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UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN

A story of violent faith.

by Jon Krakauer ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 15, 2003

Krakauer lays the portent on beautifully, building his tales carefully from the ground up until they irresistibly, spookily...

The jarring story of a double murder committed by fundamentalist Mormons, told with raw narrative force and tight focus.

Yet this is far more than just the retelling of a grisly murder, for Krakauer ( Into Thin Air , 1997) would like to know what was going on in the heads of the men, Dan and Ron Lafferty, when they killed Brenda Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter Erica (who happened to be their sister-in-law and niece, respectively), and why Dan, in particular, could be so equi-poised when talking of the event as to display an utter lack of remorse. Finding out requires an extended journey through the world of Mormonism, its history and schisms, and by extension the history of its expansion over the western half of the country. Fundamentalist Mormons differ from mainstream Latter-day Saints in many ways, but their practice of polygamy, notions of blood atonement (revenge), and belief in the importance of personal revelation—their listening to that “still small voice” of God, once a hallmark of Joseph Smith’s religion, until he realized it would compromise his authority in matters of church doctrine—made them outlaws in the eyes of the establishment Mormons. Dan’s “yearning to return to the mythical order and perfection of the original church,” one that had been corrupted by the church hierarchy for years now, led him to fundamentalism, which in turn led him to believe his brother Ron’s revelations: that Brenda and Erica must die for the good of the Lord’s work (that Brenda encouraged Ron’s wife to leave him may have played, let’s say, a small role in the revelation). Krakauer worms deeply into the Mormon religious experience, its fractures, violence, and fight against the growing power of the central government. At the moment “when religious fanaticism supplants ratiocination,” then “all bets are suddenly off.”

Pub Date: July 15, 2003

ISBN: 0-385-50951-0

Page Count: 320

Publisher: Doubleday

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2003

PHILOSOPHY & RELIGION | TRUE CRIME

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KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

The osage murders and the birth of the fbi.

by David Grann ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2017

Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.

Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.

During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorker staff writer Grann ( The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession , 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.

Pub Date: April 18, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6

Page Count: 352

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017

GENERAL HISTORY | TRUE CRIME | UNITED STATES | FIRST/NATIVE NATIONS | HISTORY

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by David Grann

IN COLD BLOOD

by Truman Capote ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 7, 1965

"There's got to be something wrong with somebody who'd do a thing like that." This is Perry Edward Smith, talking about himself. "Deal me out, baby...I'm a normal." This is Richard Eugene Hickock, talking about himself. They're as sick a pair as Leopold and Loeb and together they killed a mother, a father, a pretty 17-year-old and her brother, none of whom they'd seen before, in cold blood. A couple of days before they had bought a 100 foot rope to garrote them—enough for ten people if necessary. This small pogrom took place in Holcomb, Kansas, a lonesome town on a flat, limitless landscape: a depot, a store, a cafe, two filling stations, 270 inhabitants. The natives refer to it as "out there." It occurred in 1959 and Capote has spent five years, almost all of the time which has since elapsed, in following up this crime which made no sense, had no motive, left few clues—just a footprint and a remembered conversation. Capote's alternating dossier Shifts from the victims, the Clutter family, to the boy who had loved Nancy Clutter, and her best friend, to the neighbors, and to the recently paroled perpetrators: Perry, with a stunted child's legs and a changeling's face, and Dick, who had one squinting eye but a "smile that works." They had been cellmates at the Kansas State Penitentiary where another prisoner had told them about the Clutters—he'd hired out once on Mr. Clutter's farm and thought that Mr. Clutter was perhaps rich. And this is the lead which finally broke the case after Perry and Dick had drifted down to Mexico, back to the midwest, been seen in Kansas City, and were finally picked up in Las Vegas. The last, even more terrible chapters, deal with their confessions, the law man who wanted to see them hanged, back to back, the trial begun in 1960, the post-ponements of the execution, and finally the walk to "The Corner" and Perry's soft-spoken words—"It would be meaningless to apologize for what I did. Even inappropriate. But I do. I apologize." It's a magnificent job—this American tragedy—with the incomparable Capote touches throughout. There may never have been a perfect crime, but if there ever has been a perfect reconstruction of one, surely this must be it.

Pub Date: Jan. 7, 1965

ISBN: 0375507906

Page Count: 343

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1965

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by Truman Capote

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FX’s Under the Banner of Heaven is a Shocking, Fascinating Investigation of Faith

Based on the novel by Jon Krakauer and created by Dustin Lance Black , the FX series “Under the Banner of Heaven” concerns a grisly murder in an unlikely place—a heavily Mormon community in Utah, where a cop like Jeb Pyre ( Andrew Garfield ) says that everyone leaves their doors unlocked. Pyre is one of many devout followers to the visions and whims of Mormonism founder Joseph Smith, which has since fostered tight-knit, wholesome, peaceful, but silencing places like Pyre’s. 

