Review: When Men Become Gods: Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs, His Cult of Fear, and the Women Who Fought Back

When Men Become Gods: Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs, His Cult of Fear, and the Women Who Fought Back by Stephen Singular
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book tells the fascinating story of the Fundamentalist church in Southern Utah under the tyranny of Warren Jeffs. It exposes much of the secrecy of illegal behavior and corrupt powerful men. I struggled with the writing style which was choppy and inconsistent at times. Although much was accurate, as far as I knew from my limited interactions and the changes made under the different prophets (Rulon Jeffs sowed paranoia before Warren), I cringed at the opinions expressed and criticisms of the mainstream Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The author found multiple opportunities to point out that the Salt Lake City based mainstream Church did nothing to curb the Southern Utah church. Which is true. Yet what authority does one church hold over another? FLDS Church is like the Protestant version of the LDS Church. The Pope could not prevent King Henry VIII’s behavior once he broke with the Roman Catholic Church as he didn’t recognize the Pope’s authority. No church has the right to dictate how another church is run. If illegal activity is occurring, law enforcement and the judicial system takes action, not a church. That is the way the Constitution is written.

With the previous rant expressed, it is important to note that, as the author correctly surmises, both Utah and Arizona governments were slow to investigate and act against a community so shrouded in secrecy but especially did not want to repeat the Short Creek Raid Of ‘53 by the AZ governor. The problems with the way the community ignored the child labor laws, collected food stamps and all kinds of government funding, and whispered child brides were far overdue to be exposed and addressed. Of course, the problem arises that the town straddles two states. How do you prosecute polygamy if a man is only legally married to one wife yet “spiritually” married to 12 others? You really don’t. The same rules that caught members of the mafia apply here. You get them on tax evasion. You also get them on statutory rape. The story of how it was investigated and what lengths they went to is fascinating.

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Review: Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Warfare

Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Warfare by Kris Newby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is fascinating and terrifying. I had no expectations of the book and I don’t, as far as I know, suffer from a tick-born disease. The premise of the book, told in much greater detail and with personal anecdotes as well as scientific terms, is that ticks are talented carriers of disease. Through meticulous research and hints dropped by a brilliant scientist from the Cold War, the author discovers that anthropods have been weaponized by scientifically altering the ticks and helping them carry two or three diseases, incapacitating an army or people for weeks or months. Imagine using this during WWII. Imagine fighting in Normandy where most of the German army is suffering from the affects of tick-borne illnesses; weak, foggy brained, inflamed joints and brain, gastrointestinal issues, etc.

My own rant: As a native Utahn, I have grown up in the shadow of radioactive fallout from nuclear testing in the Nevada desert. For another terrifying and fascinating read, pick up The Day We Bombed UtahDownwinders have been fighting and dying from cancer since then, at higher rates than National average. Rather than admit fault, our government tried to cover up the dangers of exposure to radioactive fallout. One government veterinarian that studied the sheep burned from the exposure was threatened by his employer the loss of his retirement if he did not claim the sheep did not die from radiation. That fact is not in the book. The veterinarian was my husband’s grandfather.

The number of tick borne diseases increased unnaturally in the 1980’s, particularly in certain geographical areas (but have since spread) much like the increase of cancers downwind from nuclear test sites. The difference, I believe, is that you can’t hide a Mushroom Cloud. The author can not prove her theory of open air tests but has compelling evidence that the scientist knew more than he was willing to share. There is a concerted effort within government agencies to deny long term tick diseases and refusal to put money into research for proper testing or treatment. Perhaps it is an effort to hide the invisible “Mushroom Cloud.” The point is that more can be done before the bodies pile up.

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Review: Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Warfare

Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Warfare by Kris Newby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is fascinating and terrifying. I had no expectations of the book and I don’t, as far as I know, suffer from a tick-born disease. The premise of the book, told in much greater detail and with personal anecdotes as well as scientific terms, is that ticks are talented carriers of disease. Through meticulous research and hints dropped by a brilliant scientist from the Cold War, the author discovers that anthropodsThe Day We Bombed Utah have been weaponized by scientifically altering the ticks and helping them carry two or three diseases, incapacitating an army or people for weeks or months. Imagine using this during WWII. Imagine fighting in Normandy where most of the German army is suffering from the affects of tick-borne illnesses; weak, foggy brained, inflamed joints and brain, gastrointestinal issues, etc.

My own rant: As a native Utahn, I have grown up in the shadow of radioactive fallout from nuclear testing in the Nevada desert. For another terrifying and fascinating read, pick up The Day We Bombed UtahDownwinders have been fighting and dying from cancer since then, at higher rates than National average. Rather than admit fault, our government tried to cover up the dangers of exposure to radioactive fallout. One government veterinarian that studied the sheep burned from the exposure was threatened by his employer the loss of his retirement if he did not claim the sheep did not die from radiation. That fact is not in the book. The veterinarian was my husband’s grandfather.

The number of tick borne diseases increased unnaturally in the 1980’s, particularly in certain geographical areas (but have since spread) much like the increase of cancers downwind from nuclear test sites. The difference, I believe, is that you can’t hide a Mushroom Cloud. The author can not prove her theory of open air tests but has compelling evidence that the scientist knew more than he was willing to share. There is a concerted effort within government agencies to deny long term tick diseases and refusal to put money into research for proper testing or treatment. Perhaps it is an effort to hide the invisible “Mushroom Cloud.” The point is that more can be done before the bodies pile up.

View all my reviews