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Book Review of Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith

Under the Banner of Heaven : A Story of Violent Faith
Leigh avatar reviewed on + 378 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5


This book is very biased. I'm an atheist, so I have no vested interest in the religion, but Krakauer chooses to reveal some pretty harsh history about Mormonism. He takes a somewhat mocking tone while describing how the religion began, describes some pretty graphic scenes of violence, and glosses over some of the parts describing Mormon values.

By the title, I wasn't expecting this book to try and be objective; however I had hoped Krakauer would present at least some part of Mormonism that wasn't "bad." For instance, I had hoped he would describe, with the same level of detail he gave the massacre, why the group had to move around so much.

Parts of this book are slow, but the interesting parts do redeem the book by moving so quickly. I recommend this to those who are interested in the history of the Mormon faith, but suggest reading the other side, too.