Father of a Prophet: Andrew Kimball

by Edward L. Kimball

Spencer W. Kimball spent innumerable hours working on a biography of his father, Andrew, but was unable to finish it. This book, completed by Spencer's son and biographer, Edward L. Kimball, brings that desire to fulfillment. Father of a Prophet is the link between Andrew's apostle father (Heber C. Kimball) and his prophet son (Spencer W. Kimball), and it provides an important prologue to the biographies Spencer W. Kimball (1977), and Lengthen Your The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball (2005).

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

While parts of this book are fascinating for the LDS reader--the accounts of healing and aspects of life on the Arizona frontier, the mission to the Indian Territory, and Andrew Kimball's relationship to the First Presidency and other general authorities--some parts of the book read as a chronicle chiefly to preserve information, as one might for a family history. Nevertheless, I found this account of the life of the son of founding LDS Apostle Heber C. Kimball and the father of beloved Church President Spencer W. Kimball to be well worth reading. It amazes me that the people of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries worked so hard and endured so many hardships--it seems they had almost superhuman strength, although they were really just rising to the occasions of life. I was especially interested in the glimpses into the life of the subject's wife, Olive, who endured a lot for the sake of her husband's Church work and need to support the family, and worked very hard in her family and in the Church.

[Brian Reeves · Rating 3 out of 5]

A straightforward, factual, informative biography.