Book review #2

So while my students are testing (the dreaded ISAT for those of you in the know) I thought I would use this time to write another post.

I recently finished reading a fascinating book called The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. People who know me in real life know that I am intensely curious about different cultures and lifestyles that many would label weird or even freaky. I then like to talk about them so much (to anyone that will listen-my husband has LOTS of patience).

So this book was right up my alley. And when I checked it out from the library I didn't even realize it! But enough, on to the story.

This book is about 2 parallel lives both centering around polygamy. One viewpoint is told historically from the eyes of Ann Eliza Young, Brigham Young's supposed 19th wife ( I say supposed because there is a dispute about how many wives he really had). The other viewpoint is from a boy who was kicked out of the "fold" and his mom was the 19th wife of his dad. She did something really awful to the dad and the story follows that plot line as well.

I am truly fascinated by polygamy and the controversy that ensues because of it. Joseph Smith (the founder and prophet of the Mormon religion) and Brigham Young (his successor) told their followers that in order to get into heaven they had to marry more than one wife. The women needed to follow this dictate as well or they wouldn't get into heaven either. They were told it was their spiritual duty. Ann Eliza eventually spoke out against plural marriage and had a hand in getting the government and the Mormon religion to ban it. Women in this community were/are brought up to believe in polygamy. It just seems like exploitation to me. It really amazes me how so many people will follow blindly without thinking for themselves. Of course, that can happen in any religion, it just seems quite apparent here.

The other interesting aspect of this book involves the differences between the Mormons today and the fundamentalists that believe in polygamy. The Mormons are quick to distance themselves and say that they are not the same religion but they both share the same roots.

Side note: I know that Judaism used to allow this but I would venture to say that it looked and felt a lot different than the way it is practiced today.

This book is engaging and extremely well-written. I had a hard time putting it down. It is long-I think around 500 pages but it kept my interest for almost all of them. There are a few parts where the history lags a bit but it is definitely worth reading if you are interested in this topic.