A good book with a voyeuristic quality to it, but that is what I was reading it for. Fascinating stories of the hardships, sacrifices, and emotional pain of polygamy...and also makes me thankful for the life I have. Would recommend to read to anyone.

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I wanted to be so mad at Irene Spencer when I read this book but I just couldn't, she had no other choice. Being raised in polygamy she knew that continuing to live within the Principal was the only way to raise to goddess status and being one of 7 wives was the only way to be pulled through the veil into heaven.

So begins this autobiography that goes deep into the thoughts and life of a woman who desperately wanted to please God and to do the best she could by marrying her brother in law at age 16 and becoming his second of many wives. Her deplorable living conditions in the US, Mexico and Nicaragua. Her lack of food, money, housing and decent medical care. The mental anguish of sharing a husband and the guilt of not being a good Mormon wife.

This dramatic story delves into her life and how far religion can be stretched and abused to control a persons mind and body.


Amazon Review: Quite an Eye Opener http://tinyurl.com/2a6y6wn

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This was a heartbreaking book. A close look into the life of a women living in a polygamist marriage. It details her struggles with her religion, her mind, her heart. A very interesting read.

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This was surprisingly good; I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. I was really surprised by the honesty that the author seemed to give. I have read a few books having to do with polygamy, but I always felt like the author held back a lot. I didn't get that feeling here, she seemed to tell her story the way she remembered it. She does mention leaving some stuff out, but it looks like she made that into a whole other book to be released later this year. Definitely worth your time if you are a memoir reader or just interested in learning more about the subject matter.

As for me, even after reading this, I don't understand how a woman can allow herself to be pulled into this life. I keep reminding myself that they were only 15/16, but I still don't really get it. Then again, I guess there are things that I do and say that others would understand. But still... I dunno. It's tough.

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An honest story of sacrifice in the name of religious beliefs. A good story, but not a quick read.

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After reading Escape by Carolyn Jessop I was interested in reading more on this subject. This book shows a different side of polygamy in that her marriage wasn't abusive BUT was still riddled with neglect, loneliness and poverty. She did love her husband and I believe he loved her but he loved living the principle more. I understand~ but yet do not understand~ how someone can let a religion, especially one such as this, not only rule their life and their childrens lives but also ruin it.
This was a very good read, I found her style of writing easy to follow but felt that towards the end of the book she became rushed with just finishing her story. I enjoyed the reading group guide at the end of the book which helped me to answer (for myself) some of the questions that I had.
A heart-rending read which has stayed with me to to the point that I am going to read her sister-wives book (Susan) HIS FAVORITE WIFE.

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I have read several books on fundamentalist mormon polygamy and this is by far the most radical life I've ever read about. I feel like I know Irene, the author, and she pulled me into the emotions of living that lifestyle with the heartache and lonliness, all in the name of her faith. I've shared this book with several others and we all loved it.

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This was the second book I read on polygamy the first was Escape by Caroline Jessop. I read it during all the LDS issues. This was also a very good read. I was shocked by their lifestyle and glad they got out.

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I wanted to read a biography (as I am tired of the fiction on television) about someone who had experienced polygamy. This book was well written and another one I could not put down once started. The experiences shared give us a look inside of a life many will never lead; it shares how she got out of it and how her life was transformed by the testimony of her son. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the polygamist life as well as anyone who needs hope to get out of it.

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This is one of the best books that I've read so far, on the subject of polygamy. At times I found myself wanting to scream out loud What are you doing? Are you crazy? but at the same time, I appreciated the total honesty with which Irene wrote her story. I think that I can better understand the pull of an abusive religion and how ones self-esteem plays a vital role in that pull into a downward spiral. I highly recommend this book if youre interested in this subject. This one gets 5 stars from me!

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A very interesting memoir. I couldn't put it down and read it in a couple of days. The sacrifices she made at such a young age is hard to imagine.

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