This lengthy review was almost entirely written by Laurie, who has been reading AML-List more than I have, recently! I offered only my meager editorial skills in its preparation, so any praise for the review should be directed to Laurie. On the other hand, she should get any complaints as well. :-)

Journey to Zion: Voices from the Mormon Trail, is a well-compiled book of pioneer diaries and reminiscences on the trail to, in the end, the Salt Lake Valley. The accounts given are a good representation of what the pioneers endured, how they endured, and why they endured. As with many sesquicentennial books and events, this one will strengthen the reader's faith as they walk with the pioneers across the plains.

The majority of the book is devoted to writings of the pioneers. Beginning the three major sections of the book are brief introductions to the material that follows. Also at the very beginning is an introduction to the entire book, a good introduction to the reader who has had little previous exposure to Mormon migration and pioneer accounts. The author uses scholarly language throughout the book. Though the text does not read as quickly and easily as a novel, it is still enjoyable reading. The introduction itself is of reasonable length, and gives the reader enough background material to appreciate the accounts given.

As stated above, there are three parts to the book:

Part 1: Fresh Courage Take: The Iowa Trail
Part 2: We'll Find the Place: The Mormon Trail
Part 3: Grace Shall Be As Your Day: The Handcart Migration

Each part begins with a brief introduction to the kind of travel and accounts that are given in that section. A nice addition to these introductions are quotes from other pioneer journals that are not included in full in this book. This gives the reader an opportunity to read even more pioneer accounts than just those found in the book. These quotes are used to explain or show how the following accounts will relay some of the pioneer history.

Sometimes the author's explanations are found in between accounts, such as in the handcart section, explaining the varying circumstances surrounding the first handcart companies, the infamous Willie and Martin companies, and the companies that followed them. This explanation is timely, and helps the reader understand the differences between the companies.

Before each pioneer account is found a brief introduction (paragraph or two) to the person whose words are to follow. These introductions are italicized, so as not to be taken as the pioneer's account. Though brief, they are informative, and help prepare the reader for the pioneer's writings.

Following Part 3 is an appendix of biographical sketches. A sketch is included for each person whose writings are found previously, and they are well-written. Some of the information given includes birth, conversion to the church, family circumstances, and mode and time of travel across the plains -- information that helps the reader appreciate that pioneer's trail experiences even more. It is nice to have all the biographical sketches in one place, for ease of finding them.

Following the appendix is a page of picture credits, which applies to the pioneer photos included with a majority of the accounts. Following that is a comprehensive index. If the reader's ancestor's own account did not appear, but he/she did appear in someone else's account, he/she will be listed in the index.

As 1997 was the sesquicentennial of the first pioneer migration to the Salt Lake valley, this book is one of many books devoted to that particular theme. However, it appears to be a book that fills the need for actual pioneer accounts from the trail.

This book is all Mormon. It is devoted to publishing the accounts of Mormon pioneers in three different aspects of Mormon migration: leaving Nauvoo and traveling across Iowa in wagons; leaving Iowa and traveling to the Salt Lake valley in wagons; and traveling in handcarts across the plains. Mormon migration is covered in different time periods and different modes of travel. Through the words of various writers, the reader learns about the unique Mormon style of organization as the Lord directed in Doctrine and Covenants Section 136. The Mormon migration was itself unique in that they were a people going west for different reasons than other western travelers: to seek peace and religious freedom, not gold or land. The author herself is Mormon, and the accounts given are from Mormons, or those who became Mormons on the trail or shortly thereafter. Although a lot of pioneer information was disseminated with the 1997 festivities, this book gives the reader more glimpses into what really happened, what the pioneers really struggled with, and how their faith increased. In the words of the author:

My deepest gratitude is for those pioneers whose writings comprise this volume. The heart of the experience is what they have chosen to tell us. Without their words, we can trace their footsteps, view their wagons, open their trunks, handle their tools, and know the cold of winter and heat of summer and many of the other inconveniences and difficulties of the trail, but we cannot fully appreciate how they functioned within these external dimensions or what emotions and responses were activated by the circumstances of their trail experience. (Preface, xvi)

So, what of the accounts? How are they Mormon literature? They were written by individuals who sacrificed for their beliefs, to be gathered together as a people. Some were educated and some were not, yet there were similar themes running through their accounts.

