One more wifes story bibliolatry march 2, 2009 blogs. Shattered dreams is the autobiography of irene spencer, a woman raised in a fundamentalist polygamous sect of the mormon faith. My life as a polygamists wife thorndike press large print core series. Escape from polygamy first, which is a book by one of irenes sister wives. Like others, i have detested the practice of polygamy, yet as i read this book, i could not help but sympathize with those like irene who simply wereare entrenched in it. As the second of ten wives, i bore him thirteen children so that he could become a god of a future planet and guarantee my eternal life. She fills in many of the details from her early life and brings you up to date with the many ways life has changed. For those who were gripped by shattered dreams, the rest of the story will blow them away. Shattered dreams is a memoir by irene spencer, a second wife who goes in her tender teens to live in a sect in mexico. Shattered dreams is a fascinating look at a way of life totally foreign to most people. Trapped in polygamy by susan ray schmidt, i wanted to read about susans sisterwife, irene spencer. Shattered dreams is irene spencers true story of 28 tumultuous years in a plural marriage in which she was one of ten wives.
In her book, shattered dreams restored, irene honestly answers the. Be the first to ask a question about shattered dreams. Irene spencer nee kunz, february 1, 1937 march 12, 2017 was an american author and a. All the books i had read on mormon polygamy were vivid accounts of sacrificing. There seems to be quite a glut recently of books written by plural wives who have left the flds fundamentalist latter day saints and their polygamous husbands. Irene spencer grew up in the branch of the mormon faith that still believed in polygamy. I found this book to be very intriguing, informative, and engaging. Her story is incredible and quite painful to imagine living, but it was the subject herself i had trouble with. It also shows how in mormon polygamy a man can fulfill his sexual desires with more wives and leave those very wives wanting for the intimacy that exists between one man and one woman in monogamy. Irene with her husband of 25 years, hector spencer. Cover features irenes infamous brotherinlaw ervil lebaron. My life as a polygamists wife is irenes autobiography, describing her life from the time of her mothers divorce to her husbands death in a car accident, suspected to be murder. She wrote several books, including shattered dreams.
My life as a polygamists wife kindle edition by spencer, irene. A memoir of polygamy, prophets, and blood atonement to shed light on the realities of polygamy in modern america. If you plan to read both books, id advise reading shattered dreams first and. This is the second book ive read by one of the nine women who ended up. This time was the first id read anything on polygamy. I cant even imagine being in this young girlwomans. Cult insanity is a riveting, terrifying memoir of polygamist life. In it, i told the story of my plural marriage to fundamentalist mormon, verlan lebaron. The second of what was ultimately her husbands ten wives, she became the mother of thirteen of his 58 children. I was quite literally sick to my stomach for the first half of the book, but thankfully there was a hopefilled ending as the lord drew irene out of bondage and unto himself. Thank you for making my first book, shattered dreams, a new york times bestseller. Spencer became a bornagain christian at the urging of one of her sons and became an outspoken critic of polygamy.
A memoir of polygamy, prophets, and blood atonement. This former polygamist s wife writes every sordid and shocking detail you wish you never knew. She seems to have no issue with the marrying off of young girls to men much older or the inferior position of women in generalunless it relates to herself. Irene, your book, shattered dreams, is an indictment of plural marriage. 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. Irene was raised to honor the principle of plural marriage and reverence for the sect leader to achieve eternal salvation.
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