Deseret News | Reader comments: MormonTimes.com: Massacre book 'a big bestseller'

Reader comments
MormonTimes.com: Massacre book 'a big bestseller'

Otis Spurlock | 7:47 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I just finished this book last week. It was a very enlightening read. For the most part, I feel that it was an accurate depiction of what really occurred.

Chad | 9:04 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Is this the book that was written by some BYU history teachers or faculty? I heard it was supposed to be very unbiased and you could trust in it not being overly critical because of who wrote it. That's this book, right?

WANT TO READ | 9:06 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

WHERE CAN I BUY THIS BOOK?

I LIVE IN FLORIDA

Comments continue below

History Nut | 9:24 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

This book stands beside Richard Bushman's bio of Joseph Smith as better than average "Faithful History." Faithful LDS will find things they didn't know that are slightly disturbing but any actions of General Authorities, like the reformation or the oath to avenge the death of the prophets, are significantly downplayed or ignored and in the end, the authors predictably pin it all on "just a few" misguided local leaders in S. Utah. Brigham Young, Jeddy Grant, and George A. Smith all come out clean, of course.

The volume ends with the massacre. How the authors will downplay BY's coverup in the next volume, which I'm told is years away from publication, will be a wonder to behold.

Go read Juanita Brooks. She got it right more than 50 years ago.

Larry | 10:24 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I'm happy someone is making money over this horrible event. I know some of the descendants who are my friends who are Mormons. They are truly sad people about the massacre.

? | 10:40 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Why would anyone (except brainwashed Mormons) trust any book on this subject written by fellow LDSers?

Socal Saint BYU Alum | 11:26 a.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I picked up a copy of the book two weeks ago. I would say it is about an 8 to 10 hour read. I passed it on to a fellow in my HP group whose great grand-father was Jacob Hamlin. I also told a fellow BYU alum about it whose surname is Leavitt about her relative's (Dudley Leavitt)involvement. He was at least a witness to the carnage (according to the book).

Contrasting the more incendiary book with "Under the Banner of Heaven" The authors in the current book glossed over the issue of whether there were dis-affected Saints in the party that they picked up in Provo/Springville. Other than saying they don't know all of those in the party. They glossed over wheter a sizeable portion of "The loot" from the train ended up in the Church Tithing office. They mentioned a particularly fine wagon or carriage that the Banner of Heaven author said ended up belonging to BY. It is my understanding BY was trustee-in-trust for Church assets. He may have felt as he was the Prophet and he had stewardship over church assets it would be no problem for him to use the wagon/carriage. To-all,-read-from-more-sources-to-get-a-feel-for-what-happened-and-what-did-not

CATO | 12:01 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Re: History Nut,

As a Relative of the Late Juanita Brooks, I feel it my duty to point out that she didn't pin the Massacre on General Authorities other than to say that their inflamatory orations didn't help the situation. She ALSO placed the blame squarely of Isaac Hale, and Other LOCAL church leaders, just as the new work does.

To:? | 12:04 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Why would anyone, except brain-washed anti-Mormons NOT accept this as anything but what it seems to be? An attempt to find out what really happened? Perhaps an objective investigation? I mean, what logical person would accuse the authors of obfuscating when they admit the atrocity happened, that it was committed by Church members, and that we still don't know all the facts?

Citing a book written 50 years ago, when all of the facts were not yet uncovered, by a person with an axe to grind seems a bit off the mark.

Cats | 12:13 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

This is the most accurate and unbiased book ever written on the subject. The authors have impeccable credentials. They have not tried to gloss over or hide anything. The fact is, this was an act by a few extremely frightened and misguided people in southern Utah. That's it! Extremely tragic, but not the fault of Brigham Young or other general authorities.

FRED | 12:22 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I have read several books on the m. m. massacre and none of them say the same exact thing. The new book though does make "BRIGHAM YOUNG" look a tinny bit better. However, I still believe BRIGHAM YOUNG was DEEPLY involved in the M.M.M. Leaders have always had the upper hand, and a better chance to cover for themselves in all mistakes made by them, and It's been this way throughout time.

K. LEE | 12:37 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Re- CATS, You are dead WRONG! you do not know what the heck you are talking about. You are bias in what you wrote.

St .George Gal | 1:08 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

About the time i think this episode in history will be laid to rest--here it comes again. Can't you people give some of the thousands of descendants of the perpetrators a rest on this HORRIBLE tragedy? We are saddened and even sob over this history of our ancestors, even now in modern times. PLEASE GIVE US PEACE... We had nothing to do with the massacre, but our families still suffer over it today, nonetheless.

PLEASE GIVE US PEACE!

wayne | 1:34 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I was fortunate enough to attend a fireside type lecture by Ron Walker, and was able to talk to him and have him clarify some questions I had about the MMM.

I found the book to be extremely well written and thoroughly researched, including hundreds of files of documents in Church archives, not available to researchers in the past.

It was interesting to learn that it was the Church that requested this book to be researched and written, so as to put to rest the full story of the MMM.

