First: The Life and Faith of Emma Smith

by Jennifer Reeder

From acting as a scribe for the translation of the Book of Mormon to founding the Relief Society, Emma Hale Smith was a key figure in the Restoration. She was also her husband's anchor and the love of his life. But how much do we really know about her role, teachings, and leadership?

Drawing upon letters written by Emma to Joseph and to many others, along with minutes from Relief Society meetings and other artifacts, this book sketches a more complete portrait of this elect lady. It allows each of us to become personally acquainted with Emma as we learn more about her essential work as a leader, a wife, and a mother in the early days of the Church.

Genres: Biography, Religion, Nonfiction, History, Lds, Church, Inspirational

224 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Charley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if it was written chronologically rather than by theme. The information over lapped so much and in certain themes spanned 20 years in two pages, making it harder to follow. I love Emma. I just wanted more from this book than it gave me.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first heard of Jennifer Reeder when she was a guest on a podcast and found her to be articulate, honest, fair and extremely knowledgeable about Emma Smith and other early female saints from the 19th century restoration. I really enjoyed the confidence and strength she gave these voices from the past as well as her plea to judge them based on their own words and their own sources rather than strictly through our 21st century lens or from historically weak sources. When I came across this book, I was eager to know more about Emma Hale Smith, a well recognized but often misunderstood woman.

The main issue I have with First: The Life and Faith of Emma Smith is the formatting. It is very scholarly and divided into topic rather than any sort of chronology. With heavy documentation, sourcing and footnoting, I usually had one hand on the page I was reading and the other hand saving the place to that chapter's footnotes so that I could identify the source from sentence to sentence while I read. It's frustrating that very few of the sources are ever from Emma Smith herself. She did not keep a journal and did not write many letters. Several times, the same source was used repeatedly in different chapters which had me feeling like I was maze reading...passing by the same spot again and again. All of that attention to historical detail, while super important for validity, wasn't exactly conducive to riveting reading.

There weren't many surprises for me, which was a relief but also a source of frustration. Especially in regards to the end of Joseph Smith's life and the chaotic schism that happened between Emma and the main body of church members who continued to follow Brigham Young. It was clear to me, although there is very little explanation as to why, how deeply betrayed Emma was by the practice of polygamy. My heart hurt for her and she has all of my compassion and empathy because I honestly can't imagine being any less hurt in her situation. Jennifer Reeder, the author, suggests an equally compassionate and empathetic response to the practicers of polygamy and I need to probably lend them the same time and effort to understand their why as I made to Emma by reading more.

Although it didn't adequately answer the questions I had, mainly why she vehemently denounced polygamy and even lied to her children and others about her knowledge of it, but never denounced Joseph, who betrayed her by practicing it without her approval or even knowledge (not every time but multiple times). I appreciated the well sourced book of information about Emma and the remarkable woman she was. I echo Emma's own desire when she wrote, "I desire the Spirit of God to know and understand myself, that I might be able to overcome whatever tradition or nature that would not tend to my exaltation in the eternal worlds." What a pure desire of the heart.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am so disappointed in this book. I honestly was hoping for answers to my many questions about this person. I was put off immediately when the author stated in the intro that since not much was known the author was going to state what her conjectures are. No, no no. I want the facts. I don't agree with the author many times when she would say, "surely Emma felt this or that". No no no. I disliked how the book was set up as in one chapter on her children and then one chapter on being a widow. It seemed there was a lot of repetition going on and every chapter was like starting all over. The best chapter for me was the one on her being a widow. I really was hoping for some sort of answer as to why Emma did what she did and there was a tiny, tiny, tiny sliver of why but it wasn't enough. I understand that we will never know her reasoning in this life but I didn't like being led the believe that there would be some sort of answer in this book.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Emma Smith! This book just didn't do it for me. It was written in sections of what she was first at. I think it made it easier for the author to have a topic to write on, but it wasn't as easy to read. Because the information wasn't chronological, it skipped from time to time, and repeated times from section to section. There was a timeline at the beginning, which really helped to see what things where happening consecutively, or close together in Emma's life.

I also didn't love the conjecture from the writer. This is historical fact, and very well researched. Don't add what you think Emma thought or felt. Leave that up to the reader to ponder.

