BLOG TOUR w/ GIVEAWAY: J. Golden Kimball by Kathryn Jenkins Gordon

J. GOLDEN KIMBALL

The Remarkable Man Behind the Colorful Stories

by Kathryn Jenkins Gordon

Covenant Communications, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-52440-356-0

Biography

Source: publisher for review

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

He is J. Golden Kimball, and when he is gone, there will never be another. He was the original product, and when Providence had finished him, the pattern was lost and never found again.

LDS Church history is comprised of the accounts of multitudes of men and women who set the groundwork for the Church. And while there are plenty of ordinary individuals woven into that patchwork of history, there are also a handful of unique individuals who enliven the past and provide inspiration for the future. Known as the “swearing Apostle,” J. Golden Kimball is just such a character, one whose legacy of colorful language is surpassed only by his fierce loyalty to the gospel.

In J. Golden Kimball: The Remarkable Man Behind the Colorful Stories, readers are invited to come to better know this legendary man made famous by his unique humor and powerful testimony. From a chronicle of Kimball’s youthful adventures to the legacy he forged in his more than forty years as a General Authority, gear up for a rollicking ride through the life of one of the liveliest servants of the Lord.

REVIEW

J Golden Kimball is well known in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) for the comments he made as a general authority.  But there is so much more to the man than that and Gordon shows that in this book, documenting major events in his life that led him to become the man that all those stories are about.  But she also includes sidebars that tell some of the best known stories about the man, and I admit they are funny, a bit foul-mouthed at times, but funny.  Left destitute by his father's death at the tender age of 15, J Golden left school to find work to help support his family.  It's clear the man knew how to work, but he also had plenty of failures and struggles along the way.  I found it fascinating to read about the talents he developed as well as the faith that kept him going during both the good and bad times.  Truly a unique individual, reading this biography opened my eyes to the fact that he was an interesting man who lived his life the best he knew how.

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LDS BOOK REVIEW: I Will Lead You Along: The Life of Henry B. Eyring by Robert I. Eaton and Henry J. Eyring

I WILL LEAD YOU ALONG

The Life of Henry B. Eyring

by Robert I. Eaton and Henry J. Eyring

Deseret Book, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-60907-783-9

LDS Biography

Review copy provided by publisher in return for honest review.

All opinions expressed are solely my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Henry Bennion Eyring was born on May 31, 1933, in Princeton, New Jersey, bearing the first name of his father, who was fast building a reputation as a brilliant scientist, and the family name of his mother, who didn't care for the name "Henry" and insisted that he be called Hal.

In 1970, Hal received an impression to make a daily record of his activities. Years of journals form the backbone of this personal biography, a candid look at his walk through life with his beloved companion, Kathy. "The journal shows how a good-but-imperfect man works each day to win divine approval," write the authors, and this window into his past provides unforgettable insights about the man the Lord has shaped him to become.

Readers will love these richly designed pages, filled with photographs, sketches from the pen of President Eyring himself, and scores of entries straight from his journals woven into an engaging depiction of his life's journey.

President Henry B. Eyring's professional, academic, and personal experiences have all combined to make him uniquely qualified for his responsibilities as a member of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His life story vividly demonstrates the power of the Lord and the example set by one who strives to follow His commands.

See here for excerpt.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Robert I. Eaton began serving as president of the Washington Federal Way Mission in summer 2013. Prior to that, he was a professor of religious education at Brigham Young University-Idaho. He is a graduate of BYU and of Stanford Law School. He and his wife, Diane, are the parents of four children.

Henry J. Eyring graduated from Brigham Young University, earning a bachelor’s degree in geology and graduate degrees in business administration and law. He is the advancement vice president of BYU-Idaho and has served as director of the BYU MBA program. He also served as president of the Japan Tokyo North Mission. He and his wife, Kelly, are the parents of five children.

REVIEW

I really enjoyed this beautifully written glimpse into the life of President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor  in The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Full of quotes from Hal's numerous journals and talks, the book gives the reader a look at the man he has become and some of the experiences and choices that made him that way.  For such a long book (over 500 pages) the book is very readable and held my interest all the way through.  I especially liked the design which included journal entries as well as side quotes, photographs, and drawings right from Elder Eyring's journals. I felt like a gained a deeper appreciation for the man.