Richard’s Notes

I just finished reading Under The Banner of Heaven, the newest book by Jon Krakauer, the author of Into Thin Air and Into the Wild, among a few others.

I feel a bit weird saying this about a best selling author but Krakauer is not a great writer but he chooses great subject matter and tells a good story.

This new book is about two things that are not well integrated in the book: the history of the Mormon religion in this country and two murders committed by Ron and Dan Lafferty, two fundamentalist Mormons.

Krakauer says in the preface that the book he wrote is not the book he started out to write but after intervewing Dan Lafferty in prison he felt that he had to include that story as an example of a fundamentalist sect gone wild.

If you check out the listing at Amazon you’ll notice that the book has hundreds of user comments, many of them from Mormons. One in particular caught my eye and I have a feeling would affirm some of what Krakauer was getting at in this book:

“Krakauer tells a story that’s quite different from the one I was raised on and, perhaps unintentionally, reveals the Mormon religion to be a tremendously successful scam. The cult that anti-Mormons say it is and church members insist it is not. Suddenly I’m feeling angry at having been subjected to it.”

Under the Banner of Heaven at Amazon

The Amazon reviews are interesting in themselves (as they are for many books, movies, and other things listed there).

Hey, aren’t all religions scams that we willingly buy into to make life more bearable?

If you “google” “dan lafferty” “jon krakauer” “under the banner of heaven” or even “polygomy” you come up with some very interesting background for the story, the book, and the general topic.

What’s Left After Everest?
Under The Banner of Heaven at Random House
Lafferty gives raves to ‘Banner’
Utah-based book: Hot off the presses
Lafferty to Sheriff’s Deputy:
‘If God Asked Me to, I’d Kill You Right Now’

…and so on.

Krakauer grew up in Corvalis, Oregon and was living there while I was living in Eugene. I was an active climber during those days and I’m sure I ran into him at The Columns, Smith Rocks, or somewhere in Oregon climbing circles. Small world.