Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues

by Don H Smith, Mark C. Austin

Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues offers a deeply researched and meticulously documented account of one of the most ambitious and controversial episodes in Latter-day Saint pioneer history. Drawing on original sources and archival materials, the authors reconstruct the organizational challenges and decision-making processes that led to the infamous 1856 handcart migration. This emigration effort, driven by faith and constrained by logistics, sought to bring impoverished European converts across the American plains with minimal resources—relying on handcarts instead of ox-drawn wagons. The book details how unforeseen weather, financial limitations, logistical miscalculations, and divided leadership all coalesced into tragedy for many participants.

Going beyond recounting events, Bring Them to Zion examines the motivations, planning, and execution behind the handcart experiment, and it explores the differences and cooperation between Church leaders in Utah, Europe, and the eastern United States, and investigates the internal politics and systemic missteps that affected thousands of emigrants. The narrative sheds new light on Brigham Young’s vision, the administrative roles of Franklin D. Richards and other key figures, and the broader context of mid-19th century transatlantic and frontier migration. This work is essential reading for anyone interested in Mormon history, American religious movements, or the broader story of westward expansion.

352 pages, Paperback

Published July 22, 2025

Reviews

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is “Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues” by Don H. Smith, assisted by Mark C. Austin.

Never in my life have I known how much persistence, love, promptings, support, aid from friends, and so much more that has gone into this book. To start, I would like to begin with Don H Smith (Smith) and his wife Phyllis. I have seen this book in many stages, and to me, I have never seen the hand of the Lord more than in this work. Every thought, every word, every bit of research front to back, the appendices and the final triumphant piece I have the privilege of holding in my hand, and devouring its every word.

This book was 50 years in the making. We met the Smith's when they moved to our neighborhood about 20 +/- years ago. We became fast friends, and enjoyed bits about this book he'd found making me all the more interested in reading it.

Without a doubt one of my favorite parts was when Don was building the handcart. I could go to their home, see how progress was moving, and learn of the different woods, green or dry would work best, metals used, and so forth. Delightful process and how fun for me to watch. I have huge admiration for his wife at this time, they did quite a lot of traveling together interviewing families, to libraries, reviewing sites, just countless hours of this not easy research. Smith's first wife was a descendent of James G. Willie, head of this company. Years later he took an absorbed interest in this amazing work. He has taken it a lot further than other researchers and publishers have previously thought that I am aware of.

The premise of the book is to document the Willie Handcart Company, new members of the newly inspired Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Late autumn take off remotely couldn’t have imagined the horrific death, illness, and injuries that compounded with each day.

Like manna from heaven appeared Mr. Mark C. Austin. I'm only guessing he is related to this people somehow, but he took the bull by the horns and helped a man that was so inundated with research materials and didn't have a clue how to pare it down into manageable reading format. I can just see the battles went between the two of them "What stays," "What goes?" on and on and on. Glad I wasn't there. But I understand this is one of nothing but love and a miracle for ALL parties involved. I am so grateful this book was completed. Smith and wife, aren't spring chickens any longer, I have a couple quotes from the book I wanted to share. Had a couple hundred, but won't do that, but here are a couple:

Monday, October 20, 1956: "Sixth Crossing of the Sweetwater River. In the morning when they arose, they found about four inches of snow on the ground and the euphoria of the meeting the previous day was soon erased. The meadow--adjacent to the Sweetwater--on which they were camped would not, under normal circumstances, give much encouragement, but now it appeared doubly desolate and comfortless. The cattle strayed widely during the night's storms and some died. Anna F. Tait, age 31, from Glasgow, Scotland died. With her passing, five persons now lay in the cold embrace of death. The storm, the cold and the previous day's extralong march had been too much for their weakened frames, and they had passed through the dark valley into the bright world beyond. They were buried in one grave, wrapped in the only clothing and bedding they had. They had no materials with which to make coffins, and even if they had, they could not spare the time to make them. It required all the energy of the healthy few who remained to perform the ordinary camp duties and to look after the sick and dying, which increased in number each day." (20) Since the teams were carried in wagons, the emigrants were forced to stand around campfires with their blankets around them in order to keep warm while they awaited the arrival of the wagons. As a result, they were unable to get their tents set up and settle in till very late". (21) Combined Utah Trek Journal, October 19-20, 1956

From the record of Thomas Steed, one of the rescuers.

