Product Description

Irene Spencer did as she felt God
commanded in marrying her
brother-in-law Verlan LeBaron, becoming
his second wife. When the
government raided the fundamentalist, polygamous
Mormon village of Short Creek, Arizona,
Irene and her family fled to
Verlan's brothers' Mexican ranch.
They lived in squalor and desolate
conditions in the Mexican desert
with Verlan's six brothers, one sister,
and numerous wives and children.
Readers will be appalled and
astonished, but most amazingly,
greatly inspired. Irene's dramatic
story reveals how far religion can
be stretched and abused and how one woman and her
children found their way out, into truth and redemption.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3306 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-22
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Just as A Mormon Mother is the standout memoir of a 19th-century polygamous woman's life, this autobiography offers the compelling voice of a contemporary plural wife's experiences. Daughter of a second wife, Spencer was raised strictly in the Principle as it was lived secretly and illegally by fringe communities of Mormon fundamentalists—groups that split off from the LDS Church when it abandoned polygamy more than a century ago. In spite of her mother's warnings and the devotion of a boyfriend with monogamist intentions, Spencer followed her religious convictions—that living in polygamy was essential for eternal salvation—and became a second wife herself at the age of 16 in 1953. It's hard to tell which is more devastating in this memoir: the strains of husband-sharing with—ultimately—nine other wives, or the unremitting poverty that came with maintaining so many households and 56 children. Spencer's writing is lively and full of engaging dialogue, and her life is nothing short of astonishing. After 28 years of polygamous marriage, Spencer has lived the last 19 years in monogamy. Her story will be emotional and shocking, but many readers will resonate with the universal question the memoir raises: how to reconcile inherited religious beliefs when they grate against social norms and the deepest desires of the heart. (Aug. 22)
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People Magazine August 27, 2007
4 Star Review

"...Spencer writes grippingly...in this brave and honest book"

About the Author
Irene Spencer lives in
Anchorage, Alaska.

Customer Reviews

Totally engaging from beginning to end
This book is not necessarily one you would want to read before going to sleep for a couple of reasons: 1) it is so engaging it is hard to put it down, and 2) it makes you feel angry with the way the author was treated. The author lived in deep proverty. She was torn because of her devotion to her husband and religion, yet experienced extreme angony because of this devotion.

Excellent, easy to read, very informative
I have been fascinated with the subject of polygmay and have read everything I can get my hands on, this book it nice because it gives you insite to a group other than the FLDS (specifically books written around the subjects of Warren Jeffs or Colorado City). Irene had such a trying life and her story will keep you hooked from begining to end.

story for the soul
I read this book hesitantly. Do I really want to know about all the suffering in a lifestyle so alien to me? Irene did such a wonderful job, I was angry, in tears,and ended with just complete joy and tears in her new found faith which came as such a surprise. What a story of human suffering and perserverance and complete triumph. Truly wonderful, would definitely recommend a hundred times over!