But when Skousen uses his literary license to add his "Mormon" world records as well as "firsts, facts and feats," his behemoth takes off. He lists such items as Orem's Russell Clark being recognized as the Oldest Working American when he was 102, and the fact that a Mormon baby, Eric Scott McHenry, was designated by the Population Institute of Washington, D.C., as the Earth's 5 billionth human when he was born at 8:17 a.m. on July 7, 1986.

He also lists notable inventions by Mormons such as the T-square (by Bill Beisemeyer of Mesa, Ariz.), the pioneering computer game Pong (by Nolan Bushnell of Salt Lake City), the world's first disposable diapers (by Carlyle Harmon of Sugar City, Idaho) and the anti-lock brake system (by Andrew K. Watt of Lansing, Mich.).

And he gets downright esoteric with records like Most Children in One (Mormon) Family (18, the Delos Dodge family of Mesa, Ariz.), Largest Combined Family (28, Bob Memmot and Corinne Hanks), Longest (Mormon) Financial Clerk Tenure (43 years, Louis W. Underwood) and Longest Visiting Teaching Route (200 miles, Cheryl Lindner and Jenny Mahoney of Modbury, Australia).

Like the title says, it's Skousen's book. His desk drawer and brain have been emptied, at least for the time being.

---

Lee Benson's column runs Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Please send e-mail to benson@desnews.com and faxes to 801-237-2527.