Sep 7, 2009

Review of Cult Insanity- Irene Spencer




Cult Insanity- Irene Spencer


From the publisher- Life for Irene Spencer was a series of devastating disappointments and hardships. 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. Irene was raised to believe polygamy was the way of life necessary for her ticket to heaven.

The hard knocks of her environment were just the beginning of Irene's shocking tale. Insanity ran rampant in her husband's family and was the source of inconceivable events that unfolded throughout Irene's adult life. CULT INSANITY takes readers deeper into her story to uncover the outrageous behavior of her brother-in-law Ervil -- a self-proclaimed prophet who determined he was called to set the house of God in order -- and how he terrorized their colony. Claiming to be God's 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.

For those who were gripped by Shattered Dreams, the rest of the story will blow them away. CULT INSANITY is a riveting, terrifying memoir of polygamist life under the tyranny of a madman.



Cult Insanity is the story of Evril Lebaron, the brother in law of author Irene Spencer, a ruthless psychotic man, who killled 25 people, including family and church members. Irene Spencer was warned by her family that the Lebarons were a insane family, little did she know how insane some were.

As it's mentioned above, Cult Insanity is a sequel to Shattered Dreams, but it is not necessary to have read Shattered Dreams before you read Cult Insanity. I've never read Shattered Dreams, but I want to now. I don't know much about the polygomy ways, but after reading this book I really want to know more. This book was a real eye opener to what goes on in these compounds, and i'm speechless that these women think this is what God wants.

There are several books out there about Evril (doesn't that sound so much like Evil) Lebaron, but none have that personal touch that Irene Spencer brings. I really felt her terror while she was out there in Northern Mexico living in such close proximity to Evril. The evilness of Evril is transparent in every page as the story digs deeper and deeper into the sick mind of Evril. Again i'm dumbfounded why anyone would put themselves in such harm's way, and feel like they have no choice but to live life that way.


Final words, this a gripping, disturbing book, and after reading it I defnitely want to know more about polygomy.

3 comments:

  1. This sounds really good! I was hesitant to read it b/c I didn't read the first one and I'm usually ocd about reading them in order. Do you think it's really not necessary?

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  2. Jenny, I didn't find it hard to read because I didn't read Shattered Dreams. This book was about her brother in law Evril and what was going on in their polygomy community during his reign of terror. There was a lot of insight on how polygomy works in this book though, and that is what Shattered Dreams about, so it made me really want to read Shattered Dreams.

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  3. I have always been intrigued by it. Please sign me up for a free copy. Glad I found your blog.
    Paperback Swapper--Kim B

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Thanks for commenting!