Leaving the Saints

It would have been easy for Bernadette Dunne to narrate such a personal story badly. In her second memoir Martha Beck narrates her tortuous path out of Mormonism, a path that led to intense battles with her intellectually powerful father and to bizarre memories of sexual abuse at his hands, which Beck recalled as an adult. Dunne's narration not only captures the horror and the barrage of other emotions through dramatic changes in pace and tone, she manages to evoke the surprising touches of humor Beck inserts to lighten her narrative. Dunne also makes clear the time shifts in Beck's personal story. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

March 15, 2006
Listeners who enjoyed Beck -s "Expecting Adam" may appreciate revisiting the author -s family as they move back to Provo, UT, following the birth of their second child, born with Down syndrome. Looking for the support the Mormon community typically extends to a disabled child, Beck faces further struggles as she deals with repressed childhood memories of sexual abuse that cause her to question family relationships and the structure of Mormonism. She uses her academic training to dissect the beliefs of the Mormon Church and finds that the Latter-day Saints version of history does not hold up to scrutiny. At the same time, Beck chronicles a spiritual awakening that comes to take the place of Mormonism in her life. While the sections on Mormon history and religious practice are well written and fascinating, the parts of the book that deal with Beck -s newly found spirituality are often vague, amorphous, and self-serving. Bernadette Dunne -s narration, while generally fine, at times seems a bit too perky for the subject matter. Recommended for libraries with a following for Beck -s earlier books." - Karen Traynor, Sullivan Free Lib., Chittenango, NY"

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