Nauvoo: A Place of Peace, a People of Promise

I found myself easily immersed in Leonard's book, Nauvoo, A Place of Peace, A People of Promise. He has done a magnificent job bringing to life the story of the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo. Loaded with factual references, he offers a perspective not here-to-fore given the serious student of Nauvoo history. Some have said that Nauvoo and its temple were the crowning achievement of Joseph Smith's ministry. As an active Latter-day Saint, and after reading this book, I would agree with this statement. However, the achievements most might think of are the temporal achievements. Building a city of 12,000 residents out of a swamp in six years, or undertaking the erection of a temple this magnificent was at the time a major leadership and temporal accomplishment. Latter-day Saints recognize, though, that these crowning achievements are more about Joseph's prophetic call. It was during those turbulent Nauvoo years that Joseph received many of the revelations that truly define the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mr. Leonard helps drive this point home. I would have liked more information about a few things. Early in the book, when Leonard discusses the number of elected government officials who are LDS versus non-LDS, he does not provide any comparative population statistics. This would be important to know to help the reader assess for himself whether or not the ratio was "fair." He merely comments that the ratio of LDS to non-LDS politicians favored the non-believers. I would like to know the facts. At the end of chapter five, he leaves us with a bit of a cliffhanger regarding John C. Bennett. This might work in fiction, but it seemed out of place for this historical work. We all know what a scalawag Bennett turned out to be. Just tell us he is a crook and adulterer and get it over. In fact, later when we learn more about Bennett's wrong doings, Leonard never really comes out with the charges. In chapter six, we read good material about the agrarian lifestyle those in and around Nauvoo chose to live. Given the comparative nature of earlier chapters, it would have been good to read more about how the Latter-day Saints farming practices differed from those of their non-LDS neighbors. I would also like to have read how trading ensued between LDS farmers and their non-LDS neighbors. When he gives his summarization of James Strang and the Strangite group, Leonard talks about the troubles Strang had on Beaver Island. We never hear about any positive contributions. One more sentence or even a short paragraph on Strang's contributions to northern Michigan might have made this work a little more credible. For example, few people realize that Strang published the first newspaper north of Grand Rapids, and that he was in the state legislature. A little balance helps build credibility. Leonard is at times too proper. A serious student of church history can take the truth, even if it might make us blush. There were ti

Glen Leonard does a fine job in this book of explaining the different things going on during the Nauvoo period of the LDS Church. Joseph Smith, the central figure of the drama, emerges as powerful leader and passionate prophet. The chapters on the martyrdom and the Nauvoo temple are particularly well done, and should be read by everyone seeking a better understanding of these important aspects of the church's history. In his review, Launius spends far too much time complaining about the title of the book. And certainly a reader cannot expect that Leonard will take his position on every topic. Whether you agree with Leonard's conclusions or not, he has done a commendable job of making the Nauvoo years more understandable.

Leonard has been working on this book for over twenty years, and the result is an impressive, comprehensive history of Nauvoo. He traces the history of the area, of course focusing on the years 1839-1846 when the Mormons were there, but not exclusive to that period. It describes the first settlers, the Mormon War after the main exodus, the Icarian period, and all the way through the re-dedication of the Nauvoo Temple in 2002.Leonard's detailed research debunks some things we always thought were true (for example, he claims that John Taylor's pocketwatch didn't stop a bullet--it was crushed when he fell) and provides more detail on many familiar stories we thought we knew (like the conference where Brigham Young and Sidney Rigdon vied for leadership of the Church).The book gets bogged down from time to time going over who owned what parcel of land, and describing every possible profession that was followed in Nauvoo. Descriptions of Nauvoo's economy aren't nearly as exciting as stories of the lives of the early Saints. As an active Latter-day Saint, Leonard treats doctrinal topics, revelations, and divine manifestations matter-of-factly without discussion as to their truth. His focus, instead, is the story of the people of Nauvoo. He claims to be writing for a universal audience, but a non-LDS reader may have difficulty with his passing mentions of prominent Mormon figures who are poorly identified because Mormons generally are familiar with them. For example, he uses the names "Orrin Rockwell" and "Porter Rockwell" interchangably (never "Orrin Porter Rockwell"), without telling us they are the same person.The theme of the book is that the Nauvoo period was crucial in defining the LDS Church against the rest of Christianity. Eternal marriage, temple endowments, vicarious ordinances, and man's divine potential are uniquely Mormon doctrines that Joseph Smith taught in Nauvoo. Leonard spends some time describing how many of Joseph's associates, including Sidney Rigdon and Joseph Smith III, rejected many of the Prophet's Nauvoo teachings and thereby formed their own religious groups. The understanding of these concepts increased my appreciation for the Prophet Joseph Smith and the city of Nauvoo itself.