"In the latter part of 1856, with a number of others, I started on the road to meet the handcart companies. It was late in the season and we had a pretty rough time. We met the very first company one day's drive east of Fort Bridgers, the sight I will never forget, they looked like Indians from afar. They had encountered a severe snowstorm down on the Sweetwater, a most bitter cold to endure; in consequences great many laid their bodies to rest in death, worn out with the toils and hardships of the journey and many others were frost bitten very badly. I could not refrain from tears when I beheld the scene that surrounded me.
"Here I met my niece, Sarah E. Steid, my brother John's only child. I had sent for her from England. Thanks to the mercy of Providence was in good health, although a lame girl, aged about 20 years. With them was also John Bailey. whom I had known in England, and his daughter, Mary Bailey..... Brother Bailey was so severely frostbitten that his daughter had to carry him.. I calculated to return with them to the Valley (Salt Lake), I had come for that purpose but there was another company further back and Brother William Kimball, who was in charge of the teams wished me to let others take care of my friends and accompany the teamsters who went after the last company. We wept together when I told them of this decision." (77) Thomas Steed, Family Search

My dear friends, this is NOT a short book nor an easy to read book. This book goes much deeper than many will ever know. I love this author with all my heart. I bear testimony to you these things are true, and I am so grateful for a Heavenly Father and Our Savior Jesus Christ that have created the world we live in and for the many blessings we are bestowed with as a result of these peoples' sacrifice. Let's let it not go in vain. Rate 4.5 Stars

[Tom Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

History is always more complex than we routinely realize. This well researched and documented book helped me understand how I fell into a pothole by assuming a bad leadership decision was the only reason for the tragedies which befell the Willie and Martin handcart companies of 1856. It seems commonplace to say that Church leaders made an uninspired decision and leave it at that. What about the impact of unusually low water flow in the Missouri River, or the deadly impact of cholera on those European Saints taking the steamboat from New Orleans to Saint Louis, or the loss of a key bridge over the Mississippi River? What about uneven railroad tracks which were laid during the coldest winter on record, leading to frequent railway derailments, or the end of the Crimean War negotiated by the Treaty of Paris in March 1856? All these issues and many more directly impacted these brave immigrants, as revealed in this fascinating book. This roots of this tragedy are many, not just the result of one fateful decision. This book is not for a general audience, but if you have ancestors who were handcart pioneers, or if you have an interest in 19th Century American or LDS history, or you seek a more informed understanding of the triumph and tragedy of these hardy pilgrims, then this book will be well worth your time and study. I would have liked to see maps that helped put into geographic perspective the daily journey of the handcart pioneers. And a summary of how many finished the trek successfully, how many perished, how many children were born along the way, along with other telling statistics. One question unaddressed by the book is simply why these English and Danish immigrants willingly chose to leave their homes and submit to such a grueling journey across the sea and over an unforgiving continent. Was it simply faith, or response to a Church leader's command, or more? This book is an engaging read, with plentiful footnotes and a straightforward style of writing.

