(I could not write this review without using a word generally deemed offensive. I elected to include the word because the context would make little sense without it.)

Every morning I wake up and take a good look at myself in the mirror, wondering what the new day will bring. Essentially retired, I have the time to explore the nooks and crannies of life, poking my nose into things that interest me, sometimes coming away being rather surprised.

But I'm not often appalled. Having finished "The Last Mile of the Way," having spent the last evening devouring the last 100 pages, I feel as if I've been pulled through an emotional wringer. I'm not sure I like the feeling, but like a potion, I suppose it's good for the soul.

Readers of the first two volumes will recall that this series chronicles the experience of blacks in early Mormonism. Rich in flavor, sparing in detail, eminently readable, the earlier volumes were a wonderful survey of how these good people were treated, not just by the Church, but by the larger American society. It remains a sin, a blot on the American character, that we allowed this treatment to last as long as it did.

When emancipation finally came in the 1860's, it appeared that the promise of freedom was to be fulfilled. But this was not to be so; racial strife, discrimination, hatred, survived emancipation, and in fact festered like an open wound. A shame, a disgrace.

While we acknowledge this problem in the larger American society, one would have hoped that Christ's Church would behave better. Those who accepted the Restored gospel should have known, if only from the Book of Mormon, that all are alike unto God, no matter the color of their skin. Alas, this was not to be the case, either. And such is the shame of Mormonism's past.

To be fair, racism has been rampant in the U.S. for generations. I can't think of a time when minorities were treated fairly. Even to this day, racism rears its ugly head, manifesting in acts of unspeakable cruelty and violence. The recent death of James Byrd, having been dragged to his death from the rear bumper of a vehicle, demonstrates that racism is not a problem of the past at all. We have not overcome.

"The Last Mile of the Way" brings us very much to the present day, and brings closure to the lives of so many folks we met in the first two volumes. We are also introduced into the world of one of its authors, Darius Gray. I should mention that I've known Margaret Young for several years, but only met Darius once. My immediate impression was of a happy, fulfilled, committed man, dedicated to the Church and to the Genesis Group, which he now heads up.

I could not have known the depth of his experience, the rough road he had to travel in order to get where he is today. If it seems a bit egocentric to focus so largely on one of the authors and his family, I came to understand Darius' life as symbolic of the larger black Mormon experience. It's been a battle, it is still a battle, and it is likely to remain a battle.

One of the surprises of this book was the involvement of men who would later become General Authorities. No less than Spencer W. Kimball and Gordon B. Hinckley, among many others, show themselves as part of the larger story of the development of black involvement in the Church. Each demonstrated a concern, and in many cases a genuine love, for their brothers and sisters; some would play a role in the formation of the Genesis Group and, finally, in the lifting of the priesthood ban.

But this is no good-times story. Expect to be uncomfortable while reading the narrative. With each chapter, I found myself asking, "How much can any person take? How much courage did it take to stand up against the radical racism of one's fellow church members? How easy would it have been to just give up?"

Indeed. When Darius first arrived at BYU as a young undergrad, he found he was one of only two black students. And the other student didn't stay for long. After all, how often do you have to hear, "Go back where you belong, nigger!", before you decide to throw in the towel and seek friendlier company?

And how many times must a black family sit in sacrament meeting and be refused the sacrament, simply because of their skin color? How many indignities must one endure for the sake of the Gospel? And why aren't believers in the Gospel behaving any better?

The authors leave it to the reader to come up with the answers to these questions. The narrative is tantamount to a frontal attack on one's sensibilities. It presents a Mormonism that many will not recognize. And it will cause many a reader to look deeply into one's one soul to determine whether he is part of the problem, or part of the solution, as the old saying goes.

This book differs from the previous two in an important way: while the first two volumes are anecdotal and self-contained, this third volume has a clear direction, a destination. From the outset, in fact from the title itself, we learn that we, and the characters, are on "the last mile of the way." There is a clear destination in sight, an end to a long and tiresome journey. That end is an end to the priesthood ban, the opening of the blessings of priesthood to all worthy males. (But no females...)

With each step, you can just feel the confidence of some of the characters, the frustration of others who are impatient for the change. Some want to rush the Lord; some think the Brethren just aren't trying hard enough. But, as you know, the change did come, and the blessings were given. It was a great day indeed.

I am going to say this as clearly as I can -- every member of the Church should read this book. Period. You don't need the first two books in order to understand this volume, but they help. This book is so important because, sadly, the problem of racism has not disappeared. The Church still deals with the problem and tries to move its membership in a righteous and just direction. But, as with the larger American society, the task is difficult.

Readers will gain an appreciation:

• for the enormous sacrifices made by people of color in early Mormonism;
• for the almost unbelievable humiliation and persecution they had to endure as members of the Church;
• for the strength and courage they demonstrated in looking beyond their environment, keeping their eyes on the real goal;
• for the strong sense of family and friendship that kept them faithful and true;
• for their commitment to overcoming the covert and overt hatred they felt as they made their faith journeys.

There are lessons to be learned here, inspiration to be gleaned. I read the book in just three sittings. It's really that good. Be prepared to learn, to smile, and to be very, very disturbed. But please, read this book.

Jeff Needle
jeff.needle@general.com