Brother Brigham

by Eugene England

Several books have been written on Brigham Young, so why another? The author answers this question in his the use of primary sources not previously available - letters and diaries of Brigham Young and contemporaries - and the exciting insights these have provided into Brigham Young's life and character. Rich with interesting detail in story and anecdote, the narrative depicts many of Brigham Young's prodigious tests and challenges and draws from his response to them the qualities that marked his greatness, including his warm, human characteristics as well as his vast leadership abilities. Most of all there emerges, for the modern reader as for Brigham Young's contemporaries, a man who inspires the best in others.

Genres: Biography, Religion

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1980

About the author

A remarkable teacher, writer, and human being, Eugene England (1933-2001) profoundly influenced thousands of students, readers, and colleagues. A tireless advocate of what he called “great books and true religion,” he co-founded Dialogue, the first independent Mormon scholarly journal, and the Association for Mormon Letters. His thought-provoking personal essays explored the issues of belief, peace, poverty, race, gender, academic freedom and community. An eternal optimist, he encouraged dialogue between conservatives and liberals, skeptics and believers, traditionalists and postmodernists during the decades-long culture wars. England’s life and work reveal a faithful scholar and loyal critic who followed the admonition of Apostle Paul: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

Reviews

[Lowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second of three books I read after completing Eugene England's biography.

There will likely never be an effective single work on Brigham Young, despite there clearly being enough documentation available to create a 3-volume biography a la Edmund Morris' work on Theodore Roosevelt.

I now have three biographies of Brigham Young on my bookshelf. Arrington, Turner, and this. I consider each factual and accurate, despite very different tones. Funny, then, how they very rarely overlap on a Venn Diagram of their content. A couple of shared quotes and stories, sure. But by and large, each shares different details and information than the others.

England was more an essayist than a biographer. Easy to read.

[Jamir Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brigham was a good leader, not a perfect one, but a good one. He was a no nonsense type of person. He is still one of my top 10 modern prophets. Good book to learn more about his personality.

[Peter W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good information, especially on Brigham Young's economic policies and his government of Utah. However, it seemed to steer clear of some of the more controversial issues such as his polygamy and his attitudes toward race. Perhaps this is a reflection of the times and changing interests or perhaps this is a reflection of the fact that this biography is simply quite short.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a great fan of Eugene England and that is what led me to read this book. It gives a different take on Brigham Young than other biographies. If you are interested to read about "Brother Brigham" on a more familiar level, then you should read this book.

[Bryan Summers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this three years ago and loved it. I just re-read it and didn't love it nearly as much. It is good but I'm not sure why I gave it 5 starts three years ago.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good biography. Brings out his humanity.