Solemn Covenant: The Mormon Polygamous Passage

by B. Carmon Hardy

Winner of the Mormon History Association Best Book Award, 1993.

Genres: Religion, Mormonism, History

488 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1992

Reviews

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully-written, well-researched, overview of that extremely fascinating subject, post-Manifesto polygamy. Full of insights into church leaders under pressure, disagreeing among themselves, going in different directions, some secretly. There is a great appendix on the ethics of what I call "Public Truth Conflicts" in Mormon history. Or church leaders doing one thing and saying another. The secrecy of post-Manifesto polygamy required this, but the consequences of the mixed messages remain with us today.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic work of history, a classic that stands the test of time and one I’ll be citing liberally in my own work on fundamentalist Mormonism.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful work packed with solid research. Analytical and fair-minded.

[Austin Archibald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quinn's piece is more compact with better organization and juicy info, but this was a monumental task by Hardy, covering post-manifesto polygamy. I am inspired by the devotion, sacrifice, and faith of the leaders and Saints who did the best they could to follow God and preserve an eternal principle. Some chapters are better than others, but this is an impressive work with sometimes tedious detail.