This book helped me understand the story. I have heard bits and pieces for the last few years, but the book tied it all together. I am glad they had an appendix at the end of the book because I often looked at it while I was reading to keep everything straight. They did a gread job with an awful subject. I am looking forward to reading the next book.

Since when does trying to tell the truth "terrible"?
Let the truth go out, and then let the people read, think, discuss, and decide for themselves.

I learned the truth about the massacre 50 years ago, but then i was not a Mormon so it was not a fact to be swept under the carpet. Truth will set you free.

I bought this book yesterday and will begin reading it this weekend.

Terrible or not, we must face this dark story. It helps us to understand why some people hate us or don't trust us--especially in the South.

Many religions have some darkness in their past. We cannot pretend it did not happen.

We are definitely beating a dead horse here . . . and beating it . . . and beating it . . .

The MMM may have been swept under some dusty pioneer rug in the 1800s, but it's been more than adequately examined for the past AT LEAST 60 years in the 20th and 21st century, mostly by members of the LDS church I might add.

I hope at least one of the MMM books isn't focused on "what really happened" so much as "how do we make sure it doesn't happen again".

Doh! The rest of the world has known the truth for years, ever since Juanita Brooks (a Mormon author) wrote her authoritative book. She was shunned as a result because the church and its members still did not want to admit the truth. At least now, the church acknowledges its role in this tragedy, so now perhaps the sheep will follow.

This book is a fine work. "The Blood of the Prophets" was perhaps better written, but had an agenda with incorrect conclusions. When I finished the book, I wanted to vomit. I have talked to all three of the authors at one time or another. I think they had the same response.

The main criticism of this book is that members of the Church, working for the Church cannot be objective. If that is the case, we'd have to throw out thousands of volumes written by Jews, Muslims and Christians. This is brilliant book about a topic that will be debated for years.

By the way, my faith remains strong.

Today is the anniversary of this unfortunate event in history. I was hoping by reading this book that it would explain more about Brigham Young's involvement. Perhaps the next book will elaborate a bit more. The MMM isn't the only religious atrocity that ever happened in history, there are many others.

Everyone involved in this massacre should have been tried swiftly for 1st degree murder instead of one person tried and convicted some 20 years later.the L.D.S.church conducted one of the most corrupt cover-ups in U.S.history.wonder what these people told the LORD when they came face to face with him??

"Since when does trying to tell the truth terrible?"

When it reveals the fact that 120 innocent people were killed. DUH. Murder is always always a terrible tragedy.

Did yo uthink this story was joyous?

You people who hold grudges for something that happened over a 150 years ago need to get over it. Nobody living in the church today had anything to do with the MMM. You do not have a cause, or any reason to hate anyone or anything-- It is not your business, nor anyone else's living today.

Whether the book is terrible or not, the MMM happened and yes it happened on the same day as another terrible event in NYC. Both events though have something in common and that is what happens when religious fervor is either 1. left unchecked or 2. is encouraged by someone not directly involved. The sad thing about both events is that there are still to many people fanning the flames, dividing us, and spreading hate. It's time for religion to starting living and practicing the teachings about love they say they believe instead of the hidden agenda of hate against those that don't believe.

I think it's time for some of you who take it upon yourselves to find something to be angry and hate about that you also need to learn how to forgive? However, who are there of you out there now living today who really needs to forgive anything? None of you were there or involved in the MMM. So, what are you all grumbling and spewing hate across the internet for? GeeZ! Give it a break.

Why doesn't anyone write a book about the massacre of Mormons at Haun's Mill by a band of savage Missourians or of the Extermination Order by the governor of Missouri to drive out or kill all the Mormons in Missouri. This order gave the go-ahead to kill THOUSANDS of innocent Mormons. Why don't some of you find that sickening also. I have ancestors who had their homes burned and they were left with nothing. They were left in the winters cold and some died. Where is your sympathy for them. Mtn. Meadows was a terrible thing but it seems that some have very one-sided compassion and concern.

Who cares??? This MMM was a small disaster compared to other religious deaths in history. What happened was done because the LDS church was scared and paranoid. The LDS leader was emotionally distraught by the time he( Brigham Young) had crossed the plains and he was in total fear of everyone. I can't blame the people for finely taking some action. It happens all the time in war- nothing new here.

