Do I dare ask for a reasoned recounting of the literary offenses of Jon Krakauer?

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by landpoke

I have been known to mistake you all for the Amish so I guess it wouldn't be the first time.

Hardy Har Har jokester! Make no mistake about it when Elder Bronco sticks his pecker into the Cowboy State's collective Flaming Gorge this upcoming fall and you are once again reminded why Bronco is hung like a horse as well as the reason to buy your KY Jelly at the Provo Walmart before gametime, you will know that you have been smitten at last!

My honest thought on Krakauer was that I felt he didn't link the events he reference together well to make a point. I tend to think he was purposely vague because he knew the book wasn't well done.

From the perspective of just telling a story of a crazy person who killed someone, it was probably fine. But that is not real compelling in our day and age when you can read any newssource and daily get such a story in 298 pages less reading. Hence, to make it more compelling he had to draw an explanation that part of the reason these folks were crazy was their religion. That is hard to accomplish because at that point the author must really have compelling scholarship about the religious sect as well as the individual. I found the argument of the LDS influence in the craziness to be biased and not reflective of reality. Further as has been pointed out he willingly chose to ignore what might have been other perhaps more compelling causes of their craziness than the Mountain Meadows Massacre or polygamy.

[landpoke]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

The one unique element of his book was the true crime story and his thesis that Mormonism's violent culture and past bears a share of responsiblity.

And I guess that was my point. I, as someone who is not now and never has been a member of the LDS church, only recall the true crime portions of the book and an emphasis that these were not actually members of the "Mormon" church of temple and missionary fame.

[MikeWaters]

I agree with GN. He knew he had a bit of a muddled mess. He knew his story about the Laffertys, by itself, was not particularly interesting or well done. This would be no "In Cold Blood" (which I have not read). He slopped it together the best he could, and called it a day.

[splitbamboo]

Originally Posted by landpoke

And I guess that was my point. I, as someone who is not now and never has been a member of the LDS church, only recall the true crime portions of the book and an emphasis that these were not actually members of the "Mormon" church of temple and missionary fame.

So the title of the book didn't tip you off to the intent? Mormon's tend to link "heaven" with religion...

[Jeff Lebowski]

I am on record as saying I didn't think it was that bad. I enjoy his gift for storytelling and the Lafferty brothers certainly are a compelling story. I think Mike tends to overstate the magnitude of his biases and errors, but that's just me.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

He slopped it together the best he could, and called it a day.

And ended up with a runaway best-seller.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I agree with GN. He knew he had a bit of a muddled mess. He knew his story about the Laffertys, by itself, was not particularly interesting or well done. This would be no "In Cold Blood" (which I have not read). He slopped it together the best he could, and called it a day.

And he's laughing all the way to the bank. A huge bestseller still. Antis can make money from Mormonism too. It's a rich field of potential profits, for faithful and antis alike.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

And ended up with a runaway best-seller.

Priestcraft....verily verily he will have his reward. Bronco has got something waiting for his flaming gorge as well!

[landpoke]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

Hardy Har Har jokester! Make no mistake about it when Elder Bronco sticks his pecker into the Cowboy State's collective Flaming Gorge this upcoming fall and you are once again reminded why Bronco is hung like a horse as well as the reason to buy your KY Jelly at the Provo Walmart before gametime, you will know that you have been smitten at last!

Why does all your braggadocio regarding Bronco's greatness involve homoerotic imagery?

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

And he's laughing all the way to the bank. A huge bestseller still. Antis can make money from Mormonism too. It's a rich field of potential profits, for faithful and antis alike.

You know what "they" say you can buy with money!

Besides that his previous work better explains the success of "Under the Banner of Heaven" than "UTBOH" explains it. It is the same reason BYU is starting the year off ranked, this concept that previous national notoriety earned explains perceptions is a concept lost on much of Utenation. For evidence I ask you to pay attention to the stringpulling that will become more and more evident as more and more preseason college football polls are released throughout our upcoming summer.

But for a guy who doesn't expect his team to score against UNLV, you will be pretty content.