Fathers of the Prophets: From Joseph Smith to Russell M. Nelson

by Susan Arrington Madsen, Emily Madsen Jones (Contributor), Becca Madsen Thornton (Contributor)

Joseph Smith Senior, father of the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a well-loved figure. Known for his humble demeanor and unfailing loyalty to his son, Joseph Senior quietly and faithfully moved through the background of the Restoration as a man devout to God. But what of the fathers of other latter-day prophets? Perhaps their stories are lesser known, but the fathers of the prophets are diverse and influential. In a world where the role of fatherhood is increasingly maligned, marginalized, and even dismissed, this book highlights the irreplaceable role of fathers in the lives of the chosen servants of the Lord, and in the lives of children the world over. Fathers of the Prophets is filled with stories and moments that will both inspire and delight. As you come to know and love the fathers of the latter-day prophets, your testimony will be strengthened and you will witness the hand of the Lord in guiding the restoration of His Church through men called to be fathers.

Genres: Lds, Nonfiction, Biography, Religion

292 pages, Hardcover

Published May 22, 2020

Reviews

[Isabel Tueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this slowly over the last few months and sometimes it felt like reading the same thing over and over again, but maybe that's just what happens when all the subjects are white males from Utah and Idaho.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy bios that share the stories of reality. This was a good read which enlightened my understanding of the value of fathers in anyone’s life. How sad it is when it doesn’t occur and how fortunate these spiritual giants were to have such positive influences. These men experienced all life had to offer and each had unique personalities which help us understand the value of differences.

[Shalese · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest I was worried that I would find this book dull. When I’m reality it’s as though the most interesting moments and tidbits have been pulled out, so I can enjoy short chapters that strengthened my testimony of the Restoration of the gospel, and seeing God’s hand in our lives.

[Lincoln · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved seeing how different each father was.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Inspiring tales of good men and fathers. I held back from a full five stars because the biographies sometimes seemed a little bit to cleaned up more like a eulogy than a true portrait of the person. They were nonetheless inspiring and quite varied in experience.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible men! I didn't realize that so many of the prophets lost with one or both parents at a young age. I loved listening to their example and how they taught their children. Excellent.

[NaDell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the fathers of the Prophets in latter-days. I didn't know the background of most of them and feel as though I know each of the Prophets just a little better now too knowing more about their fathers.
It was set up well and easy and fun to read.

[Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective of the lives of the prophets of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Usually we read a biography of the prophets to learn of them but reading these short biographies of their fathers opens new insights into their lives and the many, many challenges they faced in their struggles to obtain religious freedom, prosper in a rugged wilderness and deal with the changing times from Joseph Smith to Russell M. Nelson. Inspiring! Sometimes it was easy to lap over into thinking I was reading about the actual prophet rather than his father. There were many character traits the prophets learned from their fathers and their mothers. The book gives hope that a bright future awaits us in spite of the many current day challenges.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madsen, Jones, and Thornton do a good job of providing a pretty thorough background for each of the men who were the fathers of the Presidents of the Church. They present them as regular mortal fathers who come from all walks of life, a variety of financial, professional, and spiritual backgrounds. They don't try to glorify them or whitewash over some of their weaknesses. It was very refreshing to see the "ordinariness" of these men. That is not to say that they weren't successful or influential--Hyrum Smith, Joseph F. Smith, John Henry Smith, and Bryant Hinckley are particularly extraordinary--but the authors do a good job of portraying them in their roles as fathers and husbands who are simply striving to care for their families and make a positive impact in the world.
Since I was teaching a course on the Presidents of the Church while reading this book, I was able to see how the lives of these men influenced the ministry of their prophetic sons in so many ways. For example, John Henry Smith's unexpected capacity to build friendships with people of other faiths and worldviews in 19th century Utah certainly impacted George Albert Smith's desire and ability to connect and collaborate with people from all walks of life and continue to build relationships between the Church and other religious organizations. Bryant Hinckley's gifts for education, speaking, and writing certainly helped Gordon B. Hinckley become the incredibly effective communicator that he was for the Church. And there are many other examples.
This really was a great book to read and helped me appreciate even more fully how the Lord prepares people for service in His Kingdom through a variety of often unexpected methods and circumstances.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and learning more about the family life of the Prophets. I definitely recommend this!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so interesting, touching, and inspirational. I will most likely read it again.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love little biography vignettes like this.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning more about the great heritage of the prophets.

[BenJoe Markland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s start with the positives—this book offers fascinating insights into the men who shaped future LDS prophets. The depth of research and sources used to build each profile was impressive, providing a strong historical foundation.

That said, the writing itself didn’t quite hold up. The book spends a significant amount of time rehashing the First Vision—something most readers are already familiar with—which felt unnecessary. This isn’t a book aimed at investigators, so it seemed like an odd choice. I also felt there was a missed opportunity to explore the role of both parents, rather than just the fathers, as many of the mothers were only briefly mentioned.

While most chapters felt a bit dry, the final sections covering more recent prophets were the most engaging. Overall, I took notes, enjoyed parts of it, but didn’t love it.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't not finish this book for several reasons. First, if you have read a bit of historical books with the church a bit of these stories are repeated over and over. Second, as I read the first few fathers it was obvious that the writer didn't really have much about them. The information that was given seemed surface deep. Third, I realized this wasn't going to probably get better until modern prophets where records have been kept better.

With that said, the main reason I didn't finish the book is that I just wasn't interested in the information that was being given. Maybe it was because I had heard a bit of those stories before, or the writing was dry, or there wasn't much information saved over the years to give great info... I don't know.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very interesting insights into the fathers (and mothers) of the latter-day prophets. I gained a greater appreciation for their influences upon their sons. Sometimes the writing was uneven, and sometimes it was hard to follow which generation I was reading about. My biggest take-away was that the families and individuals written about were normal and experienced many real-life struggles, challenges, and heart-breaks, just like the rest of us.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title says, this book focuses on the lives of the fathers of the various Presidents of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (one chapter for each father, written in chronological order). I enjoyed how the authors highlighted one or two qualities of the fathers that particularly influenced the lives of their sons, and then showed how that played out as their sons became leaders in the church. Well-researched and thoughtfully curated portraits of fathers, with the underlying message of the important role that fathers play in the lives of their children.

[Mandy Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

I especially enjoyed the later chapters as there is obviously more personal material, records and memories to be accessed. I loved learning about the varied personalities and how these fathers influenced their prophet sons. I appreciated the insight it gave me into the lives of the prophets and the families they grew up in.

[Trent · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was great to gain insight into the parents that raised prophets. And it also gave me a great appreciation for the different strains of life over the last 200 years - the types of environments our ancestors have faced and worked through.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to the audio version of biographies of the fathers of LDS prophets.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning a bit more about the families of men I believe are prophets of God. Well done.

[Janette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Great insights into these men and their noble, spiritually-strong sons. Loved it----

[Swhe641200 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libby. Interesting book on the lives of the Fathers of our Prophets.

[Janae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history. This montage of the fathers of the prophets was beneficial to me in understanding the background of these amazing men. I'm grateful for their grit and determination.

[Elizabeth Ricks · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some nice stories about the men who helped to shape the prophets. I was surprised at how many hadn't been active in the church.

[Sidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good. Very touching and inspiring examples.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book about the fathers of the men who would be prophets. I enjoyed when the history was written I the form of narrative.

[Edy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice little book about the fathers of the profits. Learn some interesting facts. Very enjoyable read.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading about the fathers of our modern-day prophets, and I gained additional insights that will help me be a better parent to my own children. I loved the underlying message regarding the role of fathers in our children's lives.