Focus | 8:41 a.m. Sept. 11, 2008 wrote:
"I hope at least one of the MMM books isn't focused on 'what really happened' so much as 'how do we make sure it doesn't happen again'."

Only by focusing on 'what really happened' can we learn 'how to make sure it doesn't happen again.'

Do you for one moment think (or believe) that by not knowing 'what really happened' for the rise of facism, nazism and Japanese militarism that led to WWII we can even begin to know how to 'make sure it doesn't happen again?'

Do you think that by not knowing 'what really happened' for getting into the Iraq fiasco we can 'make sure it doesn't happen again' somewhere else, possibly with greater consequences?

Do you think that by not knowing 'what really happened' around the current mortgage/housing crisis and resultant economic morass we can 'make sure it doesn't happen again.?'

Only by knowing 'what really happened' can we 'make sure it doesn't happen again.'

That's a prime dictum of history, philosophy and a core religious truism.

It's time for Mormon's to boldly face 'what really happened' at MMM to 'make sure it doesn't happen again.'

I do wonder concerning the MMM, how many more times and how much more will this horse need to be beaten before everyone lets it rest?

It was bad, it was covered up, only one guy was brought to justice and he was probably innocent of a capital offense. BUT, the parties involved just see it differently now...the church wants to look like they are coming clean (while still covering up the cover up), the victims descendants know that the church leadership shared some blame, etc.

Only God can sort it out now.

To "me too":
I grew up in the South through college years,had plenty of Protestant Christian friends, and became very familiar with their objections to my LDS beliefs. But the MMM was hardly (if at all) familiar to them, so I don't think it was a reason they did not "trust" us.

To "perplexed":
I agree with you. It seems to be politically correct to bash Mormons, but not the other way around. I believe the Mormon pioneers and their leaders largely are models of forgiveness and moving on. The lands seized in Missouri and Illinois were never recovered or compensated for as far as I know. The cause is much more advanced by forgiving and moving on rather than perpertuating victimhood and, for example, agitating for the restoration of the land to descendants.

Hey PERPLEXED...those books HAVE been written, by the hundreds. This story has not been as widely told. It's unfortunate that a church was responsible for hiding, twisting, and mangling the truth. It speaks highly of the current leaders of LDS that the truth is out and the story has been properly told. I have nothing against LDS, but a cover up is a cover up - no matter who's inc charge of it. No different than the Catholics covering for pedophile priests - the Mormons covered for murderers. No religion (or it's members) is perfect. But honesty and accountability is important.

To Citizen-X:
Justice certainly was denied in large part, at least by modern standards, but if I'm not mistaken, Utah had a non-Mormon governor from 1858, and he could have pursued it further.
Were not the rank and file a militia operating under local orders? That would make prosecution questionable, I think, whatever their consciences told them. The church in 1870 took action with what Mormons with an eternal perspective would consider an even more severe justice, the excommunication of a stake president, Isaac C. Haight and several other leaders in the MMM. Haight and eight others were indicted in 1874, but only Lee stood trial.

Jed, the fact is that Brigham Young was not involved. Not only is there no proof that he was, there isn't even any evidence. Sorry.

You don't know what you are talking about and probably are one of the defensive descendants. BRIGHAM YOUNG had everything to do with the Mountain Meadows Massacre.... You people need to do some good repenting! I really dislike cowards! And you shove the blame to all your lesser L D saints who cannot defend themselves.....SHAME ON YOU!

I love the new book, but mostly the new, "official" openness re MMM. I think many people are missing what seems to me like the real story here.

The news is not so much the different view of MMM itself, although that is important.

The news is Church being willing to fund and encourage the new look -- putting an article in the "Ensign," giving three noted historians unfettered access to documentary evidence, funding their effort, and telling them to tell the truth, at all costs.

Wow!! Compare that with what has happened in the past and the difference is remarkable.

These developments are not a "dead horse;" they are real and significant; honest and refreshing.

Can't wait for volume 2!