[Shannon Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! It is hard to put into words how much I respect and love this elect lady. Her trials were many, her mountains were high, but boy did she rise to the occassion every time!! I am so impressed with her faith and determination to serve the Lord. She truly has the faith of Job.

Although there are many concerns regarding her decisions after Joseph Smith passed away, we do not know or understand her thought process or what was in her heart. We do not realize the depth and magnitude of it all. I do believe that Joseph Smith came for her when she passed away and that says all I need to know about her. It is not my place to judge or condemn and I am thankful that I do not have to carry such a big burden.

It always amazes me to learn about her and the early Saints. I cannot imagine how difficult their lives were. It was not easy being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the beginning. We have heard of the many obstacles and trials they endured, but what about the day to day stuff? We have these great books of scripture, hymns, and lesson manuals. We have formats, a legal department, structured organizations, and great missions. Imagine the weight on their shoulders as they accepted their callings all while cooking from scratch, farming, working, and dealing with health challenges, difficult pregnancies, and the loss of children and family.

My love and admiration for Emma and the early saints grew 💯 fold after reading this book.

[Daciana Washburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love learning more about Emma -and trying to imagine how the restoration was from her perspective. I liked how the book was set up by topics versus purely chronological. A lot I knew already but it was nice to hear about her from others since she didn’t appear to write all that much in a journal. Overall good read (listen)

[Aubree · Rating 3 out of 5]

This biography of Emma Smith was pretty comprehensive. I learned a lot and felt like I got a good overview of her life. It was organized by topics that all related to Emma being “first” rather than told in chronological order. It appealed to me in that I would have written a college paper about her in this format. But it did make the book repetitive as the author had to continually explain what time period we were in and was sometimes confusing. If you don’t already have a decent grasp on the events of Church history then this is not the book for you. It was also kind of dull. The writing was just not that captivating to me. I would have normally abandoned a book I that I had to force myself to finish but I did want to finish the last couple of chapters. So overall, it was okay. I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it but I won’t be shouting it’s praises.

[Brenda Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Reeder has done an amazing job researching Emma's life. Each chapter ends with footnotes and sources. She has stuck to primary sources and presents the material for the reader to draw their own conclusions. Emma was an amazing woman and sometimes gets a bad rap from members of our church because she didn't follow the saints to the Salt Lake Valley. But she was such an integral part of the establishment of the church not only through the support she gave her husband, but through her own efforts, for example in establishing the Relief Society and also being a political activist. I came away from this book with a new respect and appreciation for her, and believe anyone who reads this book will feel the same.

[Angela J. Metcalf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to an interview with the author and it got me interested in reading this book. I loved reading about such an important person in church history. There was so much I didn’t know about her that this book shared. I really appreciated all of the sources she used and how well documented everything was. The author sections the book into topics/parts of Emma's life and does it in a way that still keeps a chronological order. I loved this book.

[Christopher Angulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the topical approach to Emma. Reeder does not shy away from controversial topics, though she does not explore them in depth either. However, the citations fill this book to the brim, and reach sources far and wide. So, anyone who wants to dig deeper will have a treasure trove of excellent sources to better understand the life of this wonderful woman, Emma Smith.

[Shelbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, I am in total awe of Emma Smith. I find it difficult myself to be alone with my kids 1/3 of the time when my husband goes to work at the fire station. But Emma had to deal with much more solitary parenthood, and uncertainty in her life. I loved reading about how strong, courageous, and business savvy she was. She was effective as a leader, and an equal in her marriage with Joseph. I related to her in so many ways and want to be like her.

I can understand why Emma had a hard time with plural marriage, especially when she wasn’t aware when they happened or with whom (her friends in the Relief Society). I think I would have acted similarly in her situation. I admired Emma’s tenacity in fighting with Brigham Young, as it seems he subscribed more to the idea of the time about women being subservient to men. In the end, it is clear that Emma prioritized her family above all - in the protection and financial support of them. She is a woman to be revered - she is my hero.

I rated this 4-stars because even though it was well researched and interesting, the book was weirdly organized. Would have been nice to have it be in chronological order, instead of by themes in Emma’s life. I think the author could have benefited from the organization too because there were some stories that were told multiple times.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent biography. I’ve known about Emma my whole life, so I was amazed at how much new information and perspective I got from this book! I also feel enraged about all the injustices she experienced (@Brigham Young) and devastated by all the tragedies of her life. I now know deeper than ever that she was equally yoked with Joseph and equally essential in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and His church.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I want to say that I love Jennifer Reeder as a historian. Her research is solid and careful, she works very hard to avoid presentism, and she formats her writing in interesting ways to make it accessible and highly usable by the lay reader.

