Leaving the Saints (Abridged): How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith Audiobook

" I thought this book was awesome. And terrifying. And funny. And very uplifting as Beck, now an ex-Mormon, discovered...against all odds!...her own delicious connection to spirit. But alas, I guess she is damned to the Outer Darkness forever now. Oh, well... "

" I just finished reading this and feel like my eyes have been opened to recovery in a new way. I keep quoting this book to my husband and feeling grateful all over again for the freedom that I know as my faith. "

" Well-written; however not worth the read. Self-indulgent and opinionated veering far from the truth at times. "

" I believe her story is true from her perspective - that it is her truth, no doubt including many objective and painful facts. However, on the whole I felt the book offered only a caricature of the religion and most of the people in it. I put it down about 2/3 through. "

" A memoir about Mormonism, childhood abuse & organised religion. There's lots of heavily divided reviews about this book on Amazon, and it is a divisive book - it's a very angry memoir, with good reason (no-one in the author's family believes that her father molested her). It's an interesting story about a spiritual awakening and is well written, but it didn't really hold my interest - I'm kind of over spiritual awakenings, I think. "

" confirmed that religion is scary, especially the mormons, but the author is truly odd in how well she recalls the oddest of memories at the strangest of times. (see the snake on the porch anecdote...who thinks like that in the moment?). I believe her claims. 100%. i think the author "remembers" things having had years to process and analyze them. Great insight, good story, doubt i'll read anything else of hers though. "

" Told with more wit and panache than I had expected, Beck chronicles the agonizing events that led to her abandonment of her Mormon roots for what seems to be a vague sort of transcendentalism. Beck is a writer of considerable skill, carefully weaving together her tale of family dysfunction and spiritual questing with just the right amount of unofficial LDS church history to help the reader make sense of it all. "

" Another beautifully written memoir, Martha's latest chronicles her decision to leave the Mormon church to find her faith. "

" Fascinating, crazy true account of Martha Becks life within the Mormon community. Loved it "

" Made me think. I didn't care for the chronology, or lack thereof. I couldn't tell when anything was happening, but it ultimately didn't matter to the message. It was just a little annoying. "

" I feel for the pain Martha Beck went through. But it is inspiring how she let go and used forgiveness in her life in order to find peach. "

" read this when you read under the banner of heaven. "

" For such a heart wrenching account of her past her tone is surprisingly light. An excellently told story. "

" In a way, this book reminded me of Eat, Pray, Love. As far as spiritual journey memoirs go, I liked it better! It was sad and powerful and very well written. "

" Fiction. The definition of memoir is consistently debatable. But according to her husband at the time this is probably along the lines of a million little pieces fiction masquerading as memior. "

" Interesting...in a weird, yucky way. It didn't sell me on becoming a Mormon. I have always been interested in the religion only because I've had friends who were Mormon and always wondered what it meant to be a Mormon. It feels like it's a cult and also brainwashing. "

" A moving story of betrayal and self-deception, although it peters out at the end, making the sub-title something of a misnomer. "

" I am always intrigued by people who leave the faith of their upbringing (esp. mormons.) I plan to read more of Martha Beck. "

" I just loved the author's approach to her life. No self-pity, lots of honesty and humor. "

" A must read for any recovering mormon. "

" amazing story of self-reflection and strength tied up in the sad story of family, community, and religion "

" This book was not quite what I expected, but the relationship between the author and her father was interesting on every level. I found the book to be very interesting and hard to put down. "

" There was far too much woo in this book. The over the top spirituality over powered the hilarious anecdotes about the craziness of the LDS church. "

" I love Martha Beck. She writes in a way that is accessible to all, while not 'dumbing us down'. I find her humor to be quite enjoyable as well. Of course, this is a serious subject matter about how she made her journey out of Mormonism. Quite a compelling story. "

" An excellent memoir and insight into the strangle old of the LDS in Utah. I appreciated the author's storytelling strategy and use of personal as well as academic voice. Highly recommended. "

" A truly chilling story about the Mormon faith and this one woman's personal journey. This book is disturbing and makes you reassess your opinions on religion, Mormonism in particular. "

" Jerry Springer-esque post-religious pulp fiction “Bee-tee-dubs – we’re gay!” "

" Eye opening look into life as a Mormon woman, mother, and wife. "

" In a way, this book reminded me of Eat, Pray, Love. As far as spiritual journey memoirs go, I liked it better! It was sad and powerful and very well written. "

" Equal parts fascinating, horrifying and absurd. I loved Expecting Adam but this was even better. "

" Moving, disturbing, encouraging, and unexpectedly funny. Martha is blatantly frank and her honesty carries the story through her own grasping for truth. "

" Entertaining. The wire-tapping black helicopters were especially humorous. "

" Great book. Well written, touching and loving portal of growing beyond the messes life sends our way. I will have to read this again as I think the wisdom in this book will deserve repeating. "