| Escape |  | Authors: Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer
Publisher: Broadway
Category: eBooks
In Stock
Rating:  401 reviews
Sales Rank: 6,149
Format: Kindle Book
Media: Kindle Edition
Pages: 432
Number Of Items: 1
Dewey Decimal Number: 289.3092
Publication Date: October 16, 2007
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Product Description
The dramatic first-person account of life inside an ultra-fundamentalist American religious sect, and one woman’s courageous flight to freedom with her eight children.
When she was eighteen years old, Carolyn Jessop was coerced into an arranged marriage with a total stranger: a man thirty-two years her senior. Merril Jessop already had three wives. But arranged plural marriages were an integral part of Carolyn’s heritage: She was born into and raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), the radical offshoot of the Mormon Church that had settled in small communities along the Arizona-Utah border. Over the next fifteen years, Carolyn had eight children and withstood her husband’s psychological abuse and the watchful eyes of his other wives who were locked in a constant battle for supremacy.
Carolyn’s every move was dictated by her husband’s whims. He decided where she lived and how her children would be treated. He controlled the money she earned as a school teacher. He chose when they had sex; Carolyn could only refuse—at her peril. For in the FLDS, a wife’s compliance with her husband determined how much status both she and her children held in the family. Carolyn was miserable for years and wanted out, but she knew that if she tried to leave and got caught, her children would be taken away from her. No woman in the country had ever escaped from the FLDS and managed to get her children out, too. But in 2003, Carolyn chose freedom over fear and fled her home with her eight children. She had $20 to her name.
Escape exposes a world tantamount to a prison camp, created by religious fanatics who, in the name of God, deprive their followers the right to make choices, force women to be totally subservient to men, and brainwash children in church-run schools. Against this background, Carolyn Jessop’s flight takes on an extraordinary, inspiring power. Not only did she manage a daring escape from a brutal environment, she became the first woman ever granted full custody of her children in a contested suit involving the FLDS. And in 2006, her reports to the Utah attorney general on church abuses formed a crucial part of the case that led to the arrest of their notorious leader, Warren Jeffs.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 401
 Enjoyed the book but still have questions August 19, 2010
Goddess Orchid (USA)
This is a very good book that keeps the reader reading and doesn't allow you to think much, but I would like to point out some issues I had with the book.
Carolyn Jessop, gives the reader a glimpse into the Fundamentalist Ladder Day Saints (FDLS) and polygamy. Most importantly on how it was to live both outside and inside a community that was religious based. We follow the author through childhood, adolescents, and young adulthood. We walk through her life of being married to not only to one man but several wives. We see how she lives in detail. From her bedroom to the very house she lives. In our mind we begin to understand the structure and the psychological implications and consequences of living in such a lifestyle. For some it is comfortable living, where a woman doesn't have to take care the children alone, cook all the time, and surely not worry about how she will be financially supported. But there is another side that Carolyn presents of being abused, manipulated, and completely overwhelmed if one did not have the right frame of mind in this kind of relationship.
The reader gets a good idea what happens in a home that is divided against oneself. Carolyn clearly shows that the wives could be the strength or the barrier to a marriage and family. With one man if he is not who totally secure & stable, to be used, misused, and abused in the process. Plus if he is not a good man as Carolyn presents, then this could make for bigger problems such as neglect, psychological harm, and/or even death. I really enjoyed the little tibits and her knowledge of the FDLS and polygamy. There is not a question in my mind that she didn't lived this life. You see many areas of conflict within herself, her children, the wives, and those around her.
I would have like to read more not only her own struggles, but her own contribution towards some of the problems. Not to say she is responsible for being abused or married to someone she didn't know. But how did she feel she could make life easier or better for her if any? Did she try to connect and make a happy home? I don't mean cooking, cleaning, and saying hello. I mean real contribution. I often wondered why she never spoke to Barbara face-to-face? Woman-to-woman? Carolyn is clearly not weakminded and not entirely fearful; and at times quite expressive and independent. So why not? What could she loose? I wondered what made Merril allow her to go to school for her degree? What made Merril continue to sleep with her? And why didn't she have more power since in the book she states that a woman's currency and power was sex? I understand she continued to have sex to be left alone. But why not use the very thing to work on her husband and first wife?
Sometimes in the book, which I believe it could be due to editing Carolyn's writing was a bit off- especially staying in the hear & now and shadowing to the past. Sometimes I felt it got mixed up. For example, she was speaking about applying for benefits for her children and how she was unable to do so because Merril had not claimed her last son as his. But had for the other children. Then suddenly, we are reading about this elusive plan of her sneaking in the house after 2am to get the forms. I wasn't sure if this happened before she escaped or after. As I said could have been a editor mistake.
I was also curious about Barbara's story. It was obvious that Carolyn never had any sort of relationship or connection with her. She stayed away from her and maybe rightfully so, but it would have been nice to understand Barbara more. We get such a clear picture about everyone else but not Barbara. She was explained as this ruthless woman, who was spoiled, domineering and who had all this power to command and control the kingdom. Also that she wanted Merril all to herself, and pretty much did not have a say in her husband's choice of a wife, but what was the real story behind Barbara. Since Carolyn has so much information about everyone else- why not her?
Some point in the book I started to become annoyed. She repeated herself a lot. Or she would be speaking about something and suddenly veer off and start talking about something else over series of pages. She would finally get on track but I really didn't enjoy this. I kept thinking, "Stay focus, stay on track, and let's keep it moving."
But I would not allow these little things I raise to say the book wasn't good. It was very good- riveting, but had a few clitches that could be revised. I recommend this book for those curious about polygamy and the FDLS. All and all a decent read. 4 stars for a good book with some editing problems.
 Page Turner August 10, 2010
justbeingcass
This book was fantastic. I couldn't put it down. I was constantly reminding myself that this was not fiction. These things were truely happening to Carolyn. Very informative information regarding a life that I know little about.
Interesting tale, bad writing August 8, 2010
Samantha (Denton, TX)
Overall the story is interesting. As someone who is interested in learning about what really goes on in extremist religions I found story itself to be interesting enough to hold my interest. I must say the the writing level really cripples its effectiveness. Overuse of "but" and "and" at the beginning of sentences and even paragraphs distracted me; it felt very cut and dry. I am not aiming to disrespect this woman or her struggle, but she isn't a writer. The story lines were also very disorganized. Quite often statements or ideas would be repeated and rephrased. The editor of the books fell short on picking out a lot of inadequacies.
If you're not someone who's easily troubled by writing level, it's a very compelling view into the world of a woman trapped in FLDS society who managed to escape.
a must read! August 3, 2010
kristine
If you felt sorry for the raid on the YFZ Ranch a few years ago, this will change your mind. We fight for freedom all across this globe. This book will make you want to fight for freedom right here in this country. I couldn't put this book down. Carolyn is an amazing woman. Any mom can relate to the depth of love she has for her children. You won't regret reading this book ever!
A brave book July 14, 2010
Jenny Sutton
This book descibes a life style that is hard to believe is allowed to exist in a developed world - but the radical polygamist sect that Carolyn Jessop was born into allowed men to beat their wives, abuse their children and marry wife after wife. The complete control that the cult leaders and the husbands have over the lives of their wives and children and the manner that they treat them are all justified in the quest for spiritual standing in heaven!
A brave escape and the drive to start a new life provide this author's story with a happy ending.
Not the best written book (repititious and a little too much time spent on justifing the author's actions within the strange family she belonged to ) I have read, but a story worth writing makes this a book worth reading.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 401
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