Its an honest look at polygamy that is written as if she is sitting at the kitchen table sharing parts of her life. Irene spencer grew up in a fundamentalist, polygamous mormon village in arizona. My life as a polygamists wife was published and became a ny times best seller. Irene spencer did as she felt god commanded in marrying her brotherinlaw verlan lebaron, becoming his second wife. Her father had a total of four wives and thirtyone children. This book follows the author as she is left widowed by her polygamous first husband, verlan lebaron, remarries for a second time, and finally marries her third and only monogamous husband. My life as a polygamists wife paperback august 14, 2019. Irene spencer, unlike some of the other books ive glanced through, tells her story simply and honestly and attempts to impart to the reader an understanding of what and why she lived the way she did. Its hard to believe it took her so long to get her first book published. Excuse the audio noise, but thought you might enjoy this 1991 clip of geraldo featuring irene spencer and donna goldberg, discussing modern day harems. Surviving the hell of a polygamous marriage ebook written by irene spencer.
A memoir of polygamy, prophets, and blood atonement to shed light on the realities of polygamy in modern america. Irene was twentythree and already had five children when this photo was taken. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Shattered dreams book logan city council libraries. Irene shows how sheand anyone else caught in a false set of beliefs. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about shattered dreams. Listen to shattered dreams audiobook by irene spencer and. And just like that, in a hurried ceremony in an outoftheway corner of the mormon temple grounds in salt lake city, spencer joined a plural marriage. The book was written well enough and the topic was interesting. My life as a polygamists wife written by irene spencer narrated by laural merlington 4.
Irene spencer s heartbreaking memoir, shattered dreams, tells the true story of the life of a polygamist wife. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read shattered dreams. At age 15, she had begun living the principle, the polygamous mandate handed down by brigham young but later. Irene spencer las colonias the mormon colonies in mexico. As the second of what was ultimately her husbands ten wives, she became the mother of thirteen of his 58 children. The thirteenth of thirtyone children, she grew up in abject poverty and isolation, and was taught. She doesnt make her polygamous husband, verlan lebaron, out to be a monster or some terrifying persona. Claiming to be gods avenger and to have a license to kill in the name of god, ervil ordered the murders of friends and family members, eliminating all those who challenged his authority. This book, whilst still an autobiographical account of a marriage within the faith, is a little different. When the government raided their communitythe mormonvillageofshortcreek,arizonaseeking to enforce the penalties for practicing polygamy, irene and her family fled to verlans family ranch inmexico.
She has authored the book shattered dreams, which documents the details of her life into and out of polygamy. Surviving the hell of a polygamous marriage by irene spencer. She wrote several books, including shattered dreams. Buy shattered dreams by irene spencer online at alibris. Shattered dreams is irene spencers true story of 28 tumultuous years in a plural. Born into a fifthgeneration polygamous family, irene was the daughter of a second wife. In the book irene chronicles her life as the second plural wife of verlan lebaron. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer from goodreads. The first part of this book had me cringing as irene laid out her mormon fundamentalist beliefs things that are so similar to my own religious convictions, but twisted. They lived in squalor and desolateconditions in the mexican desertwith verlans six brothers, one. On friday, july 3, 1953, charlotte lebaron placed the hand of her sister irene spencer into the hand of her husband, verlan lebaron. Irene spencer came from five generations of polygamy. The second of what was ultimately her husbands ten wives, she became the mother of thirteen of his 58 children.
It follows her from place to place, ne shattered dreams is a fascinating look at a way of life totally foreign to. They lived in squalor and desolate conditions in the mexican desert with verlans six brothers, one sister, and. Irene s story is heart breaking in her own right, but because she was older than susan and an earlier wife, poor irene has to live. What courage it took to carve out a life in a polygamist cult for twentyeight years, sharing her husband with his nine other wives, caring for her thirteen children in the starkness of poverty, and trying to come to terms with a religion that had swallowed up her identity. Shattered dreams is a wellwritten, entertaining, enchanting story that needed to be told. Summary irene spencer did as she felt god commanded in marrying her brotherinlaw, verlan lebaron, becoming his second wife. Mar 26, 2017 irene spencer wrote her lifes story in a book titled shattered dreams. This book was a satisfying end, as i finally got to see what happened to irene and how she met the love of her. Irene s first book, shattered dreams, is the staggering chronicle of her struggle to provide for her children in abject poverty and feelings of abandonment each time her husband left to be with one of his other wives.
I found myself anxious to pick up where i had left off and didnt want to put the book down. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer illegal in the u. Irene s escape from the clutches of this aberrant lifestyle is a monumental achievement. In her book, shattered dreams restored, irene honestly answers the many questions readers have asked after reading shattered dreams. This book is a brutally honest memoir of a woman life. Publishers summary irene spencer did as she felt god commanded in marrying her brotherinlaw, verlan lebaron, becoming his second wife. Irene spencer author visit amazons irene spencer page. Her story is one of heartache, courage, and the will to find a better life. Recovering from the emotional damage polygamy dealt, spencer believes shattered dreams will provide the closure she needs and, she hopes, will help other plural wives to find their own freedom. Shattered dreams is irene spencer s true story of 28 tumultuous years in a plural marriage in which she was one of ten wives. Life for irene spencer was a series of devastating disappointments and hardships. When the government raided the fundamentalist, polygamous mormon village of short creek, arizona, irene and her family fled to verlans brothers mexican ranch. Dec 17, 2007 irene spencer, unlike some of the other books ive glanced through, tells her story simply and honestly and attempts to impart to the reader an understanding of what and why she lived the way she did.
