Leaving the Saints book review

Having finished the book by Martha Beck, Leaving the Saints, I thought this would be a good time to give it a bit of a review. I really liked the style in which Ms. Beck writes. She tends to be a bit cynical in some of her verbiage, but it is understandable considering the hideous childhood this woman lived through.

I found myself fascinated most, I believe, by some of the rituals, rules, and guidelines Mormon's live by. Wow, It was interesting to see the warmth, and the supportive environment she describes when she and her family moved back to Provo, Utah from Boston. Having known first hand the blunt (to say the least) demeanor of many East Coast personalities, I could see why she felt so welcome coming back to Utah. The contrast however after her husband and then she herself, left the church could best be described as a 180 degree turn around. I also found some of the "temple marriage" pieces to be interesting as well, although I think that the author omitted quite a bit, as she said that she was sworn to secrecy or fear being "disemboweled"-okay in my book that means cutting out someones internal organs. Uhh, painful?

My warning goes out to any incest or sexual abuse survivors as these are dealt with in this narrative. This topic is the backbone of the story as it centers around an afternoon of information gathering she embarks on with her abusive -now 90 something -father with her cousins hidden nearby to serve as her witnesses.

Personally, I am not a supporter of Mormonism as I find it to be chock full of inconsistencies, falsehoods, and too much control over the lives of its followers. Okay, I know that is a little harsh, but I tend to get a "weird" inclination when I hear of a incident of entire article topics disappear from microfiche when you can find them in any other state in the United States. No offence to anyone who is Mormon, but that just reminds me too much of Big Brother. No thanks!

Weigh in on this, especially if you have read this book and want to discuss it. I am interested in hearing what others thought of it.