Against the Odds: The Life of George Albert Smith

Though George Albert Smith’s generation knew, revered, and respected his life and teachings, he has been relatively unknown among contemporary Latter-day Saints — until now. Rich with anecdotes and passages from his correspondence and journals, this historical narrative portrays the private life of George Albert Smith within the framework of his public image, consistently revealing the noble character and endearing personality of one of the Lord’s prophets.

George Albert Smith’s years chronicle tremendous growth and change. As the nation progresses from bicycle to automobile to airplane, a “horrid” boy branded as the neighborhood terror becomes a humble yet mighty man who “excels in human kindness.” His transformation begins in the fires of childhood illness and young romance and continues as this gangly traveling salesman serves as a missionary and an Apostle, weathers extensive and chronic health problems, and finally stands as a prophet during the first general conference of the Church after the end of World War II. Every page tells an engaging story of great struggle, faith, and loyalty. And at its center is the enduring love between George Albert Smith and Lucy Woodruff, the girl whose long, black braids he once dipped in ink and tied to a tree.