The message of Joseph Smith has different meaning to the members of the Lafferty family, whose story turns Black’s series into much more than an in-depth murder investigation, but an American saga of faith, gender roles, and radicalism. Known locally as the Kennedys of Utah, the Laffertys are initially shown as a high-energy, eclectic bunch under the imposing patriarch Ammon ( Christopher Heyerdahl ), who leads his sons with a tight fist that sometimes has a whipping belt: Ron ( Sam Worthington ), Dan ( Wyatt Russell ), Jacob (Taylor St. Pierre), Allen ( Billy Howle ), Robin (Seth Numrich), and Samuel ( Rory Culkin ). That masculine intensity is only masked so much when we first meet them, through the eyes of Brenda ( Daisy Edgar-Jones ), who married into the family via Allen. She is not too ready for the submissive roles that the Lafferty women (played by the likes of Britt Irvin, Chloe Pirrie , Megan Leitch, Michele Wienecke , Denise Gough ) have more or less accepted. It’s a calm, outdoor lunch, and the pleasant setting contrasts with how uncomfortable it becomes: the harmonious nature of the Laffertys turns disquieting, and that’s before one brother tells Brenda’s future husband Allen to “mind [his] property.”  

In a gripping pilot episode, the present part of the timeline in the early 1980s is chaos. After showing up with blood all over his clothes at the crime scene where his wife Brenda and their 15-month-old baby have been brutally murdered, Allen is quickly taken into police custody. Allen becomes one of many messengers who clues us into the progressively sinister ways of the Laffertys, which started with espousing rebellious anti-government ideals to later preaching about polygamy and embracing fundamentalism. The roads within “Under the Banner of Heaven” are windy and ominous, and learning about former Mormon traditions like a “blood atonement” is just a piece of its shocking true story. 

As much as the series concerns the Lafferty family history, charting how their already conservative ways became even more toxic, much of it hinges on Garfield’s performance. He plays one of the most gentle, wholesome cops to have been in a true crime story—perhaps too soft, why is he in this business? But he’s able to talk the quiet talk, with Garfield’s soft voice given a great showcase as he learns more about other family men of his church. As more information comes to light, about the Laffertys but also the history of fundamental Mormonism, the story becomes all the more about him seeing the makings of his whole world perspective. It’s a personal case, with the show’s unique stakes being that of his belief in an institution he seems to have never questioned.  

Garfield’s gentle nature brings us into this from the very beginning—the series’ handheld cinematography initially presents him playing with his two daughters on a sunny day. But then he’s called into work. With Jeff Ament’s building score prodding at the moment, we follow Pyre through a gruesome crime scene, noticing shot by shot the blood that has been scattered. Garfield’s face and stillness give us a visceral sense of his dread, of having to approach a point of no return. He doesn’t want to know what horrifying sight is behind a bloodied door to a nursery, but he must confront it head on.  

Using its nuanced emphasis on faith, “Under the Banner of Heaven” gradually depicts in extensive flashback how their ways became so monstrous. The performances, however, are sometimes too overzealous in their manic nature—like how Culkin transforms into complete mania and guttural scripture-spewing. (It doesn’t help that by design we don’t see until later the connective tissue of how these changes came to be until into later episodes.) And while Worthington is especially stiff in a role that also calls for him to be gradually monstrous, Wyatt Russell gives the standout performance here. He uses his salesman-ready warmth and sometimes cracking voice to illustrate the growth of thinking, from why he shouldn’t have to pay taxes, to why he should have multiple wives. Like his father, he can readily claim a challenge from Heavenly Father as just more fuel for his destructive fire.  

“Under the Banner of Heaven” moves about its expansive story of toxic faith with the rhythm of a true-crime page-turner, thanks to its growing list of witnesses who provide more and more background, and its select moments of action. Courtney Hunt (“ Frozen River ”) has an assured touch for tense standoffs that end in revealing conversations, and David Mackenzie (“ Hell or High Water ”) adds fire to scenes that are largely built from police questioning, while creating a robust buddy cop chemistry between Garfield and Birmingham’s unamused, non-religious outsider Bill Taba. Meanwhile the plotting stays tight, motivated by a mystery about the possible suspects seen at Brenda and Allen’s home, along with the uncertainty of where certain Lafferty brothers have vanished to in the modern timeline.  

The series is so expansive that it even takes time to recount the history of Joseph Smith, his wife Emma, and the competing prophet Brigham Young, which is told in sizable snippets throughout. Used to complement what the Laffertys have come to believe, these reflections can feel more sinister and eyeopening than the regular History Channel-ready passages they resemble in production value. It’s more that the editing can be overzealous in flashing back between them, as if overemphasizing how these stories all overlap, but disorienting the viewer in the process. It’s easy to imagine “Under the Banner of Heaven” without these moments, or in so much detail. But they prove part of the show’s own wrestling with Mormonism, and its intricate albeit often horrific reckoning with messengers who use the message to serve themselves.  

In the midst of this story is Edgar-Jones’ Brenda, sometimes forgotten about in the story’s emotional scope, but a vital voice. Her story, told by Allen in jail, has a more welcome type of radicalism: she went to Brigham Young University with hopes of becoming a TV journalist, she outsmarted creepy professors who then told her only men could read the news, she became a voice of vital reason while the Lafferty men were starting to lose their minds to the gods in their head. Edgar-Jones creates a rich, spirited performance out of a tragedy for how fruitful a progressive mind can be, and similarly how conservative ideals can so readily eat people alive. 

“Under the Banner of Heaven” is a mighty busy show, sometimes to the detriment of its many ideas, its many stories, and all those Laffertys. But it is held together by its fascinating, unique way of presenting faith—it’s not as reverential as stories so deep in these communities can be, and it’s also more empathetic to earnest believers like Brenda and Jeb. The show is a gripping investigation in many ways, especially as it preaches the clarity that comes in not being afraid to ask questions.

