Emma Smith: My Story

Emma Smith: My Story presents a biographical account of Emma Hale Smith, first wife of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith. The book examines Emma's life from her childhood through her marriage to Joseph Smith and her experiences during the early days of the Mormon movement. The author draws from letters, journals, and historical records to reconstruct Emma's perspective during key moments in Mormon history. The narrative follows Emma through her roles as wife, mother, church leader, and business manager during times of both prosperity and persecution. The book explores Emma's later years and decisions after Joseph Smith's death, including her choice to remain in Nauvoo and her subsequent marriage to Lewis Bidamon. Her complex relationships with the Mormon church and its members form a central focus of the account. This biography illuminates the intersection of personal conviction and religious duty through one woman's experience in 19th century America. The text raises questions about faith, loyalty, and the cost of religious dedication in times of social upheaval.

Readers appreciate the balanced, well-researched portrayal of Emma Smith and her marriage to Joseph Smith. Many note that the book avoids bias toward either the LDS Church or RLDS perspectives. Positive reviews highlight: - Extensive use of primary sources and letters - Focus on Emma's personal life rather than just her role as Joseph's wife - Clear writing style accessible to non-scholars Common criticism: - Some sections feel repetitive - Not enough detail about Emma's later years - Questions about accuracy of certain dialogue reconstructions Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (172 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (54 ratings) "Provides a human perspective on Emma without taking sides," notes one Amazon reviewer. Several Goodreads reviews mention the book helps readers understand Emma's difficult choices after Joseph's death. A minority of readers found the narrative "too sympathetic" to Emma's decisions regarding polygamy and the LDS succession crisis.

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🌟 Emma Smith continued living in Nauvoo after her husband Joseph Smith's death, refusing to follow Brigham Young west to Utah. She later remarried to a non-Mormon named Lewis Bidamon. 📚 Author Vickie Cleverley Speek spent over a decade researching Emma Smith's life, including examining countless primary documents and personal letters. ⚜️ Emma Smith remained with the Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), and her son Joseph Smith III became its leader. 🏠 The Mansion House in Nauvoo, where Emma lived for many years, still stands today and is open for tours, maintained by the Community of Christ. 📜 Emma Smith was the first scribe for the Book of Mormon translation and was involved in compiling the first Latter-day Saint hymnal, published in 1835.