Reviews

Setting the Record Straight: Emma Smith: An Elect Lady by Susan Easton Black

meme_too2's review

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5.0

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.

rachel_abby_reads's review

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3.0

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. . ."

raehink's review

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3.0

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.
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