Lucy!

[Jean]

Lucy Mack Smith's history is noted more for what is absent than for its historical accuracy yet it does give a perspective on the Smith family and the times in which they lived. Noticeably absent was any mention of polygamy.

I found her to be very dramatic and self important. She often refers to 'we' regarding the founding of the church and its subsequent unfolding. Lucy reveals the magic that the family and most of the common folk relied upon in those times. I had to do a fair amount of research to discover what 'winning the faculty of abrac' meant. I eventually found it in Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn, which is a book that I highly recommend for those who seek an understanding of the origins of the LDS Church.

[Nancy]

I had hoped the book would be more about Joseph including his childhood. Lucy didn't think that was important. She wrote more about the family, and the church. It was interesting, but I didn't learn much that I didn't already know.