Escaping polygamy focuses on the dramatic work of three sisters who escaped from the polygamous cult known as the kingston clan as young women and now help other young men, women and children to escape, preferring to face hell than spend another day inside. Carolyn jessop born january 1, 1968 is a former fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints member who wrote escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect. Feb 12, 2009 one womans escape from polygamy carolyn jessop has written a book about her life in a polygamous cult. I was born into six generations of polygamy on my mothers side and started life in hildale. Escape, carolyn jessops memoir of life with the flds. Of course polygamy, according to the original law of marriage, is adultery. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Against this background, carolyn jessops flight takes on an extraordinary, inspiring power. Mother accuses escaping polygamy show of luring her. In 1953, at age 16, irene kunz of utah secretly married a man who was already married to her halfsister.
I was one of children raised by our father and three mothers in a fundamentalist mormon. Her mission was to give birth to and raise many children in devoted service to a shared husband. According to the book of kings, solomon had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. It discusses jessops upbringing in the flds polygamous community. Escaping polygamy is a reality show that features people who escape the polygamous groups they have been raised in. My fathers first wife did not grow up around polygamy, and the story goes that she at. Warren jeffs wife escapes polygamist community abc news.
Four years and two children later, jessop finally found the courage to act on the excon s counsel, staging a dramatic escape from the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints. Was polygamy necessary in the 19th century because there were. Furthermore, all of the surrounding verses to verse 50 are speaking of polygamy, and the only other mention of isaac in the revelation is with reference to polygamy. My story of growing up in a polygamous sect, becoming a teenage bride, and breakin. Shattered dreams, favorite wife, the polygamists daughter, and the sound of gravel. Explural wife alleges rampant abuse in flds unions, the salt lake tribune, usa, oct. Polygamy stories ann eliza young, carolyn jessop, irene. In march 2009, oprah traveled to eldorado, texas, to visit the yearning for zion yfz ranch, a polygamist community. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today.
Essay on polygamy wikisource, the free online library. The pros and cons of polygamy is there a link between polygamy and social unrest. Sep 16, 20 julina has never fully understood her familys way of life. It is sobering to read the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical difficulties she and her children endured while practicing polygamy. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. Firsthand account of a womans escape from polygamy. Escaping polygamy follows three sisters who left the kingston clan, a secretive polygamist group in utah known as the order, and who now. She is the cousin, by marriage, of flora jessop, another former flds member and advocate for abused children. Delving more deeply into this mysterious underworld than any previous work. Apr 21, 2018 these women took life threatening risks in order to escape polygamy. We had no other options for our futures, but to participate in the polygamous system we were born into, or escape.
Polygamy was the issue that defined us and the reason wed split from the mainstream mormon church. In the book, carolyn jessop, a sixthgeneration polygamist describes her life as the fourth wife of. Polygamy on the pedernales audiobook by melvin c johnson. My mother warned me against polygamy because she was four generations from polygamy, and she had seen her mother and her grandmother suffer trying to live this law, says irene. Escaping polygamy follows three sisters, andrea, jessica and shanell, who were part of the kingston clan in salt lake city, utah. Her family was part of the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latterday saints flds, a radical offshoot of the mormon church. Sep 18, 2017 four memoirs on escaping polygamy posted on september 18, 2017 september 22, 2017 by m. Cult escape resource to escape from religious system you. Mar 23, 2020 born and raised in a polygamist commune in rural montana, lance allred escaped at the age of. This riveting book reminds us that truth can indeed be much, much stranger than fiction. The story carolyn jessop tells is so weird and shocking that one hesitates to believe a sect like this, with 10,000 polygamous followers, could really exist in 21stcentury america. When she was 14, warren jeffs forced her to marry her. It is a true story about a woman who after living in a polygamy colony all her life and being one of the wives of an abusive husband finally, in her own word, escapes. The escape stories of the founders hope after polygamy.
These women took life threatening risks in order to escape polygamy. Jessop, 38, tells her extraordinary story in a riveting new book, escape broadway. Escape from polygamy tv movie 20 plot summary imdb. I was born into six generations of polygamy on my mothers side and started life in hildale, utah, in a fundamentalist mormon community known as the flds, or the fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Flora tried to be submissive and stay sweet as long as she could, but then she did the unheard. After all, her own father had three wives by the time she was in fourth grade. Explural wife alleges rampant abuse in flds unions flds, polygamy friday october 19, 2007 religion news blog carolyn jessop says a grizzled hellraiser made her confront the cruelty she experienced as a plural wife and convinced her she didnt need an abusive husband to get to heaven. Lance allred, the first deaf player in nba history, challenges his audience to identify their selflimiting beliefs by sharing how his experience of growing up in a polygamist culture created his own constricting psychological boundaries and how he eventually was able to break free. Read an excerpt from carolyns book escape go behind the scenes of oprahs visit. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. After the escapes tuesday, february 7, episode centers on yolanda barlow, who has had trouble finding a job watch us weeklys exclusive first look. Her childhood was affected by the sects suspicion of outsiders, the division that took place in that flds in the 1970s and 80s and by the increasing strictness of the sect her family belonged to. Written by carolyn jessop, laura palmer, audiobook narrated by ann marie lee.
The experience gave her the courage to escape and in 2003, jessop. Polygamy and the handmaids tale the bookshelf of emily j. Despite a horrific past, the three consider themselves. Flora tried to be submissive and stay sweet as long as she could, but then she did the unheard of and, at, took a member of the sect to court.
