From Deseret News archives:
New McKay biography draws mixed reviews
Some lines here please. Some lines in here
Gregory Prince, co-author of "David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism," fielded questions about his lengthy 550-page work during the final day of the annual Sunstone Symposium in Salt Lake City. The four-day event is sponsored by the Sunstone Foundation, founded in 1974 as an open forum to discuss spiritual, intellectual and cultural issues about the LDS lifestyle.
"We're still stuck in the 19th century as historians, and it's time we got into the 20th century," Prince said. "We need to do it big time."
The panel of four critics praised the book for doing just that by providing an in-depth look at the workings of the church's administration under President McKay from 1951-70. The book, co-authored by Robert Wright, is a compilation of more than 200 interviews and thousands of pages of documents kept by President McKay's personal secretary, Clare Middlemiss.
Those primary source documents give the book an unusual candor that reveals both the strengths and shortcomings of church leaders, Edward L. Kimball said.
But Prince added that he doesn't take credit for the book, which he said has three heroes President McKay, Middlemiss for keeping the extensive records and Wright, Middlemiss' nephew to whom she entrusted the records before she died.
If anything, Prince said, he was simply a "conduit" for the information. Prince also was quick to remind the audience at the Sunstone lecture that the book was not based solely on Middlemiss' records, which included a daily journal of President McKay's doings, a collection of his discourses and records of his personal life.
The book also was based on eight years of interviews and a thorough scouring of documents at the University of Utah manuscript collection, Prince said.
"It's not biased by her (Middlemiss). It's as close to objectivity as we could get," he said. "These oral histories are invaluable. You do a few hundred of them and you find out how golden they are."
Despite the critics' esteem for the book, all of the panelists said they craved more intimate details into the personal and family life of President McKay. Although the book begins with several vignettes revealing President McKay's personality, it then lurches into a history of the administration of the church, said Boyd Peterson, author of "Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life."
Sometimes, he added, President McKay is pushed into the background of the story by other strong characters in the church's presidency.
"The institutional church becomes the principal character of this book, sometimes to the exclusion of David O. McKay," he said.
E-mail: estewart@desnews.com
Comments
- Grieving UK mother rips into Brown 10:26 p.m.
- Community annexation put on hold 10:26 p.m.
- North and South Korea clash at sea 10:25 p.m.
- Robbers see Army ID, return wallet 10:25 p.m.
- Base opens rift in U.S.-Japan ties 10:19 p.m.
- Did Blackwater try to bribe Iraqis? 10:18 p.m.
- World datelines 10:18 p.m.
- Cal RB Best resting at home 10:12 p.m.
- Long days for BYU interns 10:11 p.m.
- Navajo Code Talkers break silence 10:08 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
261 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
148 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
105 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar restaurants nationwide will honor...
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
How is non-discrimination a bad move? Can you explain that to me? Wouldn't...
Anything that promotes homosexuality in our community is wrong, including...
One question. If these bills are so good, why has congress optied out of it?...
I can understand that concern for a couple reasons. A landlord over multiple...
If the Republicans are voting for Healthcare bills to die, what is their...
Dixie is the best team in the state hands down. TV/MC dont stand a chance...
How much was paid by subsidies? What is the cost of the power? What is the...
I was in the Hill Cumorah Pageant cast this summer. Two days after Ben's...
Congratulations, ladies, on a great accomplishment! Only your second year...
How to reduce the budget; and not on creative ways to raise more taxes. ...



You can be the first to comment on this story.