I found the authors to be much more critical of the Mormons than I am. When I imagine myself in their place; having been slaughtered and burned out of their homes; enduring every known hardship moving out west; having the Army coming with unknown intentions; along with a wagon train of Arkansans, including some making very hostile threats to return from their destination (California)to exterminate the Mormons, it is very easy to appreciate their fear and panic.

Your mind can conjure up more fear than reality. It is called 'Moral Hysteria'. We have all experienced this to various degrees . It creates panic that prevents rational thinking.

so many libs so little time | 2:23 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

It is humorous reading some of the comments and there critisism of LDS scholarship. Speaking of bias and such.

I'll bet you these same critics are turning a blind eye to the 'main stream media' and their out right liberal bias!

Perception is always the reality.

To K. Lee | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

You are dead wrong and don't know what you are talking about. The records are clear on what happened with Brigham Young. He sent the message to steer clear as fast as it could be sent but the distance was too great. Only people with an ax to grind who hate the Church ignore the facts.

re: St. George Gal | 2:50 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I am sorry this is so hard on you. I hope you can take a moment and reflect on the fact that the movie that recently came out about this subject was so inaccurate and full of hatred towards the Mormons, that no reasonable person should expect the Church not to want to set the facts straight. It is very important that people have the opportunity to read an unbiased account. (Of course anti-Mormons don't believe any Mormon is capable of being unbiased but I know better.)

JFKM | 2:51 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

It looks like the Mormons are still paranoid. I find nothing humorous about the comments on here or the M M M... Truly, it's unfortunate history. Although there has been much worse history in our world then this. People seem to enjoy poking at the ashes and making a mountain out of a molehill.

Lessons ... | 4:43 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

The lessons in this book are many, but the main one I found is that unchecked, fear, miscommunication and a feeling of retribution can have disastrous results. Bad things can be done in the name of seemingly noble reasons.

I see this attitude in our country today and it scares me to death.

TO ?: | 4:46 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

When ever a book is written concerning Haunï¿½s Mill or the extermination order we never hear one word from the anti-LDS bunch. And many of them call themselves unbiased. Perhaps one of them would care to recount the events leading up to Haunï¿½s Mill where women and children were murdered in a country where we have freedom of religion?

RE: History Nut | 4:50 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

When did your OPINION trump actual historical facts?

Is history only true when it is rewritten to conform to how you think it happened?

Historical Truth is Historical Truth and must be accepted whether you like it or not.

Willie | 4:58 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

The human mind is fragile. It can perceive things to worse then what they are. The Mormon men during the massacre would probably have done anything to protect and save their families, as to the former abuse they sustained and suffered back in Nauvoo. Brigham Young was also paranoid and had ill feeling to all outsiders. He was the leader and these people and probably felt intense concern to protect. I'm not making excuses, but it is the way humans have always dealt with huge quantities of fear. Sad but true.

MMM | 5:15 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

can't get enough

Flip | 5:18 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Get over it -- both sides.

The great writers | 5:23 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I have hard time believing anything the church puts out on history. Mark Hofman was a forger too, and he almost got away with it as well. I cannot trust what people write because there are too many who do the same thing outside the church. What happened during the MMM will never be known. Too many people who rewrite history and not just the Mormons.

Cedar City friend | 7:16 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

LOOK HERE! it's not good to make the descendants of the mmm perpetrators constantly, and continually, mourn over what their ancestors did. I know a few of these people, and I know how badly they feel about what happened, and that their ancestors were involved. Some of these people are as well related to important leaders living today. SO HEY, folks, give it a break! I mean to say, all of you out there! Let this rest once and for all.

Even Handed | 9:22 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

I have been in situations where one side tells outrageous lies and an authority figure steps in and balls out both sides and tells them to leave it alone...not another word. The lies stand, the other side never has the opportunity to refute the slander. The movie about the mmm was outrageous and now some of you take offense that these scholars are given a chance to speak. Please be even handed and give the truth a chance to be told. Then it can rest.

STOP IT NOW! | 9:46 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

It's ashame that the Mormon family members from the MMM are still having rocks thrown at them, and no matter how much they ask for forgiveness it still doesn't stop. Some of these people are even stalked for information on MMM. People just need to leave these families alone who are living descendants of today. The MMM is not their fault. Shame on the stone throwers. Shame on all those who keep stirring this empty dried up kettle.

Ernest T. Bass | 9:56 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Brooks' book is the most objective of any that have been written, that fact is not debateable.
"Vengence is mine" -Brigham Yound at the sight of the MMM in 1858, one year later.
BY never showed ANY sort of remourse or regret. In fact BY believed the Fancher Party deserved it.
He may not have ordered it but he wouldn't have stopped it even if he could have.

B.Y. & The Blame Game | 10:28 p.m. Nov. 29, 2008

Very true, Brigham Young egged the whole thing on with Mountain Meadows Massacre. B.Y. was not a stupid man and he knew exactly how to manipulate his subject members into a riled up frenzy for a good fight.

JHC | 1:56 p.m. Nov. 30, 2008

Hello. I was wondering if you had any tips of getting publicity for my book, also written about MMM? Bro. De Groote, could I send you a copy?

JHC | 7:33 a.m. Dec. 1, 2008

So I wrote a book about MMM. How do I go about getting it mentioned on a near weekly basis as is being done here?

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