Under the Banner of Heaven

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer is a gripping work of narrative nonfiction that probes the dark intersection of faith and violence within American Mormonism. Krakauer centers on the 1984 murder of Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter by two brothers who claimed divine sanction, then uses that crime as a lens to trace the historical and theological roots of fundamentalist belief, including polygamy and claims of prophetic revelation. Combining careful reporting, interviews, and historical analysis, the book examines both extremist offshoots and the broader Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, asking how sincere religious conviction can be distorted into fanaticism and brutality. The result is an unsettling, thought provoking exploration of belief, authority, and the human costs of unquestioning obedience.