March Reads 1

(remember 90 day challenge starts today!)

The 19th wife by David Ebershoff. Yes it is about the Firsts (a back water splinter group of the Latter day Saints) Yes it is about Ann Eliza Young (the 19th wife of Brigham Young) and yes it is written by a non LDS. I really enjoyed this book. It was really three stories woven into one. the story of Ann Eliza told through her memoir, the journal of Brigham Young, her father's memoirs, her brother Gilbert's Memoirs, and some correspondence from her son. each given i believe a good representation from the point of view of the person. (each of these sections is written in first person as if you are actually reading their story from their own mouths. tangled into this story is the story of Jordan as he tries to find out who really killed his dad and framed his mom. (his mom is the 19th wife of his dad) Jordan was kicked out of the firsts-literally left on the side of the road by his mom- for getting caught holding his step sister's hand. It was a great book and really makes you think a little about the issue of polygamy and what people are willing to put up with if they are told their salvation depends upon it. the best part of this book Ebershoff gives a list of all the resources he used to write the book so if you want to explore more into the topic and check his facts you can. I really enjoyed it and think it is very well written. Yes I would recommend it to just about anyone. Know this though if you are anti Mormon you may come away thinking Ebershoff went way too easy on Brigham. if you are Pro Mormon you will probably think he went to harsh on Brigham. me I think he treated the whole topic with honesty and truthfulness.