There's nothing in this book that is untrue, per se. However, Krakauer has a particular story he wants to tell, and so drastically oversimplifies complex historical and cultural phenomena, and draws causal conclusions that are, at best, facile. There's a certain aspect of breathless exposé here that obscures the complexity of a minority, counter-cultural religion and its history. If you want a good history of Mormonism and/or introduction to Mormon culture and society, there are better (albeit probably less entertaining) choices.
So many books...
From academic to trashy, book is life.
There's nothing in this book that is untrue, per se. However, Krakauer has a particular story he wants to tell, and so drastically oversimplifies complex historical and cultural phenomena, and draws causal conclusions that are, at best, facile. There's a certain aspect of breathless exposé here that obscures the complexity of a minority, counter-cultural religion and its history. If you want a good history of Mormonism and/or introduction to Mormon culture and society, there are better (albeit probably less entertaining) choices.
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