Weather played a big factor while the Saints crossed the prairies. It seemed that no matter what year a pioneer traveled, he/she experienced the full force of Nature, with the Martin & Willie handcart companies experiencing more than their fair share. Some of the accounts, by both men and women, detailed the weather on a regular basis. Others mentioned it only in passing. Obviously, those accounts written years later did not detail the weather events as a daily diary did. But even in later accounts the pioneers described the weather-related hardships they endured.

Many recounted the deaths that occurred. Some of the accounts were very faithful in relating each death in the camp. Others mentioned them, but sometimes did not know the names. One account, written by a carpenter turned coffin maker, obviously related the deaths on an even more personal basis than others. There probably was not one account, even among those that were written years later, that did not mention, at least once, the deaths that had to be accepted as part of their journey. "And should we die . . ."

Births also were mentioned by most of the pioneers, though nothing was usually stated except for the father and mother's names, and possibly the name of the child. As a female reader I was often left to wonder who assisted the mother in delivering the child, and whether or not the companies stopped while the mother was delivering. Very few details surrounding births were given. Perhaps they were just accepted as part of the whole picture, as part of life. The deaths usually detailed the person's name, sometimes the cause, and sometimes, but not often, who was left behind. The book's author mentioned that particular detail in some of the accounts.

Men and women related different aspects of travel life. They had different responsibilities, so quite naturally they related those different aspects of travel life as they saw them. Some women saw travel life from the men's standpoint, when then found themselves driving a team of oxen across the prairies. And although daunted at first, they managed it just fine by journey's end. The men's accounts tended to tell more of the duties such as keeping guard, driving, providing food, and the Priesthood responsibilities. The women's told more of the everyday basic tasks such as cooking, washing, taking care of sick family and friends. And it seemed to me (as a possibly biased female reader) that the women told more often about the feelings and emotions they experienced. (As a side note, there are slightly more female accounts than male, though I believe the author did a fine job in selecting the entries that she did. They were well-balanced.) While women sometimes commented on the mileage, it was more often the men that kept an accurate account of how far the group went each day.

Pioneers on the different trails often wrote about the landmarks they experienced on the way. Rivers and streams were also mentioned, especially as they required a crossing. Some went into detail about how long it took to build a bridge to cross it, or how they waded and then brought the wagons across. Others just noted that a stream or river had been crossed. Those leaving Nauvoo always mentioned crossing the Mississippi. Independence and Chimney Rocks were mentioned by a few writers. One landmark mentioned by many writers in the book's first part was the Nauvoo Temple. Although emotion didn't always appear in the accounts, leaving the Nauvoo Temple behind always brought dismay. Another "moving" landmark as the pioneers crossed the plains, was the thousands of buffalo. Many accounts, even those written later on, mentioned how many there were, and how they had to wait for them to pass by.

Another commonly-mentioned aspect of the pioneer accounts was the Mormon Battalion. These accounts were usually, if not always, accompanied by some show of emotion and distrust of the government at this unfair request.

So in a few days brother parley p. pratt was sent from headquarters by President Young and council for President Huntington and Rich to rais fifty men in this place as the heads of the Church had concented to have the five hundred men raised to fill the demands of the government from whence we ware driven, thus showing to the world that they ware loyel to the government. A more cruel demand could not have been made upon us at this the time of our affliction and poverty. [sic] (186-187, Sarah DeArmon Pea Rich, Part 1, The Iowa Trail; Sarah's is the only journal to appear in two of the book's parts.)