This book is a very different book than Newell and Avery’s Mormon Enigma. If you’re looking for the definitive book on Emma Smith, Reeder is not going to unseat it, for better or worse. That said, it does offer many things that Mormon Enigma does not, and I argue it is an important addition to the canon.

Reeder is a lot more rigorous with her sources than Newell and Avery. Emma Smith is a very hard subject for a biographer because she left so few materials in her own hand. No journals, no autobiographical sketches for newspapers – just a handful of letters that have survived, and a priesthood blessing that she wrote for Joseph to give her (at his request). Everything else is transcripts of speeches she gave, historical documents, and other people’s writings about her. Reeder was much less willing to use second- or third-hand sources than Newell and Avery, which makes for a far less robust volume, but one that feels less gossipy, for lack of a better word. It gives the book a more detached and impersonal tone, but I felt a greater trust for the sources that she included.

She also organizes her work in a radically different way than a traditional biography. It is not chronological. It is organized by ten important currents that ran through her life, and gives the arc of how those values and roles impacted her life and understanding of self. While it led to plenty of redundancy when contextualizing the chapters’ events, it allowed us to see trends that would have been harder to see when interspersed with all the events that happened in the middle, and I think this was highly valuable.

Also, the average member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not likely to pick up a 400+ page historical work, but this is a lean 180ish pages, with rather a lot of endnotes included at the end of each chapter within those 180 pages. Because of her topical format, she does assume the reader has a basic gist of Smith’s life story and church history, so a reader without any exposure to this history would struggle with this volume. However, as long as you have that basic framework, this is a really fast read. We so desperately need rigorous research from our history written in a way that the average member is actually willing to read it, and Reeder delivers. And the Deseret Book stamp of approval will put it in hands that wouldn’t feel comfortable with other publishers.

OK, and you really can’t talk about an Emma Smith biography without talking about its treatment of polygamy, because it shaped so much of her story. And this is where it gets tricky, because Nauvoo polygamy was SO secretive, it is hard to find evidence that would meet Reeder’s rigorous standards for what is historically trustworthy to include, as well as what portions of our current knowledge Emma would have had access to. Joseph hid SO MUCH from her, and she maintained through most of her life that Joseph Smith was not polygamous (despite plenty of historical evidence that she knew about it in part), so it is tricky to pin down what exactly she knew. The book doesn’t shy away from polygamy. It impacted many facets of her life, so it made an appearance in many of the chapters. Her tone was very no-nonsense about it, and she didn’t hesitate to include the unpleasant bits about things beloved historical figures did, and how hurt Emma felt by these actions. That said, I do feel like Reeder included the bare minimum she could get away with talking about. I felt far less angry reading this than I have other books that discuss his polygamy. That said, this is a book about Emma and her contributions, not about Joseph, and I think she did include enough for us to understand how Joseph’s polygamy impacted her decisions.

Overall, this was well-researched and highly readable, and I loved that it allowed Emma and early church members to be messy and complicated while still showing Emma’s strength, and celebrating her resilience and contributions to the church. I think Smith would be pleased with how her story was told.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for more with this book, I don't know why. There is not a whole lot out there on Emma Smith, she didn't keep a journal so it's rare that we get a glimps into her personal thoughts and feelings.

I did discovered a few things out about Emma and more about how she was treated, especially toward the end of Joseph's life and after he died, in this book. For instance, I knew that she and Joseph took in Jane Manning, a black woman. But what I didn't know is that her racially inclusive behavior began when she was young, as she had an aunt that married a free black man, so she grew up with bi-racial cousins.

I have begun to hear more and more of some of the things that Brigham Young said about women in particular, that were not, in my opinion, of one who saw all men and women as equal. Reeder, talked about a couple of meetings on March 9 (don't recal the year) where Brigham Young's personal opinions came out in a meeting with the Nauvoo High Priests and first council of the Seventy. Brigham expressed his opposition to Relief Society, publicly shutting down the organization. To the High Priests quorum he said, "I will curse every man that lets his wife or daughters meet again until I tell them." He continued, placing an extraodinary amount of blame on the women, "what are Relief Societies for, to relieve us of our best men, they relieved us of Joseph and Hyrum." To the Seventies quorum he said, "Many of our sisters have been engaged, they have no right to medal in the affairs of the Kingdom of God." Emotions escalated in a very personal way as the President of the quorum of the twelve discounted the work of the Elect Lady.

