Setting the Record Straight: Emma Smith: An Elect Lady

by Susan Easton Black

Emma An Elect Lady reveals the story of an extraordinary woman who lived in a trying time. As the wife of Joseph Smith, the first Latter-day Saint Prophet, Emma knew much of religious bigotry, vexatious lawsuites, and lawless brutality. She comforted Joseph in his extremities, bore his children, and wrote of her abiding love for him. Yet, as time passed and Joseph was murdered, Emma struggled to find her place. Her life story, unique from beginning to end, is presented here in a quetion and answer format to supply readers with easy access to her biographical information and increased understanding of the trials and triumphs of this remarkable woman.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Biography, History, Lds, Biography Memoir

105 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Susan Easton Black is a retired professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah. She is also an author of several books related to Joseph Smith, Jr. and the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I respect Emma and think the material was put together with good intentions, so I give it 3 stars when I think it only deserves 2. I definitely don't think "Setting the Record Straight" is an adequate title considering there just isn't enough recorded by Emma to set any record straight. The question/answer format was highly annoying. The questions were contrived and obviously written after formatting the material. It would have been much easier to read with section headings or just simple separator lines; about halfway through I stopped reading the questions and just read the answers and it was easier to get through.

This short book sets forth the facts of what we know about Emma Hale Smith Bidamon but is almost entirely a collection of things said about her by other people. It didn't answer my questions about her because frankly we don't know what she was thinking or why she did certain things. If anything, this book has taught me to keep a journal. I wish Emma had written about herself! Based on what others thought of her and the things she accomplished, I respect Emma Smith as a woman called of God to be the wife of the Prophet Joseph. I believe she was true to him to the end, and I think she bore the burdens of her life the best she could. I do not profess to understand her choice to stay behind in Nauvoo, marry Mr. Bidamon (a man nobody seemed to like and who cheated on her, fathering a child with another woman during their marriage), or join the RLDS church but maybe if I moved 11 times in 17 years, feared for my life, raised children while my husband was in jail, buried several children, and survived my husband's murder I too would make some choices that the world wouldn't understand. Some day I will meet Emma and give her a big hug.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally enjoy Susan Easton Black's books as she provides well-documented historical support for his books. This book about Emma Smith provides accounts of people that new Emma Smith Bidamon and some limited records from Emma Smith. Unfortunately, there seem to be few original sources about Emma's life. The question/answer format was rather contrived but offered a quick read of the historical information the author had. Some of the information conflicts with other accounts that I've read, so I'd like to read further about her life. It seems that Emma didn't keep a journal, so much of the information is from family or friends who knew her. She certainly had a challenging life and endured much suffered during her life with Joseph Smith and their children. 3.5 Stars

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honest and fact-based; I liked it. There is no question that Emma had a lot to endure throughout her life. The absence of any first hand journal makes it hard to draw certain conclusions about her thinking and motivations, but this book does a good job outlining her life, her conduct, and addressing (briefly) questions regarding her views on plural marriage, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration.

As an aside, the question and answer format could be irritating, as when it said "Did Joseph write to Emma during (name the time period)" and then went on to share a letter. Overall, though, not a bad device.

One sad moment: Joseph returned to be arrested prior to Carthage at the request of his wife. She and others felt that the members would suffer if Joseph didn't submit himself to arrest. Joseph wrote "If my life is of no value to my friends it is of none to myself. . ."

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this 100 pager in a morning, essentially. It's a Q/A format, 150+ citations at end, primary source quoting book. Perfect, I think, for Emma Smith. What a curious place in history she has! I felt comfortable coming to my own conclusions about her because of the lack of commentary. I guess I nixed the last star because a few citations were repeated and I'm impatient with that when the book is so short and I'm rereading a bit just 45 minutes later... I learned a lot of facts I didn't know. A companion book would describe (with citations) 19th century manners, American frontier... what do the silences mean, the gaps of information: Emma did not keep a journal so the best historians can do is recreate from other primary sources about her. What a place in history she has! (I guess that's repetitious!)

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

After watching "Emma Smith: My Story" which I found to be a pleasant surprise, I was interested in learning more about Emma. Unfortunately, this Q&A formatted book by Susan Easton Black proved a disappointment. None of the information was new to me. The Q&A format seemed a bit contrived, full of leading questions (and questions I would never have asked)merely tailored to convey certain information about Emma. For example, "Did Emma carry a new translation of the Bible across the Mississippi River?" However, if you have very little (almost none) knowledge about Emma Smith, this book offers a one-sitting history lesson about the life of a remarkable woman.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked that this book was based on facts and what is directly known about Emma, not on conjecture or assumption. I have always appreciated Emma and all that she went through in her life. It left me with a few questions, mainly on the issue of polygamy. Was Emma mistaken (lying) about whether or not Joseph received a revelation on this principle and actually lived this law, or did the church leaders that followed after Joseph introduce this principle and attribute it to Joseph? This book does not ultimately answer this question.