Five episodes screened for review. “Under the Banner of Heaven” premieres today on FX on Hulu.

Nick Allen is the former Senior Editor at RogerEbert.com and a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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• The True Story Behind Hulu’s <i> Under the Banner of Heaven</i>

The True Story Behind Hulu’s Under the Banner of Heaven

H ulu’s new limited series Under the Banner of Heaven , streaming April 28, is an adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s 2003 true-crime bestseller of the same name about the gruesome killings of Brenda Wright Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her baby daughter, which shocked a quiet Mormon town in the 1980s. The show, like the book , delves into the founding of the Church of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) by Joseph Smith in 1830, looking to make sense of the double murder. It soon becomes clear that the rise of fundamentalism in Mormonism, which Krakauer called “the quintessential American religion,” is more dangerous than anyone imagined.

Under the Banner of Heaven was created by Dustin Lance Black ( Milk ), who was brought up in the Mormon church. Over the course of seven episodes, he wanted to explore “just how patriarchal the church had been, and in many ways still was,” he told Vanity Fair before the show’s premiere. “And how such an absolute patriarchal structure threatens the safety of many women.” Specifically, in those fundamentalist sects that continue to embrace polygamy , the custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time, despite it being outlawed by the LDS Church in 1890.

Black sticks close to the facts of the case, but he created Andrew Garfield ’s character, Detective Jeb Pyre—a devout Mormon who has resisted asking tough questions about his religion—specifically for the series. With help from his Native American, non-Mormon partner Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham), Jeb realizes that there is something sinister happening in his town—and it may just test his own faith.

Below, read more about the tragedy at the heart of Under the Banner of Heaven.

Who is Brenda Wright Lafferty?

Brenda Wright Lafferty was a former beauty queen who grew up in a devout, but rather liberal Mormon family in Idaho. “She was quite a scrapbooker,” her father, Jim Wright, told Salt Lake City’s KUTV in 2019. She was also a talented singer and actress who majored in broadcast journalism at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. In the early 1980s, Lafferty married Allen Lafferty, the youngest son of a prominent Utah Mormon family known for their strong values. (Though, others described patriarch Watson Lafferty as a strict disciplinarian who once, after a fight with his wife, beat the family dog to death with a baseball bat.) Those who knew Brenda described her as a fun person, full of energy and confidence. She was dedicated to her husband and her infant daughter, Erica, as well as the church. But, Brenda wasn’t afraid to openly disagree with Allen’s older brothers’ fundamentalist views, which she felt went against the Mormon teachings.

What happened to Brenda Wright Lafferty?

On the night of July 24, 1984, 24-year-old Brenda Wright Lafferty was found dead by her husband on the floor of their suburban Utah home. Her throat had been slashed after having been choked by the cord of a vacuum, according to a 2004 report from the Deseret News , a subsidiary of the Deseret Management Corporation, which is owned by the LDS Church. The couple’s 15-month-old daughter had also been brutally killed in the attack, which took place on Pioneer Day, a holiday commemorating the arrival of Latter-day Saint pioneers in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The slayings had been committed by Allen Lafferty’s older brothers, Ron and Dan Lafferty , who engaged in a more extreme, but small sect of Mormonism called School of the Prophets. The two joined the group after they were both excommunicated from the LDS Church for their fundamentalist views, which included their embrace of polygamy. (The School of the Prophets has been referred to as a “polygamist cult” by the Associated Press.)

Following their excommunication, Dan and Ron became more fanatical in their beliefs, convincing their brothers that they were the true leaders of the Mormon church and could speak directly with God. They encouraged their brothers to let their beards and hair grow long so they could look more like the Biblical prophets. Brenda reportedly stopped Allen from joining the School of the Prophets, which Dan and Ron allegedly believed was her attempt to split up the family.

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Why did Ron and Dan Lafferty kill Brenda Wright Lafferty?

Ron Lafferty claimed that he had received a divine revelation from God to kill Brenda Wright Lafferty and her infant daughter. He believed Brenda was the reason his wife, Diana Lafferty, left him after he suggested he take a second wife. After Diana left him, he reportedly descended into madness, spending his time writing what he believed would one day become scripture. In March 1984, Ron wrote what is now known as “ the removal revelation ,” in which he stated that Brenda and her baby, who he believed would grow up to be just like her mother, had become “obstacles in my path” and they had to be “removed in rapid succession.” He later shared the note with members of the School of the Prophets, who were alarmed by what they read and forced the brothers to leave the group. Four months later, the pair killed their sister-in-law and niece.

It was later revealed that Ron and Dan planned to kill two other people that night: Chloe Low , a church leader who counseled Diana during her divorce from Ron, and Richard Stowe, the Highland LDS Stake president who had presided over Ron’s excommunication. After discovering that Low wasn’t home, the men headed to Stowe’s house, but after getting lost on their way there, they decided to keep driving. Weeks later, Ron and Dan were arrested in a casino buffet line in Reno, Nevada.

What happened to Ron and Dan Lafferty?

The brothers were initially set to go on trial together for the murders of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her daughter, Erica. But, in December 1984, Ron Lafferty attempted to kill his brother and hang himself in jail . The following year, both men went to trial separately and each were convicted. Ron was sentenced to death in 1985 for killing Brenda and devising the murder plot. His conviction was later overturned on appeal, but, in 1996, he was again convicted and sentenced to death. He chose to be executed by firing squad, but died of natural causes in 2019 at the age of 78 while awaiting an appeal of his pending execution. He was one of the longest-serving condemned inmates in the country, having sat on death row for 34 years.

