Seventeen Sisters: Tell Their Story

by Barbara Barlow, Virginia Webb

We've watched interesting plural marriages in TV documentaries, read about them in books, and even seen them featured in an HBO series. We've heard daunting stories about young women forced into marrying older men and the admirable journey to escape their way out of the polygamous life they were taught they belonged. We've seen a large family grow on a TLC show, documenting the Mormon religion and discipline from a positive perspective. Today, the Mormon and polygamous culture has shown itself into the limelight more than ever before. This series of seventeen stories focuses on the Barlow family, a family that epitomized the Mormon, polygamous lifestyle. It was led by Albert Barlow, a father of thirty-four children and a husband to three women for over fifty years. The seventeen living daughters of Albert's family here to tell their story. They have seen it all, they have experienced it all. Here we can observe how one lifestyle can branch out to seventeen different perspectives, seventeen different dreams, and seventeen different outcomes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mormonism

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2015

Reviews

[Gail · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book made me so angry that so many individuals tolerated such physical and emotional abuse for so long. Most if not all of the older Sisters suffered physical, mental and sexual abuse. Yet none of the Sisters protected ther children fom the horrors of living in this sect. This was all done in the name of Polgamy and their beliefs of what this sect of the Mormon Church allowed and so called love. Even when they left Mexico to come to the US for Financial aide their practices continued. All of this is so very sad. The authors/ Sisters were sucessful in telling their sensational story.

[Phyllis Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Tragic family tale

A polygamous family's tragic tale of their dysfunctional family. The poor editing reflects these 17 sisters' lack of education. Physical, emotional and sexual abuse is a common occurrence in such families and this one is no exception. Heart wrenching.

[Chris Bedell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Family memoir

This book is strange. It straddles an odd line. It's not, actually, about polygamy, per se. It's not even about a family's experience in polygamy. It reads more like a collection of stories that someone would collect at a family reunion...for family. This isn't the story of 17 sister wives, or anything like that. But, 17 stories by women who had polygamous parents. It's not bad. I found some of the stories sweet and, if I were Mormon, I might have thought they were faith affirming... but it's written in an odd syntax and never quite gels as a collection.

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful

Interesting book about the female offspring of a polygamous family. Most of the sisters seemed to follow their upbringing and enter themselves into plural marriage with the exception of the youngest Barbara. The polygamous lifestyle was financially difficult for the Barlow family and extremely hard work. The risk of prosecution and times spent incarcerated meant that these people held their religious beliefs dear. An insightful read but can be a little confusing at times due to the amount of siblings to the three wives.

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

True stories of 17 sisters who are all the daughters of one man and his 3 wives. If you liked Big Love on HBO you'll enjoy this book. It was interesting to read the perspectives of so many different women.

[Cecil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varying perspectives on a unique lifestyle by siblings. I found it interesting.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

More pro-polygamy than anticipated

There were a few typos. The stories each followed a similar story line where they described a terrible childhood in polygamy, then they marry into polygamy and summarize by saying how #blessed they were for following this religion..

[Suzanne Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of 17 sisters growing up in a polygamist situation is interesting. Some of the stories are much alike but they certainly have their differences, which made me keep reading.

[Sylvie Boisvert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. I always enjoy reading true stories and autobiographies. This book shows the good and the not as good side large families. I have read a few books on FLDS and polygomy. This one showed a different side. Thank you for your willing to share your very private experiences with us. I cannot judge those who want to live polygomy, even though I know that it would never be a good choice for me. However, it is evident that too many children in a family is not the best thing. As told in this book the oldest children are almost always responsible for the younger ones. The parents are tired and unavailable for the young ones. A brother or sister is wonderful, but cannot replace a parent.

[Laura Heitzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seventeen Sisters

I thought the book was interesting, but the stories seemed to "run together." It was amazing how many of the women ended up in violent relationships, and the high number of divorces that they reported.

[Kathleen Riggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Heart-Warming, And Heart-Breaking Book
This book is written in the mid-20th century in Utah and is an incredible story of 17 sisters who tell their stories of growing up in a polygamist family. They talk about abuse and neglect by their parents and then by their husbands. None of these sisters knew what the others were writing, yet so many were similar when you read their Story’s and experience.
I concluded that all these women were brainwashed by some very domineering men, but I found this was an interesting, heart-warming, and heart-breaking book. I am amazed how some live the polygamist way and others do not, but they still accept each other’s choices eventually.
I am part of the ARC group for Wildblue Press and BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading your book. I was pulled in reading the first chapters about the fathers childhood. I enjoyed reading each sisters story but had a really hard time keeping them straight. I guess that just comes with the territory when reading about such a large family. I read the kindle edition and there was a family tree at the end.. As difficult as it was for me to follow who was who & where other children fitted in but I really did enjoy the stories and hearing all the different perspectives. I come from a very different lifestyle & different country so it was really interesting to hear how and why you each made the choices you made.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated by plural marriage, why people would choose two live such impoverished lives with large families. This book is true about each of 17 daughters, with the same father and different mothers (3). They all experience heartbreak, emotional difficulty into adulthood, and carry that into their adult lives. Some embrace polygamy themselves and some do not, but none have satisfying marriages. It is a sad story for sure. But each daughter told her own story and together, they shared their lives. And there are pictures.

[Monta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super, super interesting look into the lives of sisters who grew up in polygamous families. I found it particularly compelling to see the different choices made by these sisters as they became adults. I also found it interesting to see the ubiquity of the common themes of alcoholism and and abuse in these families--alcoholism because they're break-offs of the LDS church, which eschews alcohol, and abuse because that is so prevalent in fundamentalist religions (including LDS).

[SHARON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

An insight into a very controversial issue. The book is written eloquently and without apology for their lifestyle choice. The sisters are very brave for documenting their individual stories.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

This was a very good book. I loved hearing the stories of each sister and how they differed. I enjoyed learning about the polygamist community and how everyone chose to see their religion.

[Laura Byrne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

Good read. Must read for anyone that loves to read about the Fundamentalist latter day saints. Heart breaking to think about.

[Stacey Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s interesting to learn about life that you have no clue about. Not a lot of scandal here. Just stories. Good stories but I wouldn’t call them juicy. Or controversial.

[Claire · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is fine but every story ends with a big thank you to god for everything these ladies have been through. It felt very preachy in places, not what I was expecting at all.

[Lori Benetti]

Interesting book

I enjoyed this book although it started to feel redundant. I have a much better understanding of polygamy. Not a great family life for the sisters.

[Susan Sparke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull!

[catherine Lenz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book although some parts were a bit disturbing such as how these wives were dehumanized as women of value and intelligence. It definitely was an interesting read!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

17

This is more of a journal than novel. Family relationships, abuse, polygamy, 17 sisters. It became boring 3/4 thru story.

[Giddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is such an interesting book and really shows how we all grow up in different families. And the pressure to conform or sort of be on your own the beatings they endured growing up and then often at the hands of their husbands . this is a great book showing why women don't just leave

[Theresa Foxx wishert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprising

A biography by 17 women, who each grew up in similar circumstances. They have very divergent experiences as adults, each framed, to some degree, on early life experiences. The younger the child, the less real connection with their parents. And most had difficult lives, including the impact of alcoholism on their lives.
Thoughtful, difficult lives, and brave women who shared their stories.

[Tricia Toney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at the daughters of a polygamous marriage and their paths in life.