The Undaunted by Gerald Lund (published 2009) was a fun historical novel to read. It ostensibly was about the Mormon pioneers in 1879, when they migrated from one part of Southern Utah to another. They went to the Four Corners are of Utah (San Juan) that is mostly rock, such as the rocky terrain at

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Between the Testaments: From Malachi to Matthew by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Kent S. Brown (published 2002) is an overview of the changing Jewish traditions and events from 600 B.C. to the life of Jesus Christ. It detailed the history of Jews returning to the homeland from Babylon after the exile and the varying degrees of

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When I was younger, I read the first six (or so) books from The Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund, which tells a fictionalized account of one family who lived during the first years of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now the series is complete with nine books, and I

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The Second Coming of the Lord by Gerald Lund (Deseret Book, 2020) collects and explains various scriptures and quotes from the prophets about, as the title indicates, the time when the Savior will return to the earth and reign with glory. With a personal approach to this religious topic, Lund manages to bring the difficult

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The Out of Jerusalem series by H.B. Moore (Covenant Communications, 2003-2006) retells the story of Lehi, Nephi, and their families as they leave Jerusalem and head for the promised land, giving the characters in the early parts of The Book of Mormon distinct personalities. Although there were many aspects I enjoyed as a part of

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Heart of the Matter: What 100 Years of Living Have Taught Me by Russell M. Nelson (Desert Book, 2023) is a collection of teaching, stories, and spiritual insights from pioneering heart surgeon and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a member of that Church, I sustain him as a prophet

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I read the trilogy The Kingdom and the Crown by Gerald Lund because I finished all the currently produced episodes of The Chosen! I was craving more immersion in the historical world of Roman-occupied Israel. We are studying the New Testament at church this year, and I’m the Sunday School teacher, so I promise I

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As a woman, getting a medical degree in the 1880s was no small task, and Martha Hughes Cannon was determined to do so in order to better serve those in her Utah pioneer community. Her Quiet Revolution by Marianne Monson (Shadow Mountain, 2020), a work of historical fiction, captures the life of this frontier doctor,

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Covenant Motherhood by Stephanie Dibb Sorensen is an inspiring book for Latter-day Saint mothers who wish to refresh their understanding of the Atonement and how covenants, the atonement, and the life and mission of Jesus Christ directly relate to their own role in their homes as mothers to children. As the mother of young children

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The Mormon Tabernacle Choir by Michael Hicks (University of Illinois Press, March 2015) is a biography of the choir itself. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I’ve grown up with the choir: songs during the biannual general conferences, recordings in my home. Because of my background, I was interested

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I know not all the readers of my blog care about all the subjects that interest me, but as I continue to write about my reading, I love the ability to reflect back on what I’ve read in the past in the context of when I read it. This review is of a book that probably

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I Walked to Zion by Susan Arrington Madsen (Deseret Book, 1994) is a delightful collection of first person accounts of Mormon pioneers who traveled across the American Great Plains to Utah from the late 1840s to 1860s. Although the volume is probably intended for adults to read, the engaging and interesting stories of the pioneers have such

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