Trivial Trivia - taking trivia to new levels

[J. Beckert]

The Complete & Unabridged Collection of Filthy & Vile Yankee Tricks?

[L Verge]

All good guesses, but not correct. However, Joseph, I'm giving you an A+ for that creative title!

Hint #1: Lincoln checked this book out of the Library of Congress.

[STS Lincolnite]

Was it the Book of Mormon?

[L Verge]

Absolutely correct, Scott! Bravo!

I just finished reading a modern-day political thriller (novel) based on Mormon history entitled The Lincoln Myth and written by Steve Berry. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to those of you who like a change of pace. I especially appreciated that the author took several pages at the end of the book to inform the average reader as to what parts were pure history and what parts were his creative talents.

The book got me so interested in Mormon history (which I learned very little about in any course) that I have actually been googling for more information. The theme of the book, however, goes as far back as our Founding Fathers.

[Wild Bill]

At the risk of alienating a lot of people in the Forum, audience and participants alike, I did an extensive study of Mormonism and Utah about 50 years ago, 34 pages of historiography, a dozen pages of foot notes, and a 12 page bibliography. I also lived in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona in what is called the Mormon Strip, that part of Arizona above the Grand Canyon. So most of what I say is very dated. But I found the Mormons quite engaging and good friends as I lived, worked, and loved among them. I never converted, but I never scoffed at their religion and society either. I still have many good friends in Utah, most of them old cowboys from my Grand Canyon days.

Sidney B. Sperry The Book of Mormon Testifies (1852) present the Book of Mormon in an approved Church analysis. Mark Twain, Roughing It (2 vols., various printings) presents an outsiders scoffing at what Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon meant to him as he rode across the Great American Desert between Great Salt Lake City and Carson City. I have a book of Mormon that is underlined by a missionary friend with the intent that I should find the truth and light I never did. More sober is the analysis of Christopher Lasch, "Burned Over Utopia," In NY Review of Books, 8 (Jan.15-18. 26, 1967),

Milo Quaife, in his intro to Dale Morgan's The Great Salt Lake (1947), calls the treatment of Mormon History the severest test of the capacity of American Historians for objectivity. A good general study is Leonard Arrington, Great Basin Kingdom (1958). More specific to members of the Surratt Society might be Robt. J. Dwyer, The Gentile Comes to Utah (1941); Everett L. Cooley, "Carpetbag Rule: Territorial Government in Utah Utah Hist Qrtrly, 26
(1958),107-29; Gustave O. Larson, "Utah and the Civil War," ibid., 33 (1965), 55-77; George U. Hubbard, "Abraham Lincoln as Seen by the Mormons,: ibid., 31 (1963), 19-108; Vern L Bullough, "Polygamy: An Issue in the 1860 Election?" ibid, 29 (1961), 119-26.

The Mormon War of 1858 is always of interest and it affected the Pierce, Buchanan and Lincoln Administrations to varying degrees. Try Richard D. Poll, "The Mormon Question enters National Politics, 1850-1858," Utah Historical Qrtrly, 25 (1957), 117-31; Norman Furniss, The Mormon Conflict (1960); Juanita Brooks, The Mountain Meadows Massacre (1962), there was a movie on this about 5 years back; Leroy and Ann Hafen (ads.), The Utah Expedition (1858); Charles P. Roland, Albert Sydney Johnston (1964); Otis E Young, The West of Philip St. George Cooke (1955), I studied my M.A. under him.

This ought to get you started. Don't forget to look up more modern sources, with newer interpretations. I am too lazy to do that for you, as usual.

[L Verge]

Okay, if each one of us reads one different book that Bill has recommended, we might be finished by Christmas! See why I continue to put up with this man even when he "chaps my hide," as Joseph is prone to say?

Even though a novel, The Lincoln Myth is sympathetic to the history of Mormonism and its principles. In this case, the book is built around one radical, modern-day Mormon of European descent who envisions the Church creating its own Deseret in America, separate from U.S. government -- sorta hearkening back to the mid-1800's search for their own space to live and find religious freedom.

[RJNorton]

Some books indicate Ann Rutledge was preparing to go to a nearby academy to further her education. What was the academy's name?

[Gene C]

Jackson Female Academy ?

[RJNorton]

Correct, Gene! Good job. You win one free year in Mentor Graham's class.

[LincolnMan]

Which president was the first to have a presidential library established?

[RJNorton]

FDR?

[LincolnMan]

Good guess- actually it is a much earlier president. It wasn't established until after his death.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Didn't Mary purchase a lot of books for the presidental library (if I remember correcly especially about nature and foreign countries)?
James Monroe?

[L Verge]

I think this question could have two answers. Mrs. Garfield established a library in her husband's memory after his death, but I think Truman's was the first established under the 1955 act that sanctioned Presidential Libraries. I believe that Truman liked the idea that FDR had generated by creating his library with the holdings at Hyde Park and this led to the official act of establishment.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Ok, it was the White House family library for which Mary bought books (thought this was the same and meant).