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Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski (Post 210754)

For me, the "Second Nephi" of the book was a relatively small section in the middle about church structure and organization. It was painful. I found the rest of it to be fascinating. Especially the latter part of the book that was focused on Nauvoo.

I haven't made it there yet. I need to redouble my efforts.

just finished it. I had read 2/3rds of it back in the days of this thread. I recently started from the beginning.

I bogged down in the middle (again). On all the doctrinal exposition.

I come out of this book feeling like I don't have a super great handle on what Joseph Smith the man was like. I feel like I know the rough outlines. But I don't know him intimately or well.

And I'm okay with that. I don't know most people well. Especially people whom I've never met from a different age.

Perhaps the great story hidden in all of this is the story between Joseph and Emma. But we'll never know that story. It's hidden and personal.

I think it's definitely a book worth reading. Like it says on the cover, it's a cultural biography. It's placing the life of Joseph Smith in a time and a place.