Favorite Wife

Favorite Wife is a memoir chronicling Susan Ray Schmidt's experiences in a fundamentalist Mormon polygamous community during the 1950s and 1960s. At age fifteen, she becomes the fourth wife of Verlan LeBaron in a compound in Mexico. The narrative follows Schmidt's life within the rigid religious structure of the LeBaron group, detailing daily existence in a plural marriage and the complex relationships between sister wives. She recounts the challenges of raising children in poverty while sharing her husband with multiple other families. Schmidt provides an insider's perspective on the beliefs, practices, and power dynamics within isolated polygamous communities. Her account documents the intersection of faith, family obligations, and personal identity within a closed religious society. This memoir explores universal themes of belonging, self-determination, and the price of conformity to extreme religious ideologies. Through Schmidt's experiences, the book examines how belief systems shape human relationships and individual choices.

Readers describe this memoir as a raw, firsthand account of life in a polygamous marriage. Many reviews note the author's straightforward writing style and ability to convey complex emotions without sensationalism. What readers liked: - Detailed insights into daily FLDS community life - Clear explanations of how young women are drawn into plural marriage - The author's resilience and eventual path to independence - Balance between personal story and broader cultural context What readers disliked: - Some sections feel repetitive - A few readers wanted more details about her life after leaving - Occasional timeline jumps create confusion Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (500+ ratings) Common reader comments: "Couldn't put it down - reads like a novel but it's all true" "Helps understand why women stay in difficult situations" "More thoughtful than other polygamy memoirs" "The author tells her story without bitterness"

Escape by Carolyn Jessop, Laura Palmer A first-person account of life inside and eventual flight from the FLDS polygamous sect under Warren Jeffs' leadership.

Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall This memoir documents a woman's experience as a child bride in the FLDS church and her testimony that helped convict Warren Jeffs.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff A parallel narrative connects a modern-day murder in a polygamous compound with the story of Brigham Young's wife Ann Eliza Young who fought to end plural marriage.

Prophet's Prey by Sam Brower A private investigator's chronicle of the investigation into FLDS leader Warren Jeffs and the inner workings of the polygamous sect.

The Witness Wore Red by Rebecca Musser A former plural wife reveals her life as the wife of an FLDS prophet and her later role in bringing leaders to justice.

🌟 Author Susan Ray Schmidt was herself a plural wife in a fundamentalist Mormon sect, marrying at age 15 to become the sixth wife of polygamist Verlan LeBaron. 🌟 The LeBaron family, featured prominently in the book, was involved in a series of murders in the late 1970s through their "Church of the Lamb of God" organization, though these events occurred after Schmidt had left the community. 🌟 The author successfully escaped the polygamous community with her five children in 1975, despite the common practice of women losing custody of their children when leaving such groups. 🌟 The book provides rare first-hand insights into daily life in Colonia LeBaron, Mexico, one of the most secretive fundamentalist Mormon colonies established to continue practicing plural marriage after it was banned by the mainstream Mormon church. 🌟 Schmidt later earned her college degree and became an advocate for women and children trapped in polygamous relationships, using her experiences to help others transition to life outside these communities.