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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Book Club: Stolen Innocence

stoleninnocence

This week's book is Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall. And wow, TALK about captivating! Elissa Wall grew up in a polygamist community and was forced into an underage marriage by the infamous Warren Jeffs. Don't worry; eventually she manages to escape. This is where she tells her story.

Warren Jeffs' polygamist sect is inarguably one of the most secretive groups of people in the world. The people lived in a closed community and rarely made any contact with the outside world. Jeffs taught his followers to believe that outsiders are evil. Naturally, we don't know much about what their life was, and may still be, like.

To say that this book offers a glimpse into that secret world is an understatement. It delves into the nitty and the gritty--complete with photographs--leaving nothing to the imagination. It's heartbreakingly fascinating.

Some parts of the book are a bit slow going, but other than that, I absolutely LOVED it. It really makes you think: about your own beliefs, whether or not you're being "brainwashed", how you determine what is truth, etc. It definitely intensified the gratitude I feel for the freedom and possibilities in my life. Above all, it got me down on my knees thanking God that my daughter would never have to live such a life.

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