My Story

Title: My Story

Author: Elizabeth Smart

Pages: 7 discs

Genre: Memoir

Grade: A

Synopsis: Elizabeth Smart was abducted at knife-point from her bed in her home in Salt Lake City by Brian David Mitchell in June of 2002. She was taken to a camp high up in the Wasatch Mountains  and kept there with Mitchell's other wife, Wanda Barzee, for months before moving with her captors to San Diego, California.  Mitchell, Smart and Barzee stayed in San Diego for about 6 months before hitchhiking their way back to Utah. Their intent was to head back up to the same camp in the mountains, but while making their way north and while walking along State Street in Sandy, UT the police apprehended Mitchell and Barzee and returned Elizabeth to her family after being with her captors for 9 months.

My Review: Most of us are pretty familiar with Elizabeth Smart's horrific story and this book outlines the details of her abduction and captivity. The writing was a little repetitive and at times defensive. I tend to give my highest marks to books that make me feel something or make me want to be a better person and this book fit the bill.  Maybe it was hearing Elizabeth read the words of the book herself on the audiobook copy that I listened to, but when I finished the book I realized that I had been strengthened by Elizabeth's faith, beliefs and toughness.  I want my daughters to grow up with these same convictions and Elizabeth has become a more-than-worthy role model for the young LDS generation.  She suffered from many of the worst abuses imaginable, but as she puts it in the conclusion of the book (and I'm only paraphrasing because I don't have a written copy), "At the time of this writing I am 25 years old.  I've been on this earth for 307 months and of those 307 months I suffered the abuse of Mitchell and Barzee for 9 of them.  The other 298 months have been happy and spent with my family who loves me.  I cannot let those 9 months define who I am."

During the worst moments of Smart's life she was witness to miracles, kindness and generosity from the most unexpected places.  I hope to be able to both recognize these sorts of miracles in my own life (I know they exist!) and to be able to be that miracle in somebody else's life if God is willing.

I donated to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, and you should too: http://elizabethsmartfoundation.org/donate/donation/