Books on Early LDS Saints (i.e. the beginning of my research)

In case you did not know, I am writing a paper on (yes, of all topics) Mormon Women in the Early History of the Church and Their Views on Polygamy. This topic came to me when I read Podiums and Pedestals, and was intrigued by the fact that many polygamist wives fought to preserve polygamy. As a woman who (frankly) continues to find it hard to understand the law, I was deeply surprised. Hence, my topic.

This is NOT an easy topic though. As you can only imagine, there is PLENTY of material out there attacking the Church, especially with regard to polygamy. It has been a rough journey so far. There is only so much bitterness in anti-polygamy material you can read before it takes its toil. Even some LDS authors have written material that criticizes the Church and this law.

Hence, my utter relief and delight when I read Mormon Sisters: Women in Early Utah (edited by Claudia L. Bushman). Finally! The book comprises of essays written by contemporary Mormon women about these pioneer sisters. The book was actually a product of a group of LDS women living in the East Coast who gathered together weekly to discuss more about their pioneer heritage. Isn't that interesting? Big things come from small things.

Having read much from the perspective of anti-Mormons, it was such a relief to read material that shed a more positive perspective on events and people during that era. In fact, reading this has brought me peace with this issue. I don't think I will ever understand this law completely till in the next life, but for now, I understand why the Lord instituted it then. Recommended for people sincerely seeking to understand Mormons and its history and culture.

 The second book I've finished reading is The Sisterhood: Inside the Lives of Mormon Women by Dorothy Allred Solomon. Coming from the perspective of a (budding) scholar, this is not a useful book. Most of the references are from secondary material (meaning she quotes another scholar, instead of doing more original research), plus there are important details that she doesn't provide references for. 

She is an active member of the Church and is in good standing, but she is one of the daughters of a fundamentalist LDS (she and her siblings have an interesting conversion story), and (intentionally or not) her history clouds the book. Given her background and current active standing, she naturally tries to shed understanding on contemporary polygamy using history. Unfortunately, I feel that she fails mainly because the mainstream LDS Church has reiterated over and over and over again that it does not support polygamy now. To try to justify it in current times just didn't sit well with me. Not recommended. 

Last,

Yes, a very interesting title. Was it good? Sure. This was definitely one of those "We can do it sisters" type of book, those that you buy during BYU's Women's Conference. Again I felt a sense of relief to read a book by an active member of the Church who praised the Church for its active role in elevating and helping women.
Unfortunately, the book isn't useful to me now. It focused more on the Second Wave Feminist Movement in the 1970s, out of my time period. Perhaps if I ever write another paper on LDS Women and the Second Wave Feminist Movement, this would be a book I could use.