Locally published books

"A FAITHFUL LIFE: THE STORY OF JOSEPH SMITH IN PICTURES," by Glen S. Hopkinson, Deseret Book, 78 pages, $21.95. This is an easy-to-read book designed for parents to teach their children about the life of Smith. Hopkinson, an artist, has included many of his own renderings to help depict the various stages of the prophet's life.

"DANISH APOSTLE: THE DIARIES OF ANTHON H. LUND, 1890-1921," edited by John P. Hatch, Signature Books in association with the Smith-Pettit Foundation, 822 pages, $100. Lund spent nearly 32 years in the LDS Church hierarchy. He had a pragmatic attitude toward polygamy and did not practice it himself. But as a church leader he had to deal with the changing American culture and its reaction to polygamy.

"GOD HAS MADE US A KINGDOM: JAMES STRANG AND THE MIDWEST MORMONS," by Vickie Cleverley Speek, Signature Books, 396 pages, $34.95. The author, an experienced journalist in the Midwest, explores the interesting life of James Strang, who broke off his own group from the original LDS Church and took them to Beaver Island, Lake Michigan. The Strangites later formed the nucleus for the membership of what for many years was the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now known as The Community of Christ. There are only about 100 Strangites today.

"JOSEPH SMITH'S QUORUM OF THE ANOINTED, 1842-1845: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY," edited by Devery Anderson and Gary James Bergera, 265 pages; "THE NAUVOO ENDOWMENT COMPANIES, 1845-1846: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY," edited by Devery Anderson and Gary James Bergera, 646 pages, Signature Books, both volumes in a box set, $80. Compelling diary entries by various early LDS leaders.

"ALMOST SISTERS; THE COMPANY OF GOOD WOMEN," by Nancy Anderson, Lael Littke and Carroll Hofeling Morris, Deseret Book, 418 pages, $15.95, softcover. This is the first novel in a trilogy about three women from diverse backgrounds who meet at Brigham Young University's Education Week. They each have a guilty secret. Juneau, Erin and Willadene form a bond that illustrates the joys and occasional perils of friendship.

"A THORNY PATH," fourth volume of "The Fairhaven Chronicle" series, by Sharon Downing Jarvis, Deseret Book, 279 pages, $14.95, softcover. Fairhaven, Ala., is the setting for this novel about Bishop Shepherd searching for his past while the future of his ward and town are threatened by anti-LDS controversy.