Escape is a book by carolyn jessop and laura palmer. Escaping polygamy is an original documentary series that follows the work of three sisters who left a secretive polygamist group based in salt lake city as they help both loved ones and. They escaped the polygamist group as young girls several years ago. When escaping polygamy premiered in 2014, people were shocked with how andrea brewer, jessica christensen, and shanell derieux lived. Escape is undoubtedly one of the most bizarre memoirs you are ever. In the book, carolyn jessop, a sixthgeneration polygamist describes her life as the fourth wife of merril jessop, who ran the recently raided. Escape exposes a world tantamount to a prison camp, created by religious fanatics who, in the name of god, deprive their followers the right to make choices, force women to be totally subservient to men, and brainwash children in churchrun schools. Books about polygamy what should i read next register for free to build your own book lists. Theres more support than ever for those escaping polygamy. Resource for those looking for help to escape the clutches of the religious system that they feel trapped in. In 2007 she coauthored her book escape with laura palmer and chronicled her life in the flds organization.
This book and its description of life within plural marriage shows that. I recommend researching more about this book before diving in. Times andrea sachs spoke with jessop from her home in. I am one of thirty nine children born to my fathers six wives. Bond posted in books tagged american history, memoir, religion have you heard of the mormon manson. In this searing memoir of survival in the spirit of stolen innocence, the daughter of warren jeffs, the selfproclaimed prophet of the flds church, takes you deep inside the secretive polygamist mormon fundamentalist cult run by her family and how she escaped it. Its hard for me to watch anything about polygamy on tv.
This is a really good film and covers a range of uncomfortable subjects relating to polygamy. One womans escape from polygamy carolyn jessop has written a book about her life in a polygamous cult. I thought i wanted to choose this book to read for book club but i have changed my mind. Jan 27, 2017 100 mustread books about life in cults and oppressive religious sects. Joseph smith published the 584page book of mormon when he was 23 and went on to organize a church, found cities. Susan ray schmidt she had no choice in the matternone of the girls did. Jun 05, 2018 rachel jeffs, daughter of flds prophet, warren jeffs, opens up about her life in the group, the abuse her father put her through and how she managed to bravely escape a toxic and isolating situation. Escape provides an astonishing look behind the tightly drawn curtains of the flds church, one of the most secretive religious groups in the united states. How true to life is reality show escaping polygamy.
The leader of that cult was warren jeffs and his daughter, rachel jeffs, was able to escape and tell us what it was like to live under his rule and what it took to escape. Oct 24, 2007 polygamy was the norm in carolyn jessops life. She was raised in a polygamous family with two mothers and 27 siblings, all members of the flds. After all, she is part of an extreme mormon sect that advocates polygamy. Another book i read about polygamy titled escape by carolyn jessop. Carolyn jessop is a former fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latterday saints member who also fled polygamy and colorado city and went on to write the book escape. These women took life threatening risks in order to escape. The escape is not in reference to escape from enemies or poverty or other travails, because the last phrase about isaac reiterates that it is an escape from the command of the lord. I was born in secrecy, grew up hiding my identity and raised in fear of a blood thirsty and terrifying god, whose dominance few of us escaped and fewer still dare to speak about, but i am not the typical product of polygamy. Building an army of supporters to find solutions to challenges for those escaping.
And since her dad died, julinas mom leann is being married. Polygamist warren jeffs daughter reveals what it took to. Is leaving polygamy any different than leaving monogamy. Is the anti polygamy tv show escaping polygamy fact or fiction with regards to polygamy. Escape from polygamy and millions of other books are available for instant access. Up to 20 books are listed, in descending order of popularity at this site.
Mar 03, 2009 she had no choice in the matternone of the girls did. Escape by carolyn jessop, laura palmer, paperback barnes. The show, which has now moved to the lifetime network, has. Its always a very glamorized version, wariner tells. Polygamy, or having more than one husband or wife, is a practice used. Each family or group practices polygamy in its own unique way, with the common thread that polygamy was our religion, it was our way of life. Steve griffin the salt lake tribune amanda kingston, left, shanell derieux and jessica christensen, stars of the television show escaping polygamy, listen to a hearing on a bill that would. Escape, carolyn jessops memoir of life with the flds, condensed. The cast of escaping polygamy have all gone on to live. Nov 11, 2018 each family or group practices polygamy in its own unique way, with the common thread that polygamy was our religion, it was our way of life.
By eric johnson if you speak to some latterday saints regarding the issue of polygamy the marriage on one man to multiple women, one of the most common arguments still used is pointing out how there were more women than men in the 19th century utah. In this gripping and eloquent book, susan ray schmidt tells the story of growing up on the inside and of her ultimate escape. I cant remember the whole book either, but does the main character escape. View flds member richard jessop teaches his children how to play football. Carolyn jessop born january 1, 1968 is a former fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter day saints member who wrote escape, an autobiographical account of her upbringing in the polygamist sect and later flight from that community. Elissa wall has written a book about her escape from the sect. I am among the thirty one which dad claimed as his own. The three sisters who escaped this polygamist group, known as the order, now help others like them on escaping polygamy. Over the course of the show, the main focuses are the kingston clan and. Escape, a memoir published last fall, offers a more detailed portrait of life with the flds.
Merry christmas, happy hanukkah, and happy boxing day to all. Choose this book if you want a riveting memoir focused on a shorter amount of time with less background. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. Polygamy stories describe emotional, mental, spiritual and physical challenges.