For me, reading the book was freeing. I was able to begin to understand the forces that led to this great tragedy. The fact that troops were coming to the Great Salt Lake Valley, which conjured up the fears from former atrocities. The friction between the settlers and the immigrants, which bubbled up to near dangerous confrontation all up and down the Wasatch Front. The relationship between the Indians, the settlers and a misunderstanding about poison. The fact that the immigrants flaunted an untruth about what they had done to Joseph Smith and possibly the the recently murdered apostle. And, finally, the threats of the immigrants to go to California and bring back the troops to kill all of the Mormons. Certainly, the book can be painted as "Mormon" in its bias. However, I believe in what I read that the authors were painfully open and honest in their presentation. I too liked the appendices that gave a lot of great additional information. I look forward to the next installment.

Brigham young was the instigator of the MMM. You Mormon people need to quit protecting him just because he was the Mormon leader back then. There is enough history to say he definitly was at the very top of the heap.

Rod Ross: How do you know that Blood of the Prophets had incorrect conclusions?
Until proof is found as to weather or not BY ordered the attack, you cannot say if conclusions are correct or not.
There is no doubt that the culture and mind set that allowed this to happen came from BY.
A year after the fact, when he visited the site he said "vengence is mine, thus sayeth the Lord"
That comment is very telling of his own mindset. He believed the Fancher party deserved what happened to them.

Not only am I ex-mormon, but I have been called anti-mormon. With that in mind, I find it ridiculous to assume (yes, that is what it is) that Brigham Young was involved. Take a look at the recent history of those pioneers and you will see a group of individuals that improved land and then were tossed out...at times with bodies left behind. If many ex-mormons, like myself can't understand that, you are just dense. Read, "No man knows my history" and you will see the unfortunate and predictable outcome not based at the foot of Brigham Young but at the feet of the many many people that took advantage of the LDS Beehive mentality and work ethic. While the specific victims were completely innocent, the event shouldn't be shocking to anybody but those completely blind to events including those leading up to the MMM.

... if you had ACTUALLY read this book, you'd find out that the church did not cover anything up.

Read the figgin' book before you post!!

These are the facts, as best we know them:

About 129 people were killed, aged 12 and up. About 70 Mormons were involved (some indians also). The people involved included at least one local LDS leader,stake president Isaac Haight. Only one person was punished, John D. Lee, who was executed by firing squad years later. Now, do you think 70 people from several communities TODAY could kill 129 people and the result would be only 1 conviction??? Really, put it into modern terms. There was a coordinated cover up. This certainly involved knowledge of the participants by church leaders, since some local leaders were involved. I don't mean this to be offensive, but honestly, what else can a reasonable person conclude? Anyway, it is over and done with, the Church actually tried to "apolgize" (actually I think they "regretted it"). They absolved their leaders, by themselves. It is now a matter for the almighty. What we can learn is to NOT blindly follow our leaders.

How many times can people rewrite history? Each time it becomes a little less believable.

The church has tried to apologize to the descendants of the MMM along with those individuals who descend down from the Perpetrators. There are bazaar and vengeful lies written by people who are not even direct descendants of the MMM. The internet has whacked out evil people making up lies about members and leaders of the church. It really made me sick reading some of this stuff that was apparently nothing but total made up lies. I am not a descendant of the perpetrators, but I certainly feel sorry for LDS members of the church who are. After all it's not their fault what their ancestors did. So why should they have to pay by having filthy exaggerated lies made up about the MMM. Very crazy business.

We don't know who did it or why. It's such a waste of time to carry on about something we don't know about. Leave it up to God. The church has apologized in case it was unjustified.

Who actually witnessed the slaughter those people? I mean to say, who actually saw the blood shed? Does anyone have a list of names of the witnesses? Curious?
Anyway, it looks like to me that it was very organized, planed out, and not just a moments notice on deciding to do the massacre. It looks like it may have been planed for weeks and that many new about it for quite awhile. I'd say the the leaders are the biggest master minds in the massacre---including Brigham Young.

Your right Brigham Was Involved: he is documented to have said: "leave them alone." and "not to help them".

So I guess your are right.

Now when will the truth aboyt the wagon train be told?
Who were they really?
What were they really up to?
Why so much anger hand atred toward this wagon train and not others?
What is being covered up?
Why did Brigham say not to help them?

That's the real cover up. That's the truth that needs to be told.

