. I probably never would have read it otherwise. My other bookgroup read The Secret Lives of Saints and I felt I had read enough about the FLDS - what I had read had made me very angry and upset. However, Wall's powerful personal story adds the depth of emotion and experience to the reporting and facts of Bramham's book to give a fuller picture of this sect. Secret Lives deals in large part with the community in Bountiful, BC, while Walls' account tells of her life in the US FLDS community controlled by Warren Jeffs. The writing is a bit over-wrought and weak, but Elissa Wall's heartbreak, suffering and amazing strength of spirit is undeniable. It's a miracle that she survived both in body and soul to share her experiences. (  )Vidalia | Jun 7, 2009 | The book drags in spots, and the narration is weak in some sections. Still, Wall gives readers an interesting glimpse into the lives of people in a polygamous sect. ( )brianinbuffalo | Jun 6, 2009 | The subtitle basically tells the story. Elissa Wall is born into a family that belongs to the polygamous sect led by Warren Jeffs. At a very young age, she is married against her will to an older man, suffers abuse, and eventually escapes entirely. This is really an incredible story. Despite the sensational news stories we've all seen in the past few years, it's difficult to believe that situations like this one exist in modern times. Elissa's experience in life was so different from mine that it's difficult to take in. This book helped me to understand for the first time how powerful a force religious indoctrination can be, that it would cause a mother to allow her daughter to be treated the way Elissa was treated. That she would in fact tell her that it was only right to be treated that way. This story inspires anger, sympathy and admiration in equal parts. I have to say that I didn't particularly enjoy the author's narration. It's difficult to explain why, though. I kept getting annoyed with her for trying to justify decisions people were making. I suppose it's hard to overcome the lifetime of thought patterns. And again, her experience is so different from mine that it's not surprising that she would see things differently. My final word: I give this book 4 out of 5. The writing in this book isn't spectacular, and the author's voice can be annoying from time to time. However, I think the story makes this a worthwhile read. (  )vanedow | May 1, 2009 | Despite the lengthy title, Stolen Innocence provides a look into what it's like to live in a fundamentalist Mormon sect. It doesn't look pleasant, and it's surprising to me that anyone can live like this in the 21st century in the United States. jrak | Feb 7, 2009 | 0.067 seconds to build listing
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0061628018, Hardcover)In September 2007, a packed courtroom in St. George, Utah, sat hushed as Elissa Wall, the star witness against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs, gave captivating testimony of how Jeffs forced her to marry her first cousin at age fourteen. This harrowing and vivid account proved to be the most compelling evidence against Jeffs, showing the harsh realities of this closed community and the lengths to which Jeffs went in order to control the sect's women. Now, in this courageous memoir, Elissa Wall tells the incredible and inspirational story of how she emerged from the confines of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and helped bring one of America's most notorious criminals to justice. Offering a child's perspective on life in the FLDS, Wall discusses her tumultuous youth, explaining how her family's turbulent past intersected with her strong will and identified her as a girl who needed to be controlled through marriage. Detailing how Warren Jeffs's influence over the church twisted its already rigid beliefs in dangerous new directions, Wall portrays the inescapable mind-set and unrelenting pressure that forced her to wed despite her repeated protests that she was too young. Once she was married, Wall's childhood shattered as she was obligated to follow Jeffs's directives and submit to her husband in "mind, body, and soul." With little money and no knowledge of the outside world, she was trapped and forced to endure the pain and abuse of her loveless relationship, which eventually pushed her to spend nights sleeping in her truck rather than face the tormentor in her bed. Yet even in those bleak times, she retained a sliver of hope that one day she would find a way out, and one snowy night that came in the form of a rugged stranger named Lamont Barlow. Their chance encounter set in motion a friendship and eventual romance that gave her the strength she needed to break free from her past and sever the chains of the church. But though she was out of the FLDS, Wall would still have to face Jeffs—this time in court. In Stolen Innocence, she delves into the difficult months on the outside that led her to come forward against him, working with prosecutors on one of the biggest criminal cases in Utah's history, so that other girls still inside the church might be spared her cruel fate. More than a tale of survival and freedom, Stolen Innocence is the story of one heroic woman who stood up for what was right and reclaimed her life. (retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:01 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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