Funny recollection that Bryan reminded me of yesterday as a result of the Marriage class. There was a period of time after Bryan and I got engaged when we agreed to not be physical - reduce probabilities of doing stuff neither of us rationally wanted to be doing prior to marriage. But I was terrified that Bryan's willingness to do this might be an indication that he was really gay ... Continue reading »

Trivia - For the key letter in this chapter, I convolve the soliloquoy Austin wrote about his deceased wife with the Song of Solomon and a dash of my own past experiences. In real history, John C. Bennett will shortly strike up an adulterous relationship with Sarah Pratt, wife of one of the apostles (Orson Pratt was on a mission at the time).

"Bennett went to a lady in ... Continue reading »

Trivia - We are briefly returning to 1841 to insert some scenes that explain the events leading up to the death of Joseph Smith and the genesis of the virulent hatred of Mormons which is a theme throughout this book. This set of chapters (Brother John and A Virtuous Woman) are the first of at least two installments.

It is not a spoiler to indicate that Dr. John Bennett's ... Continue reading »

Trivia - In January 1861 the first shots of the Civil war were fired. Coincidentally, in 1861 the Church had exhausted the ability to purchase new wagons or even handcarts to carry people across the plains. So Brigham came up with the Out-and-Back or Down-and-Back scheme, whereby wagons and teamsters would travel east and pick up Saints wanting to travel west to Salt Lake City.

E-mails written too late at night sometimes result in stuff that shouldn't be sent.