The author seldom explores how growing up in a polygamous household affected her children. It was interesting to see the difference between the two books because in susans book she made irene out to be happy and cheerful and loving, while in this book it was clearly shown that she was always miserable. Desperate to escape her violent home, and believing she had no choice but to live by the. Polygamy was not only accepted but expected by all who believed in the. Mar 12, 2017 irene spencer came from five generations of polygamy. Irene, your book, shattered dreams, is an indictment of plural marriage.
Shattered dreams irene spencer did as she felt godcommanded in marrying herbrotherinlaw verlan lebaron, becominghis second wife. A memoir of polygamy, prophets, and blood atonement. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer 2007, hardcover at the best online prices at. Book overview irene spencer did as she felt god commanded in becoming the second wife to her brotherinlaw verlan lebaron. Thank you for making my first book, shattered dreams, a new york times bestseller. My life as a polygamists wife memoir, center street new york, ny, 2007. Aug 22, 2007 with verlans six brothers, one sister, and numerous wives and children. My life as a polygamists wife irene spencer, 2006 center street 400 pp. Follow the author similar authors to follow shattered dreams. Irene spencer grew up in the branch of the mormon faith that still believed in polygamy. The thirteenth of thirtyone children, she grew up in abject poverty and isolation, and was taught that she should never question the church leaders. When the government raided the fundamentalist, polygamous. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Spencer became a bornagain christian at the urging of one of her sons and became an outspoken critic of polygamy.
Shattered dreams is a fascinating look at a way of life totally foreign to most people. In cult insanity, spencer reveals the outrageous behavior of her brotherinlaw ervila selfproclaimed prophet who determined he was called to set the house of god in orderand how he terrorized their colony. With the obstacles of multiple children to support, impoverished living conditions, and lack of skills and education to equip her for independence, irene s story becomes truly compelling and inspirational. Shattered dreams audiobook, written by irene spencer. L etes the circle and fills the reader in on what appened after the events of the last books while focusing of irene s personal and spiritual growth you won t be disappointed in this one short follow up companion piece to spencer s 2007 book shattered dreamsthis book follows the author as she is left widowed by er polygamous first book shattered dreamsthis book follows the author as she is. Irene had a sense of humor though and to my opinion that had to have helped.
Irene s first book, shattered dreams, is the staggering chronicle of herstruggle to provide for her children in abject poverty and feelings of abandonment each time her husband left to be with one of his other wives. Shattered dreams, page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40. It tells the story of irene spencer, a girl who grew up in a fourth generation polygamous family, and opted, of her own free will, to marry at the tender age of just sixteen. My life as a polygamists wife mp3 cd unabridged, december 17, 2007 language. Shattered dreams my life as a polygamists wife book.
Spencer gave birth to babies, and her descriptions of labor, as well as the pregnancies she attended as an ersatz midwife, become tedious. Irene spencer grew up in a fundamentalist, polygamous mormon village in. I celebrate irene s courage to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams and step into the promise of a brand new tomorrow. Shattered dreams gives us a look inside both the physical and emotional privations of the lebaron sisterwives living in mexico during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. A satisfying end when i finished shattered dreams, i felt a little cheated. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer 2007, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Join the leading website for book clubs with over 35,000 clubs and 20,000 reading guides. When thegovernment raided the fundamentalist, polygamousmormon village of short creek, arizona, irene and her family fled toverlans brothers mexican ranch. Irene spencer did as she felt god commanded in marrying her brotherinlaw, verlan lebaron, becoming his second wife. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer petrax says update this is a view i hadnt considered before, and maybe it doesnt apply to fundamentalists, but. Shattered dreams by irene spencer is a masterpiece. Irene spencer did as she felt godcommanded in marrying herbrotherinlaw verlan lebaron, becominghis second wife. Shattered dreams book ramsey county library bibliocommons.
Irene spencer is a remarkable woman with a remarkable story. Short follow up companion piece to spencers 2007 book shattered dreams. I read irene s book after reading her sisterwives book. My life as a polygamists wife by irene spencer petrax says update this is a view i hadnt considered before, and maybe it doesnt apply to fundamentalists, but the view has to come from somewhere. As the second of ten wives, she was the mother of 14 of her husbands 58 children. Her captivating story provides an intimate look at the daily struggles irene faced as a plural wife. I wanted to know more about irene s life after polygamy and verlans death. Irene spencer and donna goldberg, discussing modern day harems. Her mother, unable to cope, left her children and three sisterwives with her abusive husband.
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