Saints at Devil’s Gate – Church Historian Press – 4 Stars

Saints at Devil’s Gate – Church Historian Press – 4 Stars

Title: Saints at Devil’s Gate: Landscapes Along the Mormon Trail

Author: Laura Allred Hurtado & Byron C. Andreasen (Authors); John Burton, Josh Clare, & Bryan Mark Taylor (Artists)

Publisher: The Church Historian Press

Year: Softcover Exhibition Catalog - 2016

Rating:   4 STARS

Price and Purchasing Options: This might be a little difficult for most people to find through traditional channels.  This means I don’t think you will find it at Deseret Book, or even Amazon.  However, it is available at the Church History Museum gift shop, and available online through Church Distribution Services (store.lds.org) through the link below.  The price is $24.95, and although it might be a little off normal processes to pick up I would recommend doing so (not sure how long it will remain available).  If you miss it - you might have to get it through eBay (here) but its going to be a hard find.

https://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product3_715839595_10557_3074457345616706400_-1__3074457345617037727#fromsearch

Review: This was another book that surprised me.  For those who follow this blog, know that I have a special place of numbness for LDS “coffee table” books.  So when I first got this, I was nervous, that would be exactly what it is.  However, this was far from the case.

The book, is actually an exhibit catalog of an exhibit that is currently on display up in Salt Lake at the Church History Museum.  The exhibit, and book, display artwork by three artists (Burton, Clare, and Taylor) of scenes along the Mormon trail.  The book displays those pictures featured in the exhibit in beautiful detail, and pairs those with journal entries and descriptions of the saints of those same areas along the trail – helping to be a sense of relatability to the scene.

The art is beautiful, and dynamic.  I am not an art critic, but it was something that I appreciated nevertheless.  But the inclusions of the journal entries made the are real – and more than scenes along the Mormon Trail, but gave the reader a sense of the reality of the scene.

But let me share about why I loved this, and why this is more than a “coffee table” book or even an exhibit catalog for me.

For years I have read stories (some of them even included in the book) of those who have traveled across the plains.  I have read them in various forms and in numerous contexts.  Most of the time they dealt with the struggles and challenges, and occasionally they were descriptive of beauty.  I have appreciated reading these over the years.  However, they have always been black words on a white or cream page.  They were describing something rather than showing me something.

This book, Saints at Devil’s Gate, bridges the words with artistic visuals.  You are able to not only read and hear their words, but see similar scenes of grandeur, of the very locations being referred to.  This was inspiring and insightful on a scale I don’t think I could replicate in another forum.  When I finished I wanted to stand up and give it the slow clap!

Yet, from this forum, let me tell you what I learned.  I learned that the trail west, was a complex and contrasting experience of pain and beauty, of struggle and grandeur.  That they regularly experienced the full spectrum of trial and the paradox of the majesty of God’s creation.  Through their travels, they witnessed all of the seasons in all of the environments throughout the United States: grasslands, mountains, streams, and everything in between.  This book was something that gave me a perspective that I previously had not had, and until this text did I realize I was missing it.

Although the book may be a little difficult to find I would recommend getting it and experiencing it.  I haven’t been up to see the exhibit myself, but am planning on it now.  I also know that there is a virtual exhibit for those not in the area which is available here:

https://history.lds.org/maps/museum/saints-at-devils-gate/map-2

Suggestions:  Jump online and get a copy of it at the link about through Church Distribution, or go visit the exhibit.  I think you will be surprised.

I hope you have enjoyed this review, and I encourage your to follow this blog as I update more reviews in the coming days, weeks, months, etc.  Please feel free to also follow my YouTube page – however, I enjoy writing more than being on camera!

Review #20

 

Tags: Church Historian Press, Saints at Devil’s Gate, Church History, 4 Stars. LDS Book Review, Ryan Daley