[Joseph Cosgriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decisions and Deliverance
In their meticulously researched book, Bring them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues, Don H. Smith and Mark C. Austin delve into the tragic yet often misunderstood narrative of the Willie Company. They extend Brigham Young's fervent plea, "God requires us to help these out, and bring them to Zion, where they can be taken care of, and not suffered to want for the necessaries of life," to encapsulate the entire 1856 handcart emigration. Drawing upon a well-documented trove of first-hand accounts, journals, news reports, and contemporary correspondence, the authors tackle seven core questions that have long surrounded this pivotal period in Latter-day Saint history.
Smith and Austin provide a robust contextual foundation, highlighting the rampant cholera outbreaks that led to the Church's pragmatic decision to adopt the handcart system and shift to an overland route. The initial five chapters skillfully explore the debates surrounding the program's utility, illustrating Brigham Young's persuasive prowess in overcoming the reservations of strong-minded individuals like John Taylor and Levi Savage. Notably, Taylor's remarkably prescient observations are quoted in Chapter 4, questioning the "brilliant" aspect of handcart travel for those with other means. The authors reveal that it was only through Taylor's intervention that supply wagons were added and cart loads reduced, demonstrating that the handcart scheme offered surprisingly few savings. The book also commendably highlights the exceptional efforts of Church agents, such as Daniel Spencer, whose formidable financial, organizational, and leadership skills are vividly described as he tirelessly "scrambling to stretch every penny to its breaking point."
The remainder of the book offers extensive, journal-based accounts of the Saints' arduous but often joyous journey from Liverpool to the Salt Lake Valley, culminating in their rescue near the banks of the Sweetwater and their final harrowing blizzard crossing of Rocky Ridge. Chapters detail the "Thornton" voyage, where Captain Collins extended loving treatment to the emigrants, echoing Dickens' observation that such groups were "the pick and flower of England"—a sentiment the authors aptly extend to the Danish emigrants. Subsequent chapters meticulously trace the journey through New York City, by train and ferry to Iowa City (noting delays from lost bridges), and the challenges faced at the Iowa City Camp. The authors highlight the widespread dissatisfaction caused by the previously unrecognized seventeen-pound luggage limitation, a perceived oversight that led to immense hardship and unnecessary expense, as underscored by William Willis's fervent plea to "PRUNE YOUR LUGGAGE!"
Chapters 11 and 12 trace the Willie Handcart Company's trek, offering firsthand accounts of the critical decision to depart from Florence. The authors critically examine the economic feasibility of remaining there for the winter, presenting Levi Savage's prescient warnings alongside their own analysis. Chapter 13, "Whose Counsel Should They Have Followed?", is particularly compelling. Smith and Austin meticulously lay out the rationale behind the decision to press on, employing compelling economic evidence that highlights the high opportunity cost of staying in an undeveloped area with limited resources and facing hostility. While hindsight reveals the dire consequences, the authors effectively demonstrate that the pioneers faced a no-win situation, with significant sacrifices regardless of the path chosen. Powerful survivor testimonies, like the one stating, "Was I sorry that I chose to come by hand cart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay," add profound emotional depth. The authors also explore the fate of those who stopped in the Florence area, revealing that while most may have physically survived, they often lost sight of their objective of gathering to Zion.
Chapter 15, "Fort Laramie to Salt Lake City: Rationing, Fatigue, Freezing, Deaths, and Rescue," chronicles the most difficult leg of the journey. The first-hand accounts are incredibly moving, conveying raw-hide gnawing hunger, frustration and despair even after rescuers arrived. The chapter concludes with a powerful reflection on the journey's severe hardships, the dedication of leaders and rescuers, and the ultimate fulfillment of Brigham Young's counsel to "Bring Them to Zion."
The appendices provide valuable supplementary information. I was particulary impressed by Appendix D and E in their treatment of the intricate technical aspects of handcart construction, particularly the wheels. The authors present a compelling argument, supported by extensive research, that the assumption of emigrant craftsmen making all parts by hand at the Iowa City campground is highly unlikely, suggesting instead that many wheel parts were prefabricated.
Smith and Austin's Bring them to Zion contributes indispensably to the scholarship of the 1856 Handcart Emigration. By addressing key questions with rigorous research and a wealth of primary sources, they illuminate the complexities of the event, offering a faithful but nuanced perspective that acknowledges both the trials and the triumphs. Their careful analysis, especially regarding the leadership decisions and the economic realities faced by the pioneers, provides a more complete and empathetic understanding of this pivotal moment in American and Latter-day Saint history. This book serves not only as a comprehensive historical account but also as a testament to the enabling power of the Spirit of God through the vagaries of pioneer life and in face of immeasurable extremity.

[Kory L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detailed and serious scholarly treatment

Surely one of the great tragedies of the Latter-day Saint settlement of the western United States is the fate of two 1856 handcart companies. Books and articles have retold stories and speculated on causes, but an in-depth, un-biased, scholarly treatment of the background, history, problems, and people has, sadly, been lacking. This new book by Don H. Smith unflinchingly addresses those issues in this 350-page summary of his 50-year quest to dig deeply and thoroughly to find significant first-hand information about the people and circumstances to tell all of us “the rest of the story.”

Smith starts with discussing the evolution of the idea of using handcarts to cross the west. His 15 chapters (and five appendices) provide the necessary background and history of the 1856 migration by focusing on the key elements of the process, from planning in Salt Lake and England through the complex and involved process of conveying thousands of poor British and Scandinavian saints to their much sought-after home in the Rocky Mountains.
The chronological approach documents the many efforts, on both sides of the ocean, to arrange for the transportation of European saints, although an overview of the then typical LDS emigration process in the 1850s would have been useful. That process is scattered throughout the text, but those with little historical background of the complex process will have to piece it together in the reading. For example, economic conditions in England were important factors, causing many more Saints to emigrate in 1855 than had been expected.