After learning of Ron’s passing Brenda’s older sister Sharon Wright Weeks told the Deseret News , “It’s over. I just feel a huge amount of relief.” However, she did express sympathy for the Lafferty family. “I don’t forget for one minute that they lost a family member today,” she said. “It’s hard for them, too. It’s hard for everybody.”

Dan, who acted as his own lawyer during his January 1985 trial, was sentenced to two life sentences to be served concurrently without the possibility of parole. During the trial it was revealed that Ron had killed Brenda while Dan murdered Erica. But in a 2004 interview, Dan continued to take credit for killing the mother and daughter without remorse. He told Deseret News that he committed the crime “the way they did it in the scriptures” and the violent acts “never haunted me, it’s never bothered me. I don’t blame anyone for not understanding it,” he said. “But if you had done it, it wouldn’t haunt you either. It was a strange phenomenon.”

In that same interview, Dan, who is currently serving his life sentence in a Utah state prison, revealed that he’s never apologized to his brother for taking the lives of his wife and daughter. “Allen once asked my mom why I wouldn’t repent,” he said. “There’s some things you can’t repent for. I’m sure Allen thought I was talking about an unpardonable sin. What I meant is, you don’t repent for things that aren’t wrong.

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Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith Hardcover – Deckle Edge, July 15, 2003

• Print length 372 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Doubleday
• Publication date July 15, 2003
• Dimensions 6.75 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
• ISBN-10 0385509510
• ISBN-13 978-0385509510
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com review, from publishers weekly, from booklist, from the inside flap, about the author, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday; 1st edition (July 15, 2003)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 372 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385509510
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385509510
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.6 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.75 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
• #118 in Mormonism
• #541 in History of Christianity (Books)
• #603 in Murder & Mayhem True Accounts

About the author

Jon krakauer.

In 1999 Jon Krakauer received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. According to the award citation, "Krakauer combines the tenacity and courage of the finest tradition of investigative journalism with the stylish subtlety and profound insight of the born writer. His account of an ascent of Mount Everest has led to a general reevaluation of climbing and of the commercialization of what was once a romantic, solitary sport; while his account of the life and death of Christopher McCandless, who died of starvation after challenging the Alaskan wilderness, delves even more deeply and disturbingly into the fascination of nature and the devastating effects of its lure on a young and curious mind."

www.instagram.com/krakauernotwriting/

http://www.jonkrakauer.com/additional-reading

https://medium.com/@jonkrakauer

www.facebook.com/jonkrakauer/

Customer reviews

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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the writing style well-written and thoroughly researched. They also describe the reading pace as difficult yet compelling. Readers find the content richly insightful, eye-opening, and illuminate brilliantly the isolation, saddness, and desperation. They describe the book as compelling and hard to put down. However, some find the plot complex and rambling, with little information about secrets and unknown elements of Mormonism and polygamy. Opinions are mixed on the disturbing content, with some finding it compelling and disturbing, while others say it's deeply disturbing and preachy.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book compelling, intriguing, and revealing. They appreciate the investigative writing style and insightful revelations about modern society. Readers also mention the description of the murders is excellent.

"...It’s a worthwhile read for anyone with an interest in the subject and it succeeds at getting the reader to think long and hard about religious..." Read more

"...The result is a fascinating book but, on reflection, I wish it had been edited a little differently...." Read more

"...Under the Banner of Heaven (paperback comes out July 2004) is both intriguing and revealing...." Read more

"...This part of the book is fantastic ...." Read more

Customers find the book richly insightful, providing the right scope to understand Mormonism. They also say it's well-researched and written, advocating open-minded, individualistic thought. Readers also mention that the book illuminates brilliantly the isolation, sadness, and desperation, as well as the insanity.

"...It’s an excellent book for understanding more , not just about the fundamentalist latter day saints church, but also about the founding of the Mormon..." Read more

"...There is a good deal of important scholarly research and important criticism available here, and I would urge any person, regardless of religious..." Read more

"...At 334 pages, this book provides the right scope to understand Mormonism , fundamentalist Mormonism, modern day polygamy and its affects on all of..." Read more

"...Although the general history is accurate and can be easily supported, this book is not meant to be a historical work...." Read more

Customers find the writing style well-written, thoroughly researched, and includes many direct quotes from Dan and Ron. They also say it's the best consolidated, contemporary examination of the case.

"...of the two brothers are bizarre to read about and the book includes many direct quotes from Dan and Ron, both in the court room and from prison...." Read more

"...Krakauer is a darn good writer who allows us to enter a different and fascinating world...." Read more

"...with the format, but the disjointed narrative makes it difficult to follow at times ...." Read more

"...this feeling of "Murder By God's Command." His truly wonderful and clear , but not at all gory, description of the murders is excellent...." Read more

Customers find the book difficult yet compelling, fast, and never boring.

"...feel under-represented, but for an outsider I thought it read pretty straight-forward ...." Read more

"...Yes.It's a page-turner, and quite disturbing to read ...." Read more

"...as presenting things in clear understandable language, and I read it pretty quickly , however, I found myself with my eyes glazed over and not really..." Read more

"...He does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the story in a way that evokes an emotional attachment to the characters...." Read more

Customers find the author unbiased, truthful, brilliant investigative journalist, and impartial. They also say the book is enlightening, disturbing, and honest.

