Sister Saints: Mormon Women Since the End of Polygamy

Sister Saints examines the changing roles and experiences of Mormon women from the 1890s to the present day. The book focuses on the period after the LDS Church's official abandonment of polygamy, tracking how Mormon women adapted to new cultural and religious expectations. Through historical records, personal accounts, and institutional documents, McDannell traces Mormon women's involvement in education, politics, family life, and church leadership. The narrative covers key developments in Mormon women's history, including their participation in relief work, shifting attitudes toward marriage and motherhood, and responses to broader American social movements. This historical analysis demonstrates the complex relationship between Mormon women's religious commitments and their engagement with secular society. By examining how Mormon women navigated changing gender norms over more than a century, Sister Saints reveals the ongoing tension between tradition and adaptation within a distinctive American religious community.

Readers found the book provided a balanced examination of Mormon women's experiences from 1890 to present, filling gaps in LDS historical scholarship that often overlooks women's perspectives. What readers liked: - Clear writing style accessible to non-academic readers - Extensive research and primary sources - Coverage of both progressive and traditional Mormon women's views - Analysis of how Mormon women adapted to changing social norms What readers disliked: - Some felt it focused too heavily on Salt Lake City/Utah experiences - A few noted it could have included more diverse voices - Several wanted more depth on specific time periods Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (48 ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (31 ratings) Sample review: "McDannell skillfully shows how Mormon women carved out space for themselves while remaining true to their faith. The chapter on the ERA was particularly enlightening." - Goodreads reviewer "Would have benefited from more perspectives outside of white, middle-class Utah Mormons." - Amazon reviewer

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A House Full of Females by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich. The study chronicles plural marriage and women's rights in early Mormon communities through diaries, letters, and historical documents.

Mormon Women at the Crossroads by Gregory A. Prince. The text traces Mormon women's evolving roles in church leadership, family life, and religious authority from 1900 to the present.

The First Fifty Years of Relief Society by Jill Mulvay Derr and Carol Cornwall Madsen. This compilation presents key documents and records from the founding and early development of the Mormon women's organization.

Sisters in Spirit by Maureen Ursenbach Beecher. The book examines Mormon women's religious experiences and contributions through biographical essays and historical analysis.

📚 The book examines how Mormon women's roles evolved after 1890, when the LDS Church officially ended the practice of polygamy, marking a pivotal shift in Mormon women's identity and religious experience. 🎓 Author Colleen McDannell is a Professor of Religious Studies and History at the University of Utah, and was the first Sterling M. McMurrin Professor of Religious Studies. 👗 The book discusses how Mormon women used fashion and appearance to challenge stereotypes, showing how they balanced religious modesty with contemporary style trends throughout the 20th century. 🏛️ The text explores how Mormon women maintained significant leadership roles in the Relief Society during the early 20th century, before church correlation policies in the 1960s centralized authority under male priesthood leaders. 📊 The book reveals that by 2016, approximately 80% of Mormon women worked outside the home at some point in their lives, challenging the traditional narrative about Mormon women's roles being strictly domestic.