The author’s detailed discussion of the impressive number of contributing factors makes it clear that the results of the last two 1856 handcart companies cannot be laid at the feet of any one man or group of men. Even the best laid plans run afoul of economics, weather, and the choices made by each person and group involved. Chapter 13’s fair and balanced discussion of the pros and cons of remaining in Nebraska for the winter provides an excellent understanding of the limited options the traveling saints faced.

This incredibly useful and informative volume does suffer from the lack of an Introduction to discuss the need, focus, and contribution of the text. The Preface is primarily background to the author’s years of research, leaving chapter 1 to function as a quasi-introduction while setting the background of the 1856 migration by summarizing issues arising from the 1855 travails. However, after reviewing the myriad details involved in the 1856 handcart plan, it is amazing to realize how successful it really was. The complexities of managing the support functions and materials for this overland journey were complex and expensive. Many factors contributed to the challenges of gathering all the needed materials to the right place at the right time; dismissive comments about fault do not stand up to the real issues that beset this venture. Lest we forget, the first three companies in that inaugural year arrived safely in Salt Lake City.

Readers should take note that this is not a leisurely read, full of excerpts from journals and recollective histories. Rather it is, in many parts, more akin to a well-sourced doctoral dissertation, given the depth and breadth of its coverage of this life-altering event.

Occasionally, the author takes Wallace Stegner and other writers to task for not fully comprehending all the inter-related issues that were required to successfully manage this complex operation. Inadequate and unclear communication throughout the process, shares some of the blame. Clear and early notification of the new handcart process was often missing. The British and Danish saints were anxious to emigrate, but were not aware of the costs and efforts needed to succeed. The day-by-day summary of the trans-Atlantic voyage of the Thornton in May/June 1856 provides an excellent understanding of life aboard such sailing vessels.

Sadly, production qualities could have improved the design and layout of this helpful volume. Some illustrations (such as an 1856 letter published in the Deseret News) could have been enlarged for legibility and the broad spacing of the text lines adds undo cost and pages. The final two chapters, with their excellent day-by-day summary of the handcart company’s travel, along with the rescue teams, would have been greatly enhanced by a map showing the actual route taken, starting with the various outfitting stations.

Hundreds of footnotes testify to the depth of research that was conducted over the years, although the brevity of the citations, required to keep the text to a manageable size, loses reference to publication (publisher, date) and access (journals and letters) information.

Peppered with quotes and descriptions from journals, letters, and newspaper articles, the reader will readily be transported back in time to the situations the immigrant Saints faced. The depth of research is significant and the scope of coverage provide excellent background for understanding the timing, process, and challenges of the handcart immigrants. The 20-page index provides access to hundreds of names, but is not an attempt to name every immigrant; those names and biographies are available in other sources, and a planned volume by the same author. Any descendant of any handcart pioneer will be richly rewarded by learning of the process by which those ancestors made such a life-altering and taxing journey.

[Troy C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Light on the 1856 Handcart Emigration Story

“Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues” by Don H. Smith with the assistance of Mark C. Austin is a well-researched and documented study of the 1856 handcart emigration of European LDS converts from Liverpool, England to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory focused mainly on members of the Willie Handcart Company.
The initial chapters detail the complex planning process and the many problems and challenges church leaders in Europe and the United States faced in preparing for the 1856 emigration project. While much of this information was new to me and useful in providing context, the amount and level of detail was sometimes difficult to follow and seemed to bog down the flow of the story somewhat. Interesting information about the origin and development of the handcart system is also presented.
By combining information from various pioneer journals, the book presents a day-by-day account of the emigrant journey via sea, train, and handcart. Though some may question this amalgamation of sources, the result is a clear and concise overview of the expedition, with original source citations provided in the notes.
Being more familiar with the handcart portion of the emigrant journey, I found the “Aboard the Thornton” chapter especially enlightening as it provided many insights into the emigrants’ sailing experience. Chapters covering the initial portion of the overland journey provide details about the many problems and challenges that contributed to the late start of the Willie handcart company from Iowa City. A chapter is dedicated to examining some considerations emigrants may have evaluated in Florence, Nebraska as they listened to opposing advice from their leaders and others regarding whether to proceed to Salt Lake City or delay their journey until spring. Also discussed are some potential physical and spiritual consequences the emigrant company might have faced had they chosen to wait until spring. The journal entries included in the chapters describing the trek from Florence to Salt Lake City clearly illustrate the high cost of continuing the journey as the handcart company dealt with physical exhaustion, sickness, food rationing, broken handcarts, and bad weather. Maps of the route traveled and photographs of key sites along the trail would have been helpful for tracking the company's progress and visualizing the terrain they encountered.
The five appendices at the end of the book contain a wealth of interesting supplementary information. Appendix A introduces Thomas Tennant, a wealthy English landowner who joined the church, sold his estate and donated the money to the church. This donation funded much of the 1856 emigrant travel expenses. Appendix B contains letters sent from the Liverpool mission office to John Taylor, Daniel Spencer and others which provide more details about the passengers of the ship Thornton and the costs of their 1856 voyage. Appendix C discusses William Walker, a missionary returning from South Africa who arranged for the shipment of some of the handcart emigrants’ excess luggage from Iowa City to Salt Lake City after they were told they could only bring seventeen pounds of personal belongings on the journey. Appendices D and E draw from author Don H. Smith’s decades-long research into the original handcart designs, pioneer journals, and his hands-on experience constructing and testing handcarts. His findings suggest that prefabricated wheels were likely used in their construction, and he identifies wheel hubs made from green, unseasoned wood as the most problematic part of the original handcart design.
This book is a valuable resource for those studying the Mormon handcart migration and it sheds new light on the many complex factors that contributed to the hardships and tragedy experienced by members of 1856 Willie Handcart company as they struggled to come to Zion.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership and Issues
By Don H. Smith with the assistance of Mark C. Austin
Reviewed by Adam Oliver Stokes
With the exception of plural marriage, few topics are as controversial in LDS history as the handcart emigrations of the 1850s. Positions have often oscillated between two extremes with very little middle ground. On the one hand, many LDS writers have tried to idealize this period of church history to the point of hagiography. The handcart emigrations were a harsh yet glorious era consisting of many miracles and served to test and strengthen the faith of the saints. This point of view finds its most recent expression in larger pop culture in the 2011 film 17 Miracles.
On the other hand exists the view that the emigrations were a massive failure orchestrated by the utter incompetence of Brigham Young as the leader of the church. Such a position is indeed the central argument in David Robert’s 2008 book Devil’s Gate: Brigham Young and the Great Mormon Handcart Tragedy. Mark C. Austin addresses this phenomenon in his preface to Smith’s work referring to it as a balance between “folklore” and “misconceptions” and that it has influenced scholarly studies on this topic for decades beginning in the 1960s with Wallace Stegner’s critical view of the handcart emigrations in The Gathering of Zion.
Few sources exist that look at the handcart emigrations in an unbiased manner. In this regard, Smith’s work is a welcome and indeed necessary corrective to this tendency. Smith himself is not a descendant of the LDS handcart community but he has studied this era of church history for decades. His interest, which began as a mere hobby, has blossomed into that of a full time researcher who has even reconstructed 1850s period handcarts in his spare time.
Most commendable about Smith’s work here is how he provides such a plethora of information in such a readable fashion. Indeed, the book at times reads more like a novel than as a scholarly text. This balance between information and readability is no small feat and one that few authors accomplish. So often scholars overwhelm their readers with the information they provide (I am thinking here of some of the current popular authors I commonly read in the field of Russian history).
Most significantly, Smith highlights the variety of outside factors, many of which were beyond the saints’ control, influencing the handcart emigrations in the 1850s. As he notes, “the short time frame, uncertain money supply, new plan, new place of outfitting, lack of facilities, distant supply sources, poor train services, absence of modern communication systems, adverse weather conditions, misunderstandings, and inadequate numbers of qualified outfitters account for the majority of delays experienced” (p. 100). Also, in contrast to other authors, Smith focuses less on the role of Brigham Young and more on those saints who were more closely involved and who interacted more closely with the emigrants such as Orson Spenser and Abraham Smoot.
The major conclusion I drew from reading Smith’s work is that it is amazing that there was any emigration at all given all of the obstacles to it. In closing, Bring Them to Zion is a must have resource for those interested in this period of church history. I was particularly impressed by the appendices at the end of the book that include biographies on figures from the time period, contemporary letters and detailed accounts with pictures regarding the original handcart constructions and Smith’s own efforts to reconstruct these handcarts.

