Vickie Cleverley Speek

Vickie Cleverley Speek is a historian and author who specializes in early Mormon women's history. She focuses on the lives and experiences of 19th-century Latter-day Saint women, particularly those who lived through the church's formative years. Speek's primary work centers on Emma Hale Smith, the wife of Mormon founder Joseph Smith Jr. Her book "Emma Smith: My Story" presents a biographical account of Emma's life, drawing from historical documents and records. The work examines Emma's role as the prophet's wife and her experiences during the early development of the Mormon church. Speek holds academic credentials in history and has conducted research in Mormon archives and historical collections. Her writing aims to provide historical perspective on figures who played significant roles in early Mormon history but whose stories have received less attention than their male counterparts. The author's work contributes to the growing field of Mormon women's studies and early American religious history. She focuses on primary source materials and historical documentation to construct her narratives about these historical figures.

Reader reviews of "Emma Smith: My Story" show mixed responses to Speek's biographical approach. Many readers appreciate the focus on Emma Smith's perspective and the attempt to give voice to a figure often overshadowed in Mormon historical accounts. Readers find value in learning about Emma's personal struggles, including the challenges of polygamy and her husband's controversial revelations. Some readers praise the book for humanizing Emma Smith and providing insight into the difficulties faced by early Mormon women. They note that Speek presents Emma as a complex figure dealing with real human emotions and conflicts rather than as an idealized historical character. Critical readers express concerns about the historical accuracy and methodology. Some question whether the first-person narrative format creates an authentic representation of Emma's actual thoughts and feelings. Others note that the book reads more like historical fiction than strict biography, which affects their confidence in its scholarly value. Several readers mention that the book lacks sufficient documentation and footnotes for the claims made about Emma's internal experiences and motivations.