Stephen Singular

This is a history of of the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) – that is, the polygamous Mormons. It does give an entire history, but focuses on more recent events since Warren Jeffs took over as Prophet. Many women have left the FLDS in the past couple of decades due to all kinds of abuse; as well, many boys have been kicked out. The book was published in 2008, so it ends after Jeffs’ trial for accessory to rape (? something along those lines), with the main witness being Elissa show more Wall (who wrote “Stolen Innocence” about her life as part of the FLDS). She was the first person to bring charges against Jeffs.

I have read a lot about the FLDS already, so I’ve heard a lot of this. This one, though, gave me more insight into the behind-the-scenes investigating of Jeffs and investigating the issues with abuse (and money) within the community. As usual, when I end one of these books, I need to look up what is happening with Jeffs at the moment – he is still in jail, but he still has followers. show less

This is an amazing detailed and revealing study of the psychopath next door - or maybe hiding in the closet - drawn from extensive interviews with Rader's pastor, congregation, detectives, and psychologists who worked the case, and from his detailed thirty-two-hour confession. The true bogeyman of homicidal home invasion while also working at ADT and (later) a canine officer and even Lutheran congregation chief officer is all too much and very American, somehow. This is the kind of monster show more that is truly fearsome: fitting in and hiding in plain sight.

For the closing material, I think some where-are-they-now stories would have been good, since the crimes are so recent. However, a lot was given over to discuss the possible physiological basis for criminal motivation without being able to connect it to BTW, like it was successfully to Arthur J. Shawcross in The Misbegotten Son. This is a needed line of inquiry and makes me think of Kurt Vonnegut ('Dwayne's bad chemicals made him take a loaded thirty-eight caliber revolver from under his pillow ...), but possibly more relevant and related here is the popular Christian mysticism that allowed him to self-justify within a matrix of demonic possession and acceptable levels of repentance. show less

Stephen Singular does a great job of showing how domestic terrorists are using the issue of abortion to widen their influence over America. Groups like Operation Rescue constantly push out messages of hate and encourage the murder of abortion providers in hopes that they will suck in bipolar or schizophrenic people like Scott Roeder to commit the actual violence. "News" casters like Fox News Bill O'Reilly help to spread the message, then both groups deny they have any part in causing the show more violence. Karen Armstrong says that fundamentalist groups are usually misogynist which applies well to the domestic terrorists in America who want more than anything (other than the destruction of representative US government) for women not to have any control over their sexuality. Dr. George Tiller's motto of Trust Women is mentioned several times and is the antithesis of what the terrorists support.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to understand the workings of domestic terrorism in America. show less

I'd do 3.5 stars if I could do halves, but what set this above most good true crime reads for me is the unfolding confessions over many years makes a compelling and very human tale of this insidious plot of manipulation and murder, the basis for Love, Lies and Murder. Also, I find interesting that like a tragic opera, this devolves into interpersonal relationships and their erosion with little to know forensic analysis. Bonus points for a supporting role of a outlaw biker turned jailhouse show more snitch turned street preacher. show less