"...There is a good deal of important scholarly research and important criticism available here , and I would urge any person, regardless of religious..." Read more

"...and you can tell he takes great pains to try to be fair and unbiased , although I understand why the Mormons would disagree after reading this..." Read more

"...He does so in unflinching detail, and incredibly, without judgement ; it is what it is...." Read more

"...that was based on this book but this narrative is non-fiction and brutally honest in it's portrayal of a religion which has a dark past and some..." Read more

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-designed, well-written, and well researched. They also say it's a beautiful poem that depicts the beauty of Utah.

"...I love the beauty of Utah and its clean streets and I also love the mormon families and individuals who are great people and really try to live a..." Read more

"...His style is honest , compelling, and you can tell he takes great pains to try to be fair and unbiased, although I understand why the Mormons would..." Read more

"...He is a very impressive man . He grew up poor but was very intelligent, hard working and had charisma in spades...." Read more

" Very interesting look into the lives of Mormon Fundamentalists...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the disturbing content. Some find the book compelling and disturbing in the clarity of events and people. They also find the account of fundamentalism fascinating and brutal. However, others say the book is deeply disturbing, chilling, creepy, and preach-y.

"...Under the Banner of Heaven is a chilling book that is written in a direct, no- nonsense way...." Read more

"...the reader is treated to a series of sometimes titillating, often distressing incidents , but without any real connection among them...." Read more

"...This subject of this book was so unbelievably strange , that I was captivated by it. I would heartily recommend reading it." Read more

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Under the banner of heaven, by jon krakauer, recommendations from our site.

The bestselling author of Into the Wild and Into Thin Air turned his investigative and literary powers upon the Church of Latter Day Saints in this unusual, double-headed book which alternates between the story of the founding of the Mormon religion by Joseph Smith in the 19 th century with a true crime account of a vicious double murder committed by fundamentalist Mormons in the 1980s. Krakauer is a master storyteller, and though Mormon leaders have protested against linking the mainstream religious movement with violence, the book offers some further insight into the fundamentalist fervour that colours Westover’s troubled family life.

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Into the wild by jon krakauer, into thin air by jon krakauer, our most recommended books, war and peace by leo tolstoy, on liberty by john stuart mill, middlemarch by george eliot, nineteen eighty-four by george orwell, the odyssey by homer and translated by emily wilson, frankenstein (book) by mary shelley.

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By Robert Wright

• Aug. 3, 2003

UNDER THE BANNER

A Story of Violent Faith.

By Jon Krakauer.

372 pp. New York:

Doubleday. $26.

SINCE Sept. 11, 2001, Americans have talked a lot about the dark side of religion, but for the most part it isn't religion in America they've had in mind. Jon Krakauer wants to broaden their perspective. In ''Under the Banner of Heaven,'' he enters the obscure world of Mormon fundamentalism to tell a story of, as he puts it, ''faith-based violence.''

In July 1984, in a Utah town called American Fork, Dan Lafferty entered the home of his brother Allen, who was at work, and killed Allen's wife and 15-month-old daughter. Dan, now serving a life sentence, has no remorse about the murders and no trouble explaining them. His older brother, Ron, who assisted in the crime and is now on death row, had received a revelation from God mandating that Brenda and Erica Lafferty be ''removed'' so that, as God put it, ''my work might go forward.'' Brenda Lafferty, a spunky 24-year-old, had been bad-mouthing polygamy and in other ways impeding the fundamentalist mission that had seized Ron and Dan.

Parallels between the Lafferty brothers and Islamic terrorists aren't obvious, and Krakauer doesn't explore them very explicitly. The author of ''Into Thin Air,'' the best-selling account of death on Mount Everest, he is essentially a narrative writer. He mentions Osama bin Laden near the beginning and end of the book and leaves it for readers to draw their own conclusions, with some help from the book jacket's reference to ''Taliban-like theocracies in the American heartland.''

Still, by setting Mormon fundamentalism in its historical and scriptural context, and by powerfully illuminating Dan Lafferty's mind, Krakauer provides enough raw material for a seminar on post-9/11 questions. What drives people toward fundamentalism, and then toward violence? Where is the line between religious fanaticism and insanity? How heavy is the influence of religious history, in particular scripture, as opposed to the material conditions of modern life?

Mormon fundamentalists aren't Mormons in the common sense of the word. They don't belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which abandoned the doctrine of ''plural marriage'' in 1890. Many live in small towns (the ''Taliban-like theocracies'') where men evade anti-bigamy laws by having one lawful wife and additional ''spiritual'' wives. Others -- especially ''independents,'' who belong to no particular fundamentalist sect -- just blend into the landscape. The street preacher who allegedly kidnapped 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart last year and forced her to ''marry'' him was an independent.

Dan and Ron Lafferty weren't born into this world. They were raised as severely pious but mainstream Mormons, and both were married before they flirted with fundamentalism.

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The True Story of Under the Banner of Heaven Doesn't Need Additional Drama

The upcoming FX series uses Jon Krakauer's nonfiction book of the same name to tell a heinous story of faith and murder.