[Robb Menlove · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to say that I was dissapointed. As one of the foremost scholars on Nauvoo, and the Nauvoo time period I thought the author would go deeper than this. I'm not sure how you can put a book about Emma Smith in the, "Setting the Record Straight" series, and only have two pages on polygamy. I thought it was much more shallow than I know Susan Easton Black is. Joseph and Emma had problems just like everyone else on the earth, but I don't think you can ignore them, and call it "Setting the Record Straight."

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a great admiration for Emma Hale Smith! I recommend that anyone who doesn't know much about her, or is confused by the bad rep she is sometimes associated with, read this book!!! I was raised to beleive that she was not supportive of Joseph and his callings most of the time, which is absolutely not true! She was an amazing woman, and like everyone else, she made mistakes, but if I can ever be half the woman she was I'll be happy!

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a question and answer book where Susan Black tells us everything we know about Emma. As the pioneers settled in the SLValley, a feeling of betrayal seemed to permeate about Emma and that is when the bad feelings about her began. They lasted for a very long time. I am happy that the church is now giving her a second chance. I personally love Emma and think she went through much more than I could have.

[Sirpa Grierson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basic information about Emma, whom I must say that I both love and admire. What Susan does as a historian is present facts from historic documents and and allow the reader to decide what they think about Emma. I agree with Naomi's review that the questions were often a bit contrived, but this is a good first look at the enigma that is the Prophet's wife. I assume the other books in this series are similar.

[Qkimball12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Susan Easton Black is THE expert when it comes to Joseph Smith and in this case, Emma Smith as well. It's true we don't have much to go own, but Black does a great job or organizing the information we do have to help you learn more about Emma Smith. My only disappointment was the Question and Answer format, which others have mentioned as well. I think it would have a much better flow if it had been a chronological history.

[Marcelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for my church book group. It was good in that she systematically answered often asked questions about Emma. It was lacking in that we all want to know more about what Emma felt, thought and did -but I can't blame this author as no one has this info. Too bad Emma did not keep a journal!

[Jen Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I love Emma Smith and often get annoyed when I hear others talk down about her and I wanted to undrstand more about her personally. This book was great. Quick read with straight forward answers. And with it being written by Susan Easton Black, I know that it's all accurate and true.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, straight forward look at Emma Smith's life, written in a question and answer method. It was factual and well researched but still left me wishing that I knew a little more of Emma's motivations, feelings and thoughts. This wasn't due to the author leaving this out but rather that Emma didn't keep a journal so we just don't know that sort of thing.

[LeAnne Franke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always greatly admired Emma Smith and wanted to learn more about her life and experiences. This book is an excellent starting place, it presents basic facts in an easy to follow timeline of her life and is well sourced. It's an easy read, and the more I read, the more it was affirmed to me that Emma Smith was-and still is- an elect daughter of God.

[Heidi VW · Rating 4 out of 5]

After seeing the Emma Smith movie, I wanted to learn a little more about her life. This book gives the basic historical facts about Emma Smith but the author points out that there is much of her thoughts, feelings and motivations that we don't know about because she didn't keep a journal.

[Heloyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basic fundamental history of this remarkable woman. I was grateful for a book that answered questions many have asked. It was straight forward and to the point letting the reader draw their own conclusions.

[Amy]

This book wasn't what I thought, but it was very educational. It's not a story, but a Q&A. I've always been intrigued by Emma Smith. This book only gives facts-not sugar coated. Some stuff was fun to learn, other stuff wasn't.

[Chelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really quick read...it is written in a question/answer type form and just really easy to follow. I took Susan Easton Black's class on Joseph Smith at BYU. It is interesting to see how much she has learned about Emma since then. I am giving it to my 11 year old to read next.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not a fan of the question/answer format of the book. I did however, learn some interesting facts about Emma. I gained more respect for her for the woman she was and the trials she faced in her life.

[Andie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe that Emma Smith is probably one of the most misunderstood people in the "Mormon" Church. I enjoyed learning about her experiences and her love for the prophet, Joseph Smith. I often wonder if I would have done the same things as she did, had I been alive during the same time period.

[Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of the "Setting the Record Straight" series. Susan Easton Black has written a concise question-and-answer timeline and "biography" of Emma Smith.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book leaves so much still not understood about her. I liked the well documented presentation but I was a little disappointed that there was not more.

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the book was insightful. The book had facts that I ready knew from reading other books about Emma.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Emy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Susan Easton Black does a great job of providing factual info on Emma Smith. Written in a Q&A format so I had to knock it down a few stars for being on the dry side.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Q and A book. Susan Easton Black only uses real sources. True to her research ethic.
No new revelations, just the facts
Easy read--short

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really staight forward chronilogical representation of Emma's life. Very quick read. Not too in depth, but insightful.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in 2 sittings. Most of the information I already had known but there were a couple of discoveries .......

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview.