Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith Paperback – June 8, 2004

This is the best written book by Krakauer. I liked the premise on which he starts the book that terrorism or terrorism-like has existed in the states way before 9.11. Compared to other books where I found his views a bit strong (very compelling and rather inescapable for the reader to reject the author's views), this book seemed to leave a bit of room for questions. I myself was not able to draw conclusions whether the brothers had gone completely insane or had become victims of extremism, or it had to do with inexplicable thoughts and acts which could occur to anyone...

モルモン教については１９７０年代前半に一夫多妻原理主義グループが配っていた（と思われる）ポルノまがいのチラシの強烈な印象と相反するこざっぱりとしたいでたちの２人組青年が自転車で伝道する姿（主流派？）しか知らなかったので、この本でようやく全体像がつかめた。１９世紀に立ち上げた新興宗教が今日では驚くほどの信者数に達しているという。この本は破門された信者が起こした殺人事件と教団の歴史が平行して進んでいく形式なので少々、読みにくい。最後のページにキモがあるので紹介するとYou have to remember what a huge comfort the religion is.It provides all the answwers.It makes life simple.Nothing makes you feel better than doing what the prophet commands you to do.If you have something controversial issue you're dealing with -Let's say you owe a lot of money to somebody,and you don't have the means to pay them-you go in talk to the prophet, and he might tell you,"You don' t have to pay the money back.The Load say it's OK'. And if you just do what the prophet says,all the resposibility for your actions is now totally in his hands.You can refuse to pay the guy, or even kill somebody, or whatever,and feel completely good about it.And that 's a big part what holds this religion together:it's not having to make those critical decisions that many of us have to make, and be resposible for your decisions."

I was hoping to gain insight into mainstream Mormonism. However this book focused on the most sensational aspects of fringe fundamentalist Mormons --- i.e. the Mormons who even the Mormons find bizarre. I don't really need a book to teach me that there are wacky fringe groups in the world.