When news of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her infant child surfaced in 1984, the Mormon community found itself in an uncomfortable place. Two men, Ron and Dan Lafferty, had committed the crimes. According to Ron, God instructed him to kill Brenda and her child. Nearly forty years later, this disturbing, yet engrossing story has made its way to television.

On Thursday (April 28), FX will unveil the first two episodes of Under the Banner of Heaven , starring Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre. Throughout the series, Pyre (a member of the church, himself) investigates the real life murders of Lafferty and her child while reckoning with his own crisis of faith. Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Brenda, while Sam Worthington plays her brother-in-law and murderer, Ron. Like many series, Under the Banner of Heaven waffles between a hefty dose of reality and Hollywood.

Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith , operates as a straight-forward (or at least as much this story can be straight-forward) investigation into the deaths of Lafferty and her infant-aged daughter, Erica. In the opening pages of the novel, the initial situation is clear: Brenda's husband and Ron's youngest brother, Allen, returned home from work and found both his wife and daughter with their throats slit. Allen believed that his brother, Ron, had a hand in the murder.

The complexity of the murder grows throughout the novel. Krakauer manages to compile eyewitness accounts, conducts strong research into the murder, and context around the Church of Latter Day Saints to explain the murder.

The literary version of Heaven dives into Ron's background and the dissolution of Ron's marriage. Ron, a Mormon extremist, believed he had a right to practice polygamy. That didn't sit well with his wife, nor did it sit well with Brenda . Brenda, also a member of the church, disagreed with many of Ron's beliefs, including his belief that he was a prophet. Eventually, Ron's wife left him, and he was excommunicated from the church, eventually creating an extremist sect in Utah County.

The beauty of the book is that it offers heavy context into the Church of Latter Day Saints, its formation, and how the religious group has been plagued with offshoots that lean into fundamentalist practices like polygamy. Set against the true story of Brenda and Erica's murders, the book follows the brothers through the aftermath of the case, the eventual retrial of Ron, and Dan's complex role as a murderer, who now sees that Ron wasn't a prophet after all. As for the story of Jeb Pyre—that seems to be a machination to add another layer of depth to an already complicated story. There's no indication that Jeb is a real person or even a composite of multiple people.

But as Hollywood tends to do, the limited series from Dustin Lance Black uses star power to convey nuance. The series places Garfield's character at the center of the horrific murder, using him as the mouthpiece to explore context that the book can offer in footnotes and asides. But the truth remains the same: the murders of Brenda and Erica Lafferty needs no embellishment. Though the story may be called Under the Banner of Heaven , what Brenda and Erica experienced was actually hell on Earth.

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Under the Banner of Heaven

By Jon Krakauer

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“Scrupulously reported and written with Krakauer’s usual exacting flair,  Under the Banner of Heaven  is both illuminating and thrilling. It is also the creepiest book anyone has written in a long time—and that’s meant as the highest possible praise.” — Newsweek

“Riveting. . . . Intriguing. . . . Breezy, smooth and vigorously written, this ambitious book is entertaining and informative. . . . Krakauer reconstructs the Lafferty brothers’ descent into fatal fanaticism magnificently, interweaving their story throughout the book and giving this wide-ranging work narrative coherence and emotional resonance. . . . [He is] a superb storyteller.” — The News & Observer

“Powerfully illuminating. . . . Almost every section of the book is fascinating in its own right, and together the chapters make a rich picture. . . . An arresting portrait of depravity.” — The New York Times Book Review

“Engrossing. . . . Incisive. . . . [Krakauer is] a very careful reporter. . . . His clear-headed, unbiased examination of the church—leavened with genuine respect—and his conclusions . . . are hard to argue with.” — Boulder Daily Camera

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Book Club Discussion Questions for Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer

Summary  |  Excerpt  |  Reading Guide  |  Reviews  |  Read-Alikes  |  Genres & Themes  |  Author Bio

Under the Banner of Heaven

A Story of Violent Faith

• Critics' Consensus:
• Readers' Rating:
• First Published:
• Jul 1, 2003, 400 pages
• Jun 2004, 400 pages
• History, Current Affairs and Religion
• Ariz. Nev. N.M. Utah
• 1980s & '90s
• Religious or Spiritual Themes
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• Book Club Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

