These Things I know: the autobiography of William Grant Bangerter

by William Grant Bangerter

The full story of Wm. Grant Bangerter is one of epic changes, nostalgic seasons, and golden eras. His life spanned many monumental, global changes: from the pre-penicillin era plagues of influenza to modern AIDS; from the economic collapse of 1929 and the Great Depression to prosperity of the latter 20th century; through world wars and conflicts, including "The Great War" (World War I), World War II (in which he was an active participant), Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars and others. Each of these events and changes shaped and molded the world and enabled his character and attitudes to be a tower of strength for his friends, family and followers. Nostalgia for days long past, tempered by time from the harsh realities of day-to-day existence, surge up as sweet memories to soften those difficult days. The golden eras are often seen by succeeding generations as glorious and exciting, filled with adventures and tests, all leading to a crown of respect and honor for one so deserving.

567 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm almost done with a first reading; I've gotten up to the years where my own parents married and I was born, so now I will be reading the years where Elder Bangerter and I were both on earth at the same time :) My focus has been on seeing the connectedness of events and locations between the Bangerter family and church history and my own family through the last hundred years. I really grew up knowing not much about church history in this period except through what I learned from my own family history, as it's "too modern" in my own grandparents' minds, say, to be "history" enough for them to always know what I do and don't know. If I had read the book ten years ago when it came out I also would have appreciated it less. So this is just a good part of my education, and it will help me make connections with other things I learn about Elder Bangerter (I'm reading through old general conferences so I've come across a couple of his talks there but I will run into more over the next while) and other things and people in the next decades of my own life.

Some siblings and I were gifted this history of Elder Bangerter by a family member who we got to know a little better, along with the autobiography of Sister Bangerter, which of course is going to agree with his book but I had read it first and it's not as detailed.