Torn by God: A Family's Struggle with Polygamy
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Powell's Books
Synopsis:
A riveting family drama that takes place in 1959 in a small Mormon town in Utah. It chronicles the devastation brought upon the Sterling family when the father has a vision which leads him to become involved with a local polygamist group run by a self-serving fundamentalist. The father comes to believe that the Mormon Church never should have rescinded polygamy. Even though the practice is now against the law and grounds for excommunication, he feels it is something God demands of him. Twelve-year-old Beth watches helplessly as her mother sinks into depression and illness. When her father leaves town to build a church for the polygamists, the family is cast off by the Mormon community and it is up to Beth to take care of her sick mother and her little brother. The story delves deep into the controversial association between mainstream Mormons and fundamentalist off-shoot groups such as those led by Warren Jeffs. It explores the power of indoctrination and religious control. It is a story inspired by true events.
Book Excerpt:
Suddenly, the door swung open and Mom came out. Mikey and Dad and I all made the same sound at the same time, a whooshing sound, like we were sinking beneath water and we were trying to get our last breath of air. Mom's hair was all gone. Her head was completely bald. It was white and glistening and I could see the bones of her skull under the skin. It was terrible, but I couldn't stop staring at it.
Dad grabbed her around the legs and started sobbing. She patted his head, but she wasn't really looking at him. And she wasn't looking at me or Mikey either.
Then Mikey let go of the grip he had on my hand. I looked at him. He was staring at the floor, holding his arms stiff against his sides and there was a big puddle around his feet.
There was nothing I could do about it. We were all stuck, like statues that couldn't move. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dad stood up. He put his arm around Mom and brought her down the hall past Mikey and me to their bedroom. Just before he closed the door, he looked back at us. He didn't say a word, but I knew he was telling me I had to be strong and take care of Mikey for awhile. I took Mikey to our bedroom and helped him change his underpants. He was quiet and pale and sleepy. I said, “Maybe you should take a nap, Mikey. When you wake up everything will be okay.”
He didn't speak. He just crawled into bed and pulled the covers over his head.
I got a rag from downstairs and cleaned up the puddle in the hall, and then I went in the bathroom and closed the door. Mom's long red locks were all over the floor. I picked up a few wisps of hair and let them float back down to the floor. They were like angel wings falling from heaven. At first, I was going to sweep everything up and put it in the wastebasket, but I couldn't bear to think of her hair being in there with the trash. I went and got a little box I'd been saving and carefully put it inside. I stood there for a long time, holding the box and looking at myself in the mirror. I tried to imagine how it would feel to be bald like Mom. Why had she done it? What was she trying to say?
Topics/Categories:
Family Drama, Fundamentalism, Historical Fiction, Mormon, polygamist, Polygamy, Religion, Utah, Warren Jeffs, womens fiction
Genre:
Family, Religious Literature, Women's Literature, Young Adult Fiction
Type of Work:
Purchase From:
Torn by God: A Family's Struggle with Polygamy
Torn by God: A Family's Struggle with Polygamy - Kindle Ver
Original Publish Date:
January 6, 2009
- Share With:
