Search This Blog
2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)
2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (6)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (1)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine (2)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey (1)
- New Mexico
- New York (7)
- North Carolina (3)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania (1)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (3)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (1)
International:
- Australia (3)
- Canada (3)
- England (14)
- France (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (1)
2025 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge
Booklist Queen's 2025 Reading Challenge
2025 52 Club Reading Challenge
2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
2025 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge
2025 Medical Examiner Mystery Reading Challenge
2025 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge
2025 Mount TBR Reading Challenge
2025 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge
2025 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge
The Life Skills Reading Challenge
Monday, January 06, 2014
Mormon Mentions: Eric Pierpoint
6:16 AM
If you're not sure what a Mormon is, let alone a Mormon Mention, allow me to explain: My name is Susan and I'm a Mormon (you've seen the commercials, right?). As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon or LDS Church), I'm naturally concerned with how my religion is portrayed in the media. Because this blog is about books, every time I see a reference to Mormonism in a book written by someone who is not a member of my church, I highlight it here. Then, I offer my opinion—my insider's view—of what the author is saying. It's my chance to correct misconceptions, expound on principles of the Gospel, and even to laugh at my (sometimes) crazy Mormon culture.
***
It's pretty much impossible to write a book about the settling of the Western United States without mentioning the Mormon pioneers. The Last Ride of Caleb O'Toole by Eric Pierpoint is no exception. Here are several passages from the book:
"It's all right, they're Mormons. Those men in the black coats are leaders. Their wagons crossed over the river at Fort Laramie. They've been trailing us. They're all headed to Utah and the Mormon Trail" (164).
"The Mormon wagon train was just ahead, the leaders standing guard like military men while the travelers bought and traded goods for their journey west. They kept apart from other pioneers, preferring not to engage ...
He watched as Julie began an animated conversation with the Mormon prairie doctor" (173-174).
"Mormons mainly took their wagons across the Oregon Trail on the northern Platte road to avoid conflict with others who did not approve of Mormons or their religious practices. They crossed over near Fort Fetterman and continued west until they picked up the Mormon Trail to Utah" (291).
-- Before The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints grew into a worldwide church, respected for its dedication to wholesome living, the preservation of the family and humanitarian causes across the globe, it was a small, struggling organization that drew a great deal of criticism and ridicule from outsiders. Because the early Saints believed in things like a modern prophet (Joseph Smith), divine revelation, The Book of Mormon and polygamy, they were persecuted cruelly and continually. Always in pursuit of the freedom to practice their religion, they moved from place to place, often driven out by angry mobs. After the murder of Joseph Smith in 1844, the Saints were driven out of Illinois and begin the arduous journey west. Eventually, around 70,000 Mormon pioneers would make their way to the Great Salt Lake Valley. Along the way, they suffered greatly from hunger, thirst, extreme weather conditions, disease, and injury. Led by their incredible faith, these early pioneers finally found refuge in what is now the state of Utah. Read more about them here.
(Images from Barnes & Noble and Lds.org)
7 comments:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)
Reading
Rabbit Rabbit by Dori Hillestad Butler and Sunshine Bacon
Listening
The Morning House by Maureen Johnson
Followin' with Bloglovin'
Followin' with Feedly
-
-
-
A Shipwreck in Fiji by Nilima Rao10 hours ago
-
-
Our Favorite Games for Two People18 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Six Wild Crowns By Holly Race1 day ago
-
72. The Wild Robot1 day ago
-
Rage by Linda Castillo1 day ago
-
Sisters in the Wind1 day ago
-
-
Top 5 Tuesday ~ Sizes1 day ago
-
-
-
The Beach House Murders by Peter Boland2 days ago
-
Clean teen books for Summer1 week ago
-
Books read in June1 week ago
-
-
-
-
No Roundup this month2 months ago
-
-
Sunday Post #5682 months ago
-
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up4 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery4 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October7 months ago
-
Review: The Duke and I10 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus11 months ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?1 year ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Design by:
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ▼ 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)
2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction
2020 - Middle Grade Fiction
This book made it to my best reads 2013 list. I'm not Mormon, but I've read about the Oregon trail. I did not think he portrayed the Mormons in a bad light. It seems to me what he stated was factual. Is this what you're saying too?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the book. I didn't love, love, love it, but I did enjoy it as well.
DeleteSorry I didn't make myself more clear about Pierpoint's depiction of Mormons. Yes, I do think he showed Mormons in a positive, accurate light. I just wanted to add a little more detail to his account.
"It's all right, they're Mormons."
ReplyDeleteI hope that's what they'll say about me!
When we adopted our daughter, our lawyer told her birthmom: "They're not just good people, they're Mormons." Huge compliment -- I just hope we're living up to it :)
DeleteThanks for clarifying!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteI like this post. Mormons don't show up often in books so I like that you feature them when they do.
ReplyDelete