One Lost Boy: His Escape from Polygamy

by David Beagley

David's family lived upright Christian lives as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then, one day, his father decided to follow another path. Forcing his wife to agree and his family to follow, he joined a polygamist group and left his wife and children to support themselves while he pursued other wives. One Lost Boy is the true story of a boy who, at a young age, was forced into the polygamist culture. This story depicts the heart-wrenching emotions David experienced as he watched his family leave normal society for the grim and unforgiving polygamist lifestyle. He spent long, hot summers in the polygamist community of Short Creek, Arizona, and during the school year he had to hide his true identity from classmates for fear that his family's secret lifestyle would be discovered. Years prior to his escape he knew he had to get out. Shortly after he turned sixteen the opportunity presented itself, and, with his family and the law close on his heels, he ran. David's story is a series of life-altering events that shows the importance of faith in times of darkness and affirms the truth that God truly loves and cares for all - even one lost boy.

Genres: Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 30, 2008

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does not talk too much about the polygamy side of things. David does talk more about how his father decision effected his family of 12 kids and his mother.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

David never really frees himself, just exchanges one religious system for another. I also feel he idealized his mother,repeatedly holds her up as a holy person, blameless because she was "brainwashed" by his father.He writes about her allowing him to live in poverty, sending him away to an isolated and brutal polygamist camp to punish him when he questions polygamy, knocking on a closed store window to demand free food which she feels entitled to because she prayed and God must answer, and running an unlicensed day care where one of the children died in an accident caused by her neglect. How hard is it to watch sleeping babies? Not to mention all the other things she does. Yet he idolizes her and paints her as a saintly, good woman whose only flaw was being forced (though of course she was not forced) to live in a bad situation by his father.

In his later life, David's faith is solely dependent on his feelings, a poor guide to what is and is not true. He never sees religion as it really is. Once again, he blindly follows religious authority, in the men (exclusively men) who hold religious authority over him. They are idolized and unquestionably obeyed, just like in his upbringing. He never frees himself. And that is sad.

[Tani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a relative of mine. It was very interesting to read his story. Its been a while since I read it but I remember it being a quick read- only taking me a few hours, and also that it is well written. I can't believe the inequality of polygamy can still exist in our country, and that a relative of mine could have been involved!

I hate stories about polygamy because it reminds me of my church's history of it. But I also love to study it because of my personal connection to it. The more I learn about it, the less I believe that it can be a permanent (or eternal) truth, and that gives me comfort.

[Gloryseeker33 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast read, but interesting and worthwile. Having had a brief contact with some folks from this lifestyle, I was interested to read an insider's story. It was a pleasant surprise to have the book end up illustrating an important truth about how God works in our lives to bring about results we could never guess as we are in the midst of difficult experiences. Often we wonder why God lets certain things happen to us. It's nice to see a story where this question was eventually answered.

[Maren · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be about his personal escape from polygamy. As in his day to day struggles and what life was like. He hardly touched on the personal specifics. I did like that he overcame his dad and moved on. Seemed to take him a long time to "get" why things were happening to him. Really felt like whining at times too. Really have to be a member of the LDS Faith to understand the language of writing. Very short read. Don't know if I'd really recommend it.

[Elaine Grant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives a small glimpse into a lifestyle and culture that is foreign to many. Beagley details his feelings about his own dysfunctional family, but not much info on the lifestyle he left behind to return to his LDS roots. Although the LDS Church is not associated with the fundamentalist church, some basic understanding of LDS belief and practice is needed to make sense of this book.

[Roxanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a boy this time and his life in polygamy when his father decided to convert and take extra wives and move to Short Creek, Arizona. He kept his life to himself in school so no one would know his family was like this. But in the end he overcame his fathers rule and left.