• In his prologue, Jon Krakauer writes that the aim of his book is to "cast some light on Lafferty and his ilk," which he concedes is a daunting but useful task for what it may tell us "about the roots of brutality, perhaps, but even more for what might be learned about the nature of faith" [p. XXIII]. What does the book reveal about fanatics such as Ron and Dan Lafferty? What does it reveal about brutality and faith and the connections between them?
• Why does Krakauer move back and forth between Mormon history and contemporary events? What are the connections between the beliefs and practices of Joseph Smith and his followers in the nineteenth century and the behavior of people like Dan and Ron Lafferty, Brian David Mitchell, and others in the twentieth?
• Prosecutor David Leavitt argued that "People in the state of Utah simply do not understand, and have not understood for fifty years, the devastating effect that the practice of polygamy has on young girls in our society" [p. 24]. How does polygamy affect young girls? Is it, as Leavitt claims, pedophilia plain and simple?
• Joseph Smith claimed that the doctrine of polygamy was divinely inspired. What earthly reasons might also explain Smith's attraction to having plural wives?
• When Krakauer asks Dan Lafferty if he has considered the parallels between himself and Osama bin Laden, Dan asserts that bin Laden is a "child of the Devil" and that the hijackers were "following a false prophet," whereas he is following a true prophet [p. 321]. No doubt, bin Laden would say much the same of Lafferty. How are Dan Lafferty and Osama bin Laden alike? In what ways are all religious fundamentalists alike?
• Krakauer asks: "if Ron Lafferty were deemed mentally ill because he obeyed the voice of God, isn't everyone who believes in God and seeks guidance through prayer mentally ill as well?" [p. 297] Given the nature of, and motive for, the murders of Brenda Lafferty and her child, should Ron Lafferty be considered mentally ill? If so, should all others who "talk to God" or receive revelations—a central tenant of Mormonism—also be considered mentally ill? What would the legal ramifications be of such a shift in thought?
• Krakauer begins part III with a quote from Bertrand Russell, who asserts that "every single bit of progress in humane feeling, every improvement in the criminal law, every step toward the diminution of war, every step toward better treatment of the colored races, or every mitigation of slavery, every moral progress that there has been in the world, has been consistently opposed by the organized churches of the world" [p. 191]. Is this a fair and accurate statement? What historical examples support it? What improvements in humane feeling and social justice has the Mormon church opposed?
• How are mainstream and fundamentalist Mormons likely to react to Krakauer's book?
• Much of Under the Banner of Heaven explores the tensions between freedom of religion and governmental authority. How should these tensions be resolved? How can the state allow religious freedom to those who place obedience to God's will above obedience to secular laws?
• Joseph Smith called himself "a second Mohammed," and Krakauer quotes George Arbaugh who suggests that Mormonism's "aggressive theocratic claims, political aspirations, and use of force, make it akin to Islam" [p. 102]. What other similarities exist between the Mormon and Islamic faiths?
• How should Joseph Smith be understood: as a delusional narcissist, a con man, or "an authentic religious genius" [p. 55], as Harold Bloom claims?
• Krakauer suggests that much of John Wesley Powell's book, The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons , particularly his account of his dealings with the Shivwit Indians, should be regarded with a "healthy dose of skepticism," and that it embellishes and omits important facts [p. 245]. Is Krakauer himself a trustworthy guide to the events he describes in Under the Banner of Heaven ? Are his writing and his judgments fair and reasonable? What makes them so?
• What patterns emerge from looking at Mormon history? What do events like the Mountain Meadow massacre and the violence between Mormons and gentiles in Missouri and Illinois suggest about the nature of Mormonism? Have Mormons been more often the perpetrators or the victims of violence?
• At the very end of the book, former Mormon fundamentalist DeLoy Bateman says that while the Mormon fundamentalists who live within Colorado City may be happier than those who live outside it, he believes that "some things in life are more important than being happy. Like being free to think for yourself" [p. 334]. Why does Krakauer end the book this way? In what ways are Mormons not free to think for themselves? Is such freedom more important than happiness?

Suggested Reading Will Bagley, Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows ; Fawn Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith ; Sally Denton, American Massacre: The Tragedy at Mountain Meadows, September, 1857 ; Judith Freeman, Red Water ; Philip Jenkins, Mystics and Messiahs: Cults and New Religions in American History ; John D. Lee, Mormonism Unveiled: Or Life and Confession of John D. Lee and Brigham Young ; Bernard Lewis, What Went Wrong?: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East ; Dorothy Allred Solomon, Predators, Prey, and Other Kinfolk: Growing Up in Polygamy .

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Anchor Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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Review: 'Under the Banner of Heaven' is a dramatic powerhouse

True-crime thrillers rarely hit as hard as "Under the Banner of Heaven."

True-crime thrillers rarely hit as hard and with such redeeming spirit and soul as "Under the Banner of Heaven," a seven-part FX on Hulu streaming series that stars a superb Andrew Garfield as a Mormon detective investigating the 1984 Utah murder of a mother and her 15-month-old daughter that involves a secret fundamentalist sect within the church.

Adapted by Dustin Lance Black, an Oscar winner for "Milk," from the 2013 bestseller by Jon Krakauer, the series begins at the murder scene (not graphically shown) as senior officer Jeb Pyre (Garfield) launches an investigation that will lead him to question his own beliefs.

The Mormon-raised Black served as a writer on "Big Love," the HBO series about a polygamous Mormon family. He uses Jeb -- a fictional character not in the Krakauer book -- as an audience guide into the double murder and the origins of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as set down in 1830 by founder Joseph Smith and his successor Brigham Young.

Don't expect a dull history lesson or a biting satire on the order of the Broadway musical smash "The Book of Mormon." It's "blind" faith that Black and director David Mackenzie ("Hell or High Water"), who staged the first two episodes, have in their sights.

MORE: Review: 'Anatomy of a Scandal' features exhilirating performances

Through Jeb, a devout family man and father of two, we see a true believer whose convictions are shaken by dangerously authoritarian splinter groups within the church. Garfield is on a career roll ("Tick, Tick ... Boom," "Spider-Man: No Way Home," a Tony Award for "Angels in America") and his nuanced portrayal of Jeb places him among the best actors of his generation.

Jeb's chief suspect is Allen Lafferty (a strong, stinging Billy Howle), the husband of the slain Brenda Lafferty, a progressive Mormon played by Daisy Edgar-Jones ("Normal People") with such heat and heart that we root passionately for Jeb to find her killer.

