I unsuccessfully started this book a couple of years ago and recently decided that it was time to come back to it. I had a PDF copy and wanted something to read on my phone instead of mindlessly browsing the internet or refreshing my feed reader.

I’m glad that I read this now, a year after my confirmation in Community of Christ, rather than when my faith transition was in a more difficult phase. It let me read about Young’s darker side without feeling overly conflicted about it.

I did see Young’s darker side, and even though it was troubling and raises really important questions about prophetic authority in the LDS tradition, I also appreciated seeing a three-dimensional Young who was authoritarian and racist without falling into mustache-twirling villain territory.

• John Turner
• Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet
• Brigham Young
• faith transition
• Community of Christ