Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife
by Irene Spencer
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Book Summary Information
Author: Irene SpencerEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2008-09-02
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 432
Publisher: Center Street
Book Reviews of Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife
Book Review: Great Book
Summary: 5 Stars
Irene Spencer was born Irene Kunz in 1937. Irene's mother and her sister (Irene's Aunt) were both married to the same man. Irene's father had a big family having married four women which forced the family to live in near poverty. When Irene was small three of her father's four wives left, including Irene's mother. Shortly afterward Irene's father convinced her mother to come back to him but the reunion only lasted long enough for Irene's mother to get pregnant with her sixth child.
When Irene was a teenager she spent the summers working at a farm. One year when she came back she saw a neighbor man sitting at the kitchen table. It turned out that Irene's mother had cancer and when she found out she married the man so that if she died her children would have a someone to raise them. He was an abusive bully though and one day when Irene's sister was sick he walked in on their mother holding her, threw his step-daughter across the room screaming at her that her mother was his woman.
Irene tried to get away from her step-father by living with her Aunt for a while. She also spent a lot of time with her step-fathers nephew whom she fell in love with. During this time however her half-sister/cousin Charlotte (the daughter of her father and Aunt) married Verlan Lebarron and Irene had a dream that she was to marry him.
Irene spent time trying to decide what was best for her-the love of her life or marrying Verlan in accordance to her faith. When she was 16 she married Verlan becoming his second wife. Shortly afterward she went to live with him and Charlotte in Colonia Lebarron in Mexico. Over the next twenty years she gave birth to 13 children and adopted another child.
In the 1970's her brother in law Ervil (who told his brother that she was to be his wife), with the help of his wives and children started a war with other people he thought were usurping his power. He had his brother Joel murdered and many more including his own daughter as well as Irene's uncle.
Because of Ervil's insanity Verlan wanted his wives and children to be safe. Irene went back to live in California and Utah and eventually left Verlan. However that did not last too long and after a fortune teller told her that she would go back to Mexico for a year Irene went back to Verlan. However exactly a year to the day that she went back to him Verlan died in a car accident.
After Verlan died she went back to the United States. Several years later she married Hector Spencer who had also been apart of Colonia Lebarron.
All in all a fascinating look at polygamy
Summary of Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife
Irene Spencer did as she felt God commanded in becoming the second wife to her brother-in-law Verlan LeBaron. When the government raided their community-the MormonReligious Books
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