I'm a little discouraged with this book. In the 482 pages of regular reading (book is 588 pages), I didn't really learn as much about President Snow as I would have liked to. There was a lot of repetition. The book has a lot more to do with his church life than his personal life. It mentions his 9 wives once, but then only mentions Minnie and her children, (the 9th), who was 42 years younger than he was. He claimed that all of his wives were equal. So why weren't his other 8 wives and their children included?
I was hoping to get some good stories and info to help with my Sunday lessons, but sad to say, other than tithing, I didn't come up with much.
The 35 pages about Orson F. Whitney were interesting and I learned quite a bit about his life.
From the author, Dennis B. Horne:
Latter Leaves in the Life of Lorenzo Snow, covering the years 1884-89, is a sequel to Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow, written by Lorenzo Snow’s sister Eliza R. Snow in 1885, but also contains additional material prepared by Dennis B. Horne, that continues the story from 1889 to 1901 when President Snow died.
Information about the inception of the project is found in Orson F. Whitney’s diary:
Saturday, April 6, 1889:
…Before the meeting commenced Apostle L. Snow came over to where I was sitting and told me he would accept a proposition I made to him some time ago to write an appendix to [his] published autobiography [biography]—300 pages print for $1000, and would get his papers ready for me to begin. He thought my terms were reasonable and had no doubt my work would please him.
Saturday, June 8, 1889
Left Salt Lake for Brigham City on a visit to Pres. Lorenzo Snow, who has engaged me to write some supplementary chapters of his history. Arrived at about 9:40 (having departed at 6 am) and after taking breakfast at Sister Minnie J. Snow’s, went across the ranch to a house where Bro. Snow stays, separate and apart from his family. We had a very interesting conversation this day and the three days following, on “the mysteries”. He told me he had never unbossomed himself to mortal man as he had to me, considered me a close friend and a brother. He blessed me the day before [dairy missing text] set [diary missing text] his history.
Wednesday, June 19, 1889
Several days since I commenced writing the book for Pres. Lorenzo Snow, in the interests of which I visited him at Brigham City recently.
March 17, 1890
Am busy at home, since going out of [public] office, working on Bro. Lorenzo Snow’s biography. Am making rapid progress; have written 18 or 19 chapters in the last three weeks. I hope to finish by conference time.
Thursday, April 3, 1890
Had an interview with Pres. L. Snow at his daughters, Sister Dunford’s; he cordially renewed his invitation to me to visit Brigham City after conference and paid me $250 on acct, leaving $200 still due for my labor on his book after completion.
Friday, May 9, 1890
Left for Brigham City with my little son Horace, [carrying] the manuscript of “Later Leaves of the Life of Lorenzo Snow”—finished and ready for his inspection.