It's always the husband, says Jeb's non-Mormon partner Bill Taba (the excellent Gil Birmingham) who cringes each time Jeb refers to Allen and other fellow Mormons as "brother" or "sister." He has a point.

Suspicion soon extends past Allen to the entire Lafferty family, so revered in the community that they're called "the Utah Kennedys." Dissension within the ranks is palpable when the family patriarch passes over his eldest son Ron (Sam Worthington) to place leadership duties on Dan (Wyatt Russell, blending charm and menace with spellbinding skill).

"Under the Banner of Heaven" builds to a crescendo of suspense. But the whodunit aspect of the series is secondary to the way it tries to separate faith from fanaticism. Is there anything OK about a Mormon father having sex with his two stepdaughters, ages 12 and 14, as a tenet of faith to save a once-persecuted religion from extinction?

MORE: Review: 'Gaslit' blazes its way into your head and heart

"Our faith breeds dangerous men," Jeb is told. And that loaded statement electrifies every scene in this series that uses the past to ask pertinent and unsettling questions about the rise of fundamentalism in a modern world where women need to be subjugated to their masters and "blood-atoned" for the sin of disobedience.

The uses and abuses of faith permeate this hypnotic and haunting series. Believe this: "Under the Banner of Heaven" is a dramatic powerhouse that will take a piece out of you.

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Review: ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Is Just a Touch Too Drab, Too Slow

Under the Banner of Heaven

• Which Streamer Is Releasing the Best Original Content?
• ‘Under the Banner of Heaven’ Ending, as Explained by Dustin Lance Black

The premise of FX on Hulu ’s new limited series, Under the Banner of Heaven , based on the non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer ( Into the Wild , Into Thin Air ) of the same name, has all the makings of a great true crime binge. When a detective is assigned to investigate the grisly murders of a young Mormon mother and her baby girl, the case begins to point inward at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), causing the detective to question his own Mormon faith. Adding to that excellent hook is some star power: Andrew Garfield , fresh off three successful 2021 movies ( tick, tick…Boom! , The Eyes of Tammy Faye , Spider-Man: No Way Home ), in the role of the fictional Detective Jeb Pyre. Daisy Edgar-Jones ( Normal People ) joins him as the murder victim Brenda Lafferty. The execution of such a fascinating topic, however, leaves something to be desired.

It can’t be overstated how much some good exposition would help matters. For people unfamiliar with Mormonism, having to parse the terminology that packs the dialogue is confusing. Jeb’s partner, Detective Bill Taba (a likable Gil Birmingham ), a Native American non-Mormon, might have served as a convenient audience surrogate to explain basic Mormon tenets, but doesn’t. For another, there’s not much of an introduction to Mormon life or community. We have no context for the crime, especially as the Laffertys, an esteemed LDS family, come under scrutiny as the probable perpetrators. There are many scenes depicting the story of the church’s founder Joseph Smith, but these are often too much of a distracting tangent and don’t really shed light on modern-day Mormonism.

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As for Jeb Pyre? From the early scenes of him playing with his daughters and the warmth and love between him and his wife ( Adelaide Clemens ), it’s apparent that he’s a good man. And while he strongly believes in his religion — he harshly interrogates Brenda’s husband Allen ( Billy Howle ) about his faithfulness to his wife and to Heavenly Father — Jeb’s also clearly not so pious to be above breaking some minor LDS rules, as he sneaks a few bites of Bill’s fries. This plays out in a much larger way down the line when he has to stand up to church leaders in order to pursue justice in the case. Before we get there though, it’s tough in the early episodes to read Jeb’s reactions to a lot of the troubling information being thrown at him. Garfield, meanwhile, is at his best when he gets to be at least a little bit charming and energetic; this ultra-serious role doesn’t make great use of his talents. 

The entire show really is just a touch too drab, too slow. Even the color tone is a far too on-the-nose sepia. The five episodes (out of seven total) released to the press all run well over an hour. A tighter script, a drop more of excitement, of lightness to provide some relief, would go a long way. That being said, once the case heats up, and we dig into the systems that have allowed abuse to be covered up, the show becomes far more engaging. We no longer have to scrutinize Garfield’s every expression to try to intuit what’s going through Jeb’s mind, because he’s saying it out loud, even when everyone with any authority is telling him to shut up. The flashbacks of the Lafferty family, and how Allen’s brothers became entangled in fundamentalist Mormonism, also start to make a lot more sense, as puzzle pieces drop into place, and a succinct line of dialogue properly orders it all for us. 

Howle is excellent as the earnest and grieving widow. When he talks about how terrible the sexism instilled in Mormonism is — like making Brenda quit her job to have children, and making women swear to serve men — you can see the gears in Jeb’s head starting to turn. He’s a man who lives with his mother (Sandra Seacat), his wife, and two daughters, and fully loves all of them. What kind of life is he putting them through? 

FX Networks

The series is just as concerned with these questions as it is with the case, which is what deepens it beyond the mere glittering scandal of true crime. The show’s downfall though, is that while gravitating towards minimalism to tell such a sensational story is a smart move, it overcorrects. The building blocks of a great show are there, but Banner never quite manages to properly put them together to create something truly satisfying. 

Under the Banner of Heaven , Series Premiere, Thursday, April 28, FX & Hulu

Under the Banner of Heaven where to stream

Adelaide Clemens

Andrew garfield, billy howle, daisy edgar-jones, gil birmingham, sandra seacat.

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