Brigham Young and his first wife were of the New England tradition of marriage where the man was seen as the head of the house. Thankfully Joseph and Emma had a more progressive marriage where they saw each other as equals. While Joseph encouraged women to practice spiritual gifts, Brigham Young later discouraged it.

Mary Ann, Brigham's wife never joined the Relief Society. Not all women that wanted to join were welcomed either, as some may have been considered to not be completly pure. I was not aware that Relief Society was not all inclusive as it is now, this book made me aware of that.

[Anna Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing way to view Emma and her life. It was well written and flowed in an engaging way. It kept my interest the entire time. Emma was a real person with real talents and struggles. She is an incredible human who had so much asked of her and she handled it better than many of us would. I admire this woman so much. This was a very well done window into who she was and her relationship with Joseph and the Lord.

[Vanina Jepperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was so much about Emma that I didn't already know or hadn't considered before. Her path after Joseph died made a lot more sense after reading this book. She was an incredible woman who went through a lot. The book was really well written and I really enjoyed the chronological dates chapter at the end.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched book about Emma Smith's life organized by ways that she was First. The timeline jumped around a little bit, but I learned a lot. I felt the author did not shy away from difficult topics and covered them from different perspectives. It made me love Emma and better understand her struggles.

[Maren bosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this and learn more about Emma smith. Unfortunately the writing just didn’t do it for me and I was not a fan of the book being organized topically. I felt like I didn’t get the complete picture of her life and how the timeline of events affected her.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. I didn't realize how much I didn't know about Emma. She was such an incredible woman.

[Joseph Nickel · Rating 1 out of 5]

Evil book. Complete ignorance and slap in the face to anyone who wants a historical account of anything. Emma wasn’t even the FIRST of joseph’s wives to be “sealed” to him for the eternities.

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography is written by theme, or grouped topics. It is not chronological. This may be frustrating to some readers. It was a little frustrating to me as I had go back and re-read to find particular tidbits of information that I enjoyed learning about most and wanted to include in my review. Because I actually went out and bought this, after I had to return my library copy, and found the second read just as enjoyable as the first, I'm giving it four stars.

Emma Hale Smith Bidamon was a complicated woman but she played such an important role in so many areas of church history. She was the "behind the scenes" influence and right there with Joseph who was not given a "Church Handbook of Instructions" in the sacred grove. He and Emma had to figure a lot of this out on their own. I liked how the author and historian, Jennifer Reeder, brought these aspects of Emma's life out. She even titled each chapter as such: First Love, First Scribe, First Lady, First Widow, ect. Ten Chapters in all, with a very helpful pedigree chart for Emma and a timeline of all important dates and events that marked her remarkable life story.

Many 21st century women should be able to relate to Emma as she lived in a time and culture largely forgotten. Remember, if a woman did not have a living husband back in those days she had no other choice but to work outside the home as well as take care of the household AND the children if she had any. Joseph was not the best at managing money and his calling as prophet and leader of a new religion meant having to rely on outside assistance. So it was up to Emma to keep cows and make the butter and cheese to bring in the second income. It was Emma who ran the red brick store and kept the ledger balanced. It should amaze and inspire anyone who reads this book that she had the time to help scribe for Joseph, put together a collection of hymns, do all her ministering, pay her tithing, not mention serving as President of a brand new women's organization. All the while chasing after toddlers and washing diapers all day.

The author also tackles the sensitive polygamy issue, right out of the gate. I loved that. So many critics only want to focus on the Joseph Smith who took helpless teenage girls to wife yet on page 30 the author points out "...no children resulted from Joseph's plural wives." Emma was the only one carrying a child of Joseph's at the time of his death. We do not know how much Emma knew or how she might have felt but I highly recommend author Dean Hughes "Muddy" and "River" books for an excellent resource of what it was like to live "the principle" back in those days. It is also important to keep in mind that any connection to a prominent leader in the church was just as big a deal in those days as it is with today's social media frenzy. Who wouldn't want to be sealed into, say, President Russell M. Nelson's large family today as a golden ticket into heaven? It was the same back in Emma's day. This idea of being sealed into huge, eternal, family units, everyone connected in this special way to each other was a new and exciting idea. Everyone wanted in. The concept of "family" back in the 1800s certainly has changed compared to today with more than half of the LDS church single. The broken and blended families of today just didn't exist back then and even in the rare instances if they did: the social, friends, and family networks of support were in place.

