Against the Odds

Against the Odds: The Life of George Albert Smith
By Mary Jane Woodger
Covenant Communications, 2011. 244 pgs. Nonfiction

Woodger details the life of George Albert Smith, from the time that he was the terror of his neighborhood to his time as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, showing the deep love that Smith had for people and his dedication to his beliefs.

This book had more drama than I anticipated. For example, President Smith's future wife, Lucy, was torn between him and another man vacillