Mormon Polygamous Families: Life in the Principle, 2nd ed.

By Jessie L. Embry    Available in ebook for Kindle, Nook, Apple, Google Play, and Kobo. Also available through Amazon. Book Description: Mormons and non-Mormons all have their views about how polygamy was practiced in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Embry has examined the participants themselves in order to understand how men and women living a nineteenth-century Victorian lifestyle adapted to polygamy. Based on records and oral histories with husbands, wives, and children who lived in Mormon polygamous households, this study explores the diverse experiences of individual families and stereotypes about polygamy.The interviews are in some cases the only sources of primary information on how plural families were organized. In addition, children from monogamous families who grew up during the same period were interviewed to form a comparison group. When carefully examined, most of the stereotypes about polygamous marriages do not hold true. In this work it becomes clear that Mormon polygamous families were not much different from Mormon monogamous families and non-Mormon families of the same era. Embry offers a new perspective on the Mormon practice of polygamy that enables readers to gain better understanding of Mormonism historically. Comprehensive Table of Contents: Show/Hide . Preface to Second Edition Introduction 1. The Practice of Polygamy Worldwide and Among the Latter-day Saints Old Testament Polygamy Polygamy During the Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Centuries Mormon Polygamy Opposition to Polygamy Adaptation to Antipolygamy Laws 2. The Impact of the Antipolygamy Laws The Underground Mormon Polygamy in Mexico and Canada 3. Demographic Characteristics of Mormon Polygamous Families Studies on Mormon Polygamy Characteristics of Sampled Polygamous Families Geographical Variations 4. Motivations for Practicing Polygamy Religious Motivations Folk Justifications Sexual Motivations 5. Entering Plural Marriage Case Studies The First Wife’s Consent Deciding to Be a Plural Wife Church Encouragement and Approval for Polygamous Marriages Courtship 6. Living Arrangements and Visiting Patterns Living Arrangements and Visiting Patterns in Other Polygamous Societies Mormon Household Patterns Visiting Schedules Memories of Father/Husband Visits Church Attendance and Social Occasions 7. Daily Life and Family Roles Male Roles and Occupations Female Roles and Occupations Division of Labor Children’s Roles Wives and Children Outside Traditional Roles 8. Church Positions and Religious Activity Church Attendance Comparison of Positions Held by Polygamous and Monogamous Men Comparison of Positions Held by Polygamous and Monogamous Women Family Religiosity Family Celebrations 9. Relationships of Wives and Husbands Allocation of Economic Resources Demonstration of Affection Separation and Loneliness Husbands’ Views of Wives’ Relationships Resolution of Marital Conflicts Factors That Made Plural Marriage Work Comparison of Monogamous and Polygamous Relationships 10. Relationships between Wives Harmonious Relations Sororal Polygamy Jealousies and Conflicts Role and Personality Variations Reactions to Illness and Death 11. The Children of Plural Families Mother-Child Relationships Father-Child Relationships Relationships with Other Wives Relationships with Monogamous Stepmothers Disciplining Children Sibling Relationships 12. Divorce and Inheritance in Plural Families Divorce Among Mormon Polygamists Reasons for Divorce Inheritance 13. Participant Evaluation of Polygamy The Female Point of View The Male Point of View Children’s Views of Polygamy Measuring the Success of Mormon Polygamous Families Bibliography Index     About the Author: Jessie L. Embry is the associate director of the Charles Redd Center for Western Studies and an associate research professor at Brigahm Young University. She is the author of eight books and over 100 articles on oral history, western American history, and ethnic Mormon history. She has just published a book, Mormons and Polygamy, as part of a series to answer questions about Mormonism. More Information: 340 pages ISBN: 978-1-58958-098-5 (paperback) ISBN: 978-1-58958-114-2 (hardcover) Published in 2008