Friday, May 1, 2009

The Carthage Conspiracy - 79/81

The Carthage Conspiracy, by Dallin H. Oakes, LDS category

Despite the clear title, Carthage Conspiracy: The Trial of the Accused Assassins of Joseph Smith, I was expecting something different. I guess I was expecting a biography of the people involved, and maybe some reflection about the ultimate fate of the church, the Smith family, etc. But what I got was just what the title suggests - the trial. First the effort to identify the people responsible. Then all about the legal system of Hancock county Illinois at the time, and the political and social makeup of the area. Then finally the actual trial process. If I were a legal scholar, it would probably be interesting. But I am rather bored by the whole trial process. The part before and after is what I was interested in, so I don't think that I will finish this one. I may give it another glance through, but that's it. If you are a Latter Day Saint and want to know about the actual trial, then I would recommend it. Otherwise, it's kind of a dry read.

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