Thursday, December 30, 2010

First on line Book Club Books

For the inauguration of our online book club, we have chosen two books that deal with a very topical subject... Polygamy.
The Supreme Court of BC is currently hearing a rare constitutional reference case as to whether the law prohibiting polygamy in Canada is valid or should be struck down as an infringement against Freedom of Religion and therefore unconstitutional. The case is a result of polygamy charges laid by the B.C. Attorney General against two members of the Fundamentalist Chuch of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) who live in the community of Bountiful in the interior of B.C.  Those charges have since been stayed by the courts while the reference case is being heard...a case that is no doubt destined to make its way through the Supreme Court of Canada.

THE SECRET LIVES OF SAINTS by Daphne Bramham details the history of the Fundamentalist sect of the Church of the Latter Days Saints from its beginning under founder Joseph Smith to the criminal charges laid against the current prophet of the FLDS, Warren Jeffs.  As a reporter for the Vancouver Sun, Daphne Bramham has written extensively on the FLDS community that resides in the Creston Valley area of B.C. She offers an unparalleled insight into this very closed community, their beliefs and practices and the relationship they have with the community at large.

STOLEN INNOCENCE by Elissa Wall is the first hand account of a young girl growing up in the FLDS in America.  She talks about her life being raised in a home with multiple mothers, of the happy times with her brothers and sisters only to have her life come crashing down upon her when, at the age of 14 she is forced to marry her 19 year old first cousin.  She details the struggles she goes through to get out of her marriage, her struggles of faith and her decision to finally flee the FLDS and to testify against the prophet of the church, Warren Jeffs.

These are two books which give insight into a part of society that few of us know anything about.  We hope you will read one or both of these books and join our online discussion group where you can post your thoughts and read what others are saying.  There is one copy of each book in our library, available as a one-week loan, and a quick check online shows both books are carried in our local libraries.