Mormon Enigma

and well documented. I first read this book years ago, when you could still buy it in Mormon book stores and honest research was not yet suppressed. K. Ramsey ( see his vitriolic review) fails to mention that the author was excommunicated precisely because she dared to print the truth. It is always a sad state of affairs when you see authors and researchers being treated in a manner that one would associate more with a totalitarian government, or perhaps with another faith - during the time of the Inquisition. At any rate, this book is well worth reading because it is without the sugary white-washing which one so often finds nowadays in books of that genre. A good follow-up read would be Compton's well-documented and sobering book "In Sacred Loneliness", which deals with the fate of the plural ( and often polyandrous ) wives of Joseph Smith.

This is one of the finest examples of what can be accomplished when diligent and skillful historians of Mormonism move beyond their religious biases and seek to understand a subject rather than engage in religious polemics. Written by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery, this biography of Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith Jr., the Mormon founder, presents a sweeping and dramatic portrait of this remarkable woman. Generally accepted as a pathbreaking book, "Mormon Enigma" rehabilitated the image of Emma Smith as the obstinate and faith-shirking figure that had long held sway among the Mormons and at the same time debunked the image she enjoyed in Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now the Community of Christ, which she joined in 1860. In that tradition she was "holier than thou," a good samaritan who faithfully discharged her responsibilities to ensure that her son, Joseph Smith III, became president of that dissident group. In both instances the result was positive. The book placed Emma Smith into an interpretive framework which taught Mormondom much about its trials and sacrifices, triumphs and tragedies. The work made possible, along with other historical workds, a major reinterpretation of the formative period of Mormonism. This book is must reading for anyone who even pretends to be well-versed in the history of Mormonism. Buy it, read it, pass it on to your friends.

This is the first book I've read that painted Emma Hale Smith for the remarkable person she likely was, rather than the demoness that Joseph Smith would have to "descend into hell to recover," as Brigham Young would have you believe. Brigham had a very hard principle which he either had to live without question, or abandon the Prophet to whom he had sworn his undying devotion; that of plural marriage. His biggest foe was Emma Hale Smith. Of all the characters in early Mormon history, few held as much power to tople the practice of polygamy as Emma, and so Brigham and the "Twelve" had to either abandon their martyred prophet, or his wife. The choice was simple. Emma was left to receive the abuse and criticism heaped upon her for standing firm for what she believed, just as had other women of her day who couldn't abide by "the Principle," and who were likewise "burned at the Mormon stake," figuratively speaking (Sarah Pratt, wife of Orson comes most notably to mind.) The result has been 100 years of believing Emma to be a fallen saint...and I argue, 100 years of harsh, misguided judgement. Brigham should have backed off, and so should the rest of us who followed him.This book will give the reader not only a glimpse at the heroics of Emma's life, but some valuable insight into her zealous first husband, Joseph Smith. Furthermore, it is early Mormon history written from a woman's perspective (or at least more so than most, since the Bretheren were the predominant historical force in the church), giving you insight into the remarkable sacrifices that the women were called upon to make. We marvel at the men who willingly answered the call to serve missions afar, without purse or scrip. But what about their wives, whom they left in destitute and diseased circumstances, with multiple mouths to feed, facing mob attrocities, and often without a penny to their name? They were left at the mercies of the world and their neighbors, and for whatever reason, were there, holding the pieces together (if they survived...) when their husbands returned years later. I could go on...Avery and Tippets have done a wonderful job of weaving the bits of information into a tale of faith and fortitude. It's difficult to guage, however, the influence of their personal affinity for their subject and its impact on the flavor of the book. I suppose that's always the biographer's dilemma. Nevertheless, the book is well researched and thorough in its treatment of the First Lady of Mormondom, and I highly recommend it for Latter Day Saint readers or general history readers.

After reading many books which either sugar-coated or demonized the early Mormon experience, I found the extensive use of authentic documents (letters, diaries, news articles, church & public records) in the work to be refreshing. The authors seemed to have no other agenda than to discover and reveal Emma's actual experience. Emma is portrayed with a wide spectrum of human qualities, overlain with a strong, consistent spiritual vision. Peering into her husband/prophet's life, through her perspective, seemed to give a fair, historically accurate, and unromanticized, view of a man who has inspired strong emotions, devotion and criticism. I recommend it. The view of life during the decades of Emma's life was carefully drawn and gives appreciation for the challenges of people in that time and place.