E. B. Long (1919–1981)

This book begins unpromisingly with the ridiculous assertion that Utah is the only state which was founded as a religious colony--I'm sure they're still laughing in Massachusetts Bay, Georgia, and Mary Land. And before you've turned a page, he doubles down by stating that Salt Lake City was the only waystation for emigrants headed for California during the War of the Rebellion; seems to me that there was a little old place called Denver which was almost a decade into a mining boom, though admittedly it was a little further afield from the main trails west. Anyway, the rest of the book settles down soon enough into a solid but dry account of the war years in Utah which centers mainly on some Indian-chasing expeditions and, especially, the tension between LDS leader Brigham Young and a succession of governors, judges, and soldiers assigned there by the federal government, most notably (and eloquently vituperative) General Patrick Connor. Much of the book consists of angry exchanges between Connor and Young, who was quite the equal of Connor's command of insult and obloquy, but, as amusing as it can be, it all becomes very repetitive. And too often the book floats along on an ocean of trivialities and minutiae and thus becomes a very long and unpleasant duty dance for the general reader. Long can write--his closing chapter is a wise, reasonable, and concise summary of the book: would that those merits had been sprinkled more widely through the rest of the book. .… (mais)