From Deseret News archives:
Nibley siblings outraged over sister's book
Yet Crown Publishers, a subsidiary of Random House in New York, has announced the March 8 publication of the explosive autobiography "Leaving the Saints: How I Lost the Mormons and Found My Faith," by Martha Beck, 40-year-old daughter of the greatly respected Nibley.
Beck is one of the eight adult children of Nibley and his wife, Phyllis, and they all grew up in an unpretentious, tiny, green-painted family home in Provo. Beck is a life coach with a doctorate in sociology from Harvard University who writes columns about everyday life problems for Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine.
Her book, made available to the media in advance editions, is, as the title suggests, an anti-LDS screed, with specific bold, angry accusations about her father, alleging he sexually abused her when she was a child, from age 5 to 8.
Beck declined to speak with the Deseret Morning News, but her siblings were eager to talk about their sister's book.
Peterson considers it "a nasty book" that has Beck unfairly attacking her parents and her church. He considers the material concerning Mormonism to be "bizarre she thinks the Danites are going to come and kill her."
All of Beck's siblings nonetheless maintain a united front, each expressing disbelief that their father ever sexually abused their sister. Christina, the oldest daughter, called Beck's book "a work of fiction" and said she is "outraged" that her sister would write it. "I'm extremely disappointed."
Recent comments
I read Martha's book "Breaking the cycle..." many years ago. I found...
Anonymous | Nov. 11, 2008 at 4:26 p.m.
I don't believe Martha Beck. Her sister (Zina) makes a pretty strong...
MW | Oct. 8, 2008 at 5:44 p.m.
I read Dr. Beck's book about her son with Down syndrome (it is...
trsf | Aug. 9, 2008 at 11:54 p.m.
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