[Ron Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Bring Them to Zion by Don H. Smith

The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues is a well-researched and thoroughly documented exploration of one of the most ambitious—and tragic—chapters in Latter-day Saint pioneer history. Don H. Smith, with assistance from Mark C. Austin, offers critical insights into how a combination of weather challenges, financial constraints, logistical missteps, and divided leadership contributed to the suffering and loss experienced during the handcart migration.

Faced with the high costs of traditional wagon train travel, Brigham Young strongly advocated for a more frugal and unconventional method: gathering European converts across the American plains using handcarts rather than wagons.

Much of the book is a daily journal of the events of 1856, beginning in Scandinavia and the British Isles. Saints gathered in Liverpool, crossed the Atlantic, and made their way to the Midwest, where they were outfitted with handcarts to begin their unprecedented journey to the Salt Lake Valley.

One compelling detail was the unexpected reduction in baggage weight limits, forcing saints to abandon personal treasures and family heirlooms over 17 pounds. Many had spent hard-earned money to bring these items to the U.S., only to discard them—or miss the chance to sell them back home for much-needed cash.

Before reading this account, I was familiar with the Willie Handcart story. However, I hadn’t realized that an early buffalo stampede played a significant role in the tragedy. The stampede startled livestock, causing many oxen and other animals to bolt—an event that, as the author notes, "helped spell the fate of the Willie Handcart Company."

Another insight I appreciated was the observation that more men died than women—often because the men sacrificed more frequently, going without food to provide for others.

While Bring Them to Zion may not be the most gripping narrative, it offers valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the difficult, often second-guessed decisions made during the 1856 handcart migration. It's a sobering and respectful tribute to those who endured—and those who didn’t survive—the journey to Zion.

[Logan Norris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The work is an impressive collection of the primary sources, written with in a dry, amateur historical style which can, at times, take away from the incredibly gripping tale of the Willie Handcart Company. The author (with assistance from a friend who is clearly acting as the driving force to getting this tour of research out into the world) admires and finds much value in the story of the Mormon Handcart Companies, especially the two companies which form the tragic backbone of the handcart saga.
The book's primary treasure is the sheer amount of research (primary documents and recreations) the author has collected, analyzed, and organized. This research is highlighted in the journal format the book adopts for the actual journey of the Willie Handcart Company. The early part of the book hides its value in a dry style which feels a bit unsure of the point it wants to make.
Among the jewels of the book (when the style doesn’t hide it) is an engagement into the debates surrounding the handcart companies, ranging from the well-known warning of Lexi Savage to the confused (and perhaps outright ignoring) of Brigham Young's original vision (see Appendix 4 and 5 for an incredible discussion on this unseen battle).
This book is worth buying because of the sheer feeling which the tragedy spurns in you and the eucatastrophe that tragedy culminates in. The last chapter is worth your time and the journey to get there is worth it.
Overall, the eucatastrophe makes this book a 4/5. The style and, at times, uneven editorial and authorial hand, makes it closer to a 3/5. But, that feeling, of hope from heart-breaking despair, raises it above its prose.

[David VanLangeveld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for posting a review. Most Latter-day Saints who have grown up in the church have heard about this handcart company. Now, Don H. Smith and Mark C. Austin have given us a complete scholarly work on the subject, not just covering the handcart journey itself, but the full details of how those pioneers made it from Europe to the place where they built their handcarts. Some of the details include how much, on average, it cost to have immigrants take covered wagons across the plains, to how much it cost to have them go by handcarts instead. Also, there are full details of all the challenges that needed to be overcome in building the handcarts and the logistics of getting the immigrants to America.

[Andrew Holdaway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does a great job explaining the factors that led to the creation of the LDS handcart companies and what happened to the Willie and Martin handcart companies. It adds nuance to debates about the merits of the decisions made by company leaders, which is refreshing. The writing is a bit dense and hard to follow at the start of the book, but as you get into the journey taken by these pioneers, ample primary sources are used along with conglomerated sources, which really makes you connect with the pioneers. I loved how some of the footnotes shared extra stories. While this is a difficult read, it is worth it for those who want to understand this episode of LDS history better and get outside of binaries between critics and outdated hagiographies.

[Roxanne Shull · Rating 5 out of 5]

The research for this book was thorough and very well written. The experiences of the triumphs and trials of the company who crossed the territory to the west took my breath away. It is an utter testament to the will and determination of those who took up the call to come to Zion. Though all were mortal men and women and mistakes were made, they followed the will of God. I am thankful for them. I received an advance copy of this book for review.