Brigham Young: A Life from Beginning to End

When Joseph Smith was assassinated in 1844, his fledgling religious movement—the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church—faced a serious threat to its very survival. It was Brigham Young who stepped into the void and ensured that the religion became a successful one. With tens of millions of Mormons all over the world still practicing the faith today, it seems that Brigham Young's efforts have certainly paid off.

This is the story of how Young led thousands of believers across the American frontier to establish their own religious empire in the Utah Territory. Far from simply seeking refuge, Young and his followers envisioned nothing less than a separate Mormon nation—a "Kingdom of God"—that would operate by its own laws and principles independent from the US government. This book explores how Young's leadership during this critical period shaped not only the Mormon church but also the American West.