Some were very optimistic, others who suffered more tried to be, but their accounts were not as upbeat. Yet many wrote how the Lord or the Spirt was in their lives, guiding and protecting. Some accounts were very spiritual, in that they related how the Lord was guiding and protecting them in different circumstances. Quite often these little stories found in their narratives were written for their descendants, to show them how the Lord watches over his children. They were written as faith-promoting, testimony-strengthening stories, and it appeared that these spiritual events strengthened their faith at a trying time in their lives.

Some accounts were written by pioneers who experienced much sickness, either themselves or family members. This usually tended to make the entire account one of trial, and they were not as upbeat or optimistic as others. Yet this honesty in their feelings and experiences makes their journals just as needed as the other more positive accounts, in that it shows that the pioneers had some real struggles to face as they crossed the plains, yet they survived spiritually.

Some pioneers wrote very openly of their emotions; with others the reader has to read in-between the lines, and other accounts were strictly the facts. As a reader, I was surprised to find that some accounts told more about the events surrounding the trip, including other people, than relating what was happening within their own families. Others were very diligent in relating family affairs.

Some accounts are by pioneers who had perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Many are not. Some of the grammar is a bit archaic. Yet, despite these things, the accounts were readable, and they give the reader a better understanding of what the pioneers experienced. A common writing habit seemed to be that of abbreviating names. Both the educated and uneducated abbreviated personal names of people who happened to be interacting in their lives somehow. Quite often the abbreviation included leaving off the first name, or just using a first initial. Perhaps they assumed that reading their journal later on, they would still remember who the people were.

Different aspects of the trail were mentioned based on the group traveling, the time they traveled, and how they traveled. In the first Part, the journal accounts contained more accounts of the bad weather than did the trip across the plains from Winter Quarters to SLC. This is rightly so, as the groups leaving Nauvoo experienced rain, muddy roads (when there were roads), and a cold, cold winter. The handcart companies also tended to mention the weather often, as they were in Nature all the time -- walking, eating, sleeping.

The book is well bound, and has easy to read brown print. Informative footnotes are given within accounts. It covers material not accessible to the general public. It is similar to previous writings by the same author, in that she is a scholarly writer and treats her subject material carefully. The overall themes, as well as individual entries, were helpful in teaching Sunday School lessons. The most helpful point for me (probably one of the author's goals in writing this book) was that it made me appreciate their sacrifices, appreciate my blessings, and made me want to find out more about my own ancestor's mode of travel and their experiences on the way to the Salt Lake valley.

Although I have no solution to suggest, one thing I did not like was the fact that there is no way to keep track of each pioneer's accounts, as they are not labeled at the top with the pioneer's name. I also wished many times that there was a map so I could follow the trail as they mentioned places. I saw only one mistake, in the appendix. Warren Foote's entry is on page 700. Robert Gardner, Jr.'s account comes next. In the middle of that account, Robert is referred to as "Warren."

Some accounts were from original manuscripts, others from second-hand typescripts. The manuscripts were reproduced verbatim, except where the meaning would be unclear without correction. This correction was included in square brackets. Typescripts were sometimes edited to make them conform to common usage.

Overall, the book is laudable. As an amateur family historian (who has not researched her pioneer lines), I have some appreciation of the work it takes to dig up information in libraries and other places. It is definitely worth the asking price of $25.95. The author did a fine job of selecting a variety of pioneer accounts: men and women; married and single; young and old; leaders and followers. Some of the accounts are from daily diaries, and some are written later on in life, with time to mellow the experience (though I was surprised at some of the details that were remembered). Some were letters written to family members. A citation was given for each pioneer's account. The author's footnotes within the text were timely and helpful. The pioneers' accounts themselves were perfect -- they wrote as they saw and felt and experienced this whole Mormon migration. As a descendant of some plains-crossing pioneers, I felt a greater appreciation for what they accomplished, and what service they did for me in traveling to the great gathering place. I also felt a desire to search out their stories, so I can have my own personal experience with this great movement.

-- 
(Mostly) Laurie & (somewhat) Jerry James
Email: jerry@cs.ucsb.edu
WWW:   http://www.cs.ucsb.edu/~jerry/