Book Review of Mothers of the Prophets

Mothers of the Prophets
Revised Edition
By Leonard J. Arrington, Susan Arrington Madsen, and Emily Madsen Jones
275 pages. Bookcraft, c2001.
$18.95

Mothers of the Prophets has a chapter for each mother of a latter-day prophet, starting with Lucy Mack Smith and going all the way through to Ada Bitner Hinkley. The book also includes family photos of many of the women and their families. The book was originally written by Leonard Arrington and Susan Madsen, but was revised and updated by Susan Madsen and Emily Jones.
While this book is interesting and fact-filled, it is hard to get through. The lives of these women are often inspiring, but I felt that much of their experiences were sugar-coated. I read the word “perfect” one too many times. It is also mostly just a listing of facts. Facts that I would not normally have access to, granted, but dry nonetheless.
The most redeeming quality of the book was the glimpses into different generations of time. It was easy to see how we (mothers) are all connected. We all want what is best for our children and strive to achieve that at all costs. These mothers endured hardships unparalleled to push forward the restored gospel and instill the desire to do so within their children.
I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in genealogy or history – but probably not so someone looking for a fast read, or entertainment.