Emma kept a good table. I loved Joseph's quote on page 104 that whenever he sat down for a quick bite to eat, his talented and gracious wife would load the table with so many good things it would destroy his appetite!

Page 174 Sorry, Orson Scott Card (author of "Saints" published in 1984) but Emma never pushed Eliza Snow down the stairs over the polygamy issue. Thanks for clearing that up Jennifer! In fact, after the martyrdom, Emma had no choice but to withdraw from public spectacle. No longer the "First Lady or Wife" she was now a widow. Nobody cares about a single woman and her place in the public eye had come to an end. Like all women did back in those days, Emma did the best she could with what she had. She was truly a Queen and Priestess. A concept that had never occurred to me before until I read it in that way on page 70 in this book. Those LDS readers with current temple recommends know what I'm talking about.

There is so much more I could include, the book is full of insights. It is fully researched and documented. Everyone will enjoy taking the journey the author did to uncover more about one of the most famous women in church history.

Emma's story will inspire all who read it and hopefully leave the reader a little better for having read it.

[Ellen]

"Separation and reunion. Loss and compensation. Poverty and refinement. Fierce protection of family. These would be become recurring themes' in Emma's life."

I read this for a book club and it was really difficult for me to get into. I wasn't able to finish in time for the discussion and didn't have a desire to finish it, so I didn't. I made it a third of the way through and although I think Emma Smith is amazing and the author brought up some good points, the book was organized in a strange way. The author has organized the book so that each chapter covers an aspect of Emma's life, like her upbringing, marriage with Joseph, children, etc. Because of this, there was overlap and repeated quotes. 

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thorough examination of Emma's life, good and bad. She is a much more intelligent and competent woman than I had realized. She is a complicated woman with a complicated history. This book divides her life into different characteristics and looks at them throughout her life. Because of this, it feels like we go over the same ground numerous times. All in all it brings new insights into an important woman.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to put into words how I feel about this book. I’ve had so many conflicting feelings and have been told so many oppositional things about Emma. I’m grateful for this look into her life and cannot imagine the hardship and trials she went through. I have a renewed respect for her, her faith, and her strength.

[Misty DeRosier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the topical as opposed to chronological format of this book and how very well researched and documented it is. Delving into the deep trauma Emma experienced help me understand her better. While we can’t ever know her motives for any particular behavior, we can definitely understand how much of her later life was informed by trauma. I felt her grief as described by her granddaughters when they talked about how her eyes never smiled. I can’t imagine what it did to her self esteem to have not one, but two unfaithful husbands, to have been betrayed by women she thought of as sisters. My heart breaks for her with the loss of so many children, yet I am so impressed by her ingenuity and business sense. What a remarkable woman!

[Ashleigh Willardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and learning more about Emma. I’m continually in awe of all the hardship she faced in this life. She was an Elect Lady, indeed.
I also found it refreshing that this biography wasn’t necessarily in chronological order.
Grateful for Emma and all she did to help restore the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and learned so much more about the personal life of Emma Smith. The research done by the author was impressive and the perspective of Emma as her own person rather than just the wife of the Prophet Joseph was so interesting. I came to a deeper understanding of the trials and hardships Emma went through. Some unimaginable.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent bio of Emma. Not dry at all, well-researched and written in an interesting and inviting way. I've read just about every biography of Emma that's been written and this is definitely the best from a faith-promoting perspective. 'Mormon Enigma' is the most thorough but not necessarily the most uplifting. So, this book strikes a great balance.

[Charity Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jennifer Reeder did an amazing job in telling Emma Smith’s story. I learned so much more about her then what I knew before picking up this book. I also loved that she didn’t write in order of her life, but wrote by topic. I also loved learning about her life after Joseph Smith was martyred, because you don’t hear so much of that when dealing with Church History lessons.

If you truly want to better understand Emma Smith, then pick up this book.

[Sandie Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this was definitely the best book. I’ve read about Emma Smith. 😃