Escape by Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
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Book Reviews of Escape
Book Review: gripping, intense, and not what I expected
Summary: 5 Stars
I went into this book a little prejudice. I thought it would be full of half truths and exaggerations. Instead, I found an eye opening tale so gripping that I couldn't put it down. As a Mormon, I've always been irked by the general public's tendency to see the religious extremists of the FLDS church in connection with my church. But, to my surprise, I quickly forgot about that as I read. I found myself almost crying out, "Somebody help these people!" Such injustice and cruelty should have been brought to the proper authroities' attention long ago. The level of manipulation presented in this book is so grotesque that it literally made me sick. The worst part was knowing that my previous desire to let these people alone, to let them live their lives, was the very tool the FLDS leaders used to reek mass abuse. They knew that most people would have no desire to intervene or oppress the religious beliefs of a community. They exploited this notion and put an entire community under conditions on par with the Taliban. Not only women and children were abused, but the young men of the community were dropped off in the middle of nowhere with no money, no supplies, nothing and no way to fend for themselves, all so that there would be a higher population of females to go around. Women and young girls were given in marriage against their will, used as status symbols, as if they were monetary objects, something to be owned and bartered, used, and worst of all, to appease the sexual desires of the men in power. Women were given as gifts, or taken away from their husbands and families and given to another man, all at the whim of a monster.
I applaud the author for being willing to open up about such a personal and heartbreaking story. I am grateful she had the strength to bring this information to the public's attention. Hopefully, it will help alleviate the suffering of others in the future.
Book Review: Escape
Summary: 5 Stars
This was an extremely well written story of this remarkable woman's life. I never knew much about the Mormons or this more extreme branch. The author brought me into her world and let me experience a culture and religion very different from my own.
She starts out describing when she was a young child living with her parents. While some of what she described seemed extreme to me ,it was nothing like what was to come. From her unbelievable marriage, to the things her husband put her through, I kept expecting to get to the end of the book and discover it was fiction. It was so foreign to everything I've experienced its hard to believe its true.
Her triumph through adversity is very inspiring and hopefully made some change in those states who choose to ignore the abuse without full investigation. I hope it also inspired those who wished to leave as well.
This book also offered some background into Warren Jeffs as well who became very well known through the news. It showed yet another side of a man I can barely understand.
Before you read this book please prepare yourself to cry, cheer, and experience an entire range of emotions. You can go from one page to the next feeling angry and joyful all at the same time.
Book Review: A great book to pass onto other readers!
Summary: 5 Stars
I picked up this book for our cross country plane ride home. At the store, I chatted with the owner who recommended it and said it was good read. She was not kidding. I read for five hours on the plane and over the next two days until finished. I have ordered Triumph to see how her life is managing now.
When I came home, I Googled Carolyn, her FLDS family and life. When was enough? There were so many times a smart woman (non FLDS) would have left but is the domestic abuse problem on that compound so bad where you can't function on your own? Her sister/wives and children were just as emotionally/physically abused by that man and Barbara.
Relief came when she did escape and I felt happy that she had help outside to guide her. The guilt laid upon her and her children by the FLDS was heart-breaking. Glad she got the necessary emotional counselling for her children and herself.
I am ready to pass Escape onto my book reading friends. I am looking forward to Triumph because life finally got better for Ms. Jessop. On a personal note, I would change my name back to my maiden name and then give my adult children the same option.
Book Review: The Right To Choose
Summary: 5 Stars
After reading this book, all I can think about is if I would of had the courage to do what Carolyn did and risk what she did for the sake of her children. She had to give up her family, friends, religion, culture and home to make a new life for her family. She had to do this with no money, a severely handicapped child, and seven other children who had been taught that the outside world is possessed by the devil. I would like to think that I would of had the courage to leave, but in my heart of heart I think that I might still be planning my Escape.
Thank you Carolyn for having the courage to tell your story in the hope that people might become aware of the abuse towards women and children that is happpening behind the guise of religion by the FLDS. I hope that religious people (and others) everywhere will rise up against any religion that does not honor, respect and educate women and children.
Book Review: insight into the abuses of polygamy
Summary: 5 Stars
I did original research on the polygamy group in Manti for my senior thesis in 1996, and I have been reading about polygamy both before and after the manifesto. The picture ms jessop paints of the horrible abuse that women suffer there in Hildale/colorado city is mind blowing, especially how she had to 'prostitute' herself to keep any sort of power in the jessop home. Ironically, her ex sister wife is lauded on the flds web page as a model mother in zion after her daughter was taken away by CPS. In her book Jessop exposes the real truth that barbara held a stranglehold on the jessop household and frequently abused carolyn's children. This is an excellent book and a must read for anyone concerned for the basic human rights of women in this country living in bondage to the men's supposed priesthood.