This book should not have been published. It is bad press for the Church and a PR nightmare. I feel bad for those on the Church PR firm, they are going to have to work hard to clean this one up. The two LDS authors should at least be called to a disciplinary hearing and have their temple recommends pulled. This is going to really hurt our baptism and conversion numbers.

His subtlety aside, author "Not a good book..." is quite antagonistic toward the Church. It is easy to see. Hurricane Ike's path across the Caribbean bears a strong resemblance to you, sir. "...hurt our baptism...numbers" - is this some sort of race? With who?

I read the book and I can understand why the authors refer to it as "terrible". There is no question that those who participated betrayed everything they believed in. They is a terrible thing to contemplate.

I also appreciate the fact that this book exonerates the Fancher Company. There are still ridiculous stories about the Fancher Company poisoning the wells of the Indians, etc. etc. This is the first book I have seen from Mormon sources that makes clear they didn't hurt anyone. They also acknowledge that most of the threats that are attributed to them came after the fact from people with blood on their hands.

I hope the authors can be persuaded to deposit their research at an archive that can make it available to other researchers.

While I tend to disagree with some of the conclusions, I do think this is an honest book.

I think Mr. Richard Turley and Glen Leonard did an excellent job on their research. I was quite pleased to read this well written book, and learn for myself of this very sad uneventful part of Mormon history. It is time for us all to learn from the past, to forgive and to heal. May the church grow stronger in faith, and love, and may we all learn from our unfortunate past.

MAY THERE BE PEACE ON BOTH SIDES.

Here we go again. a Church owned newspaper that still manages a coverup. How can you feel good about your job when you filter out qoutes from Brigham Young. Their not my words, they are Youngs.

Henry Drummond...you do not know what you are talking about. You are condemning people and things that you know nothing of or about. What makes you such a know it all on the M M M?

To: Not A Good Book

Maybe you and your stormtroopers can find other so-called negative books and burn them. Nothing hurts the Church more than people with attitudes like yours.

To Chad and Curious George

Nephi Johnson was one of many who where there and took part in it. His account/admission is on the record.

to ramper:
Talking about attitudes is something that is far from you, if you refer to a informative book as you do!
If you regard the Church sacred then admit that in its name there were errors, mistakes and things like the book describes, atrocities, massacres!

Religions have been and are capable of what humans made and make of it!

To: Adrian Masters
Clarify your comment. My post was in response to the person who posted under "Not A Good Book". His post suggested those who wrote the book should come under Church discipline. Which is ridiculous. The book is a great example of a scholarly research work. The deeds need to be in the light and acknowledged.
Try reading all the previous posts.

to: not a good book.
First let me say I do not believe that you are lds. Anyone could write anything they want here. As far as the MMM is concerned. It was an evil day in lds history and most of us will never understand why it happened. The book comes as close to anything I've ever read. But, no matter what is ever written most will not be happy until the church comes out and say's "it was ordered by BYoung." Because thats what they want to hear. There is also the group of survivors ancestors that have asked for compensation from the church for all the wagons, cattle, gold and so on. (With 150 yrs interest) No matter what is written this will never go away. Because most do not want it to. It makes great type.

Why do people continue to make up history about the MMM, It is sick job! Don't you have members who descend down from the MMM perpetrators? Perhaps you are trying to run them out of your church too. You people are such a loving group people-unbelievable.

In Southern Utah and Nevada, stories of the tragedy have been passed along for generations. I was first told the story in the summer of 1952 by Guy Hamblin (grandson of Jacob) and the book pretty much follows what I was told in my 10th year.
This was a terrible episode in our history that was covered up for to long. As the Apostle Paul stated "only when you are unafraid of truth will you find it!"
When the U.S. Marshall’s started nosing around at the end of the Civil War, a lot of people in Dixie (Utah was still a territory) moved to small towns in east-central and Southern Nevada (Nevada was a state) to escape the jurisdiction of the Marshall’s.
A story told was how of the several victims that tried to escape and get help, only one made it as far as the Las Vegas fort. His fate is unknown.

Anonymous, what victims are you talking about? Do you mean Mormon victims?

I hope the truth is being told in this book about the Southern,Utah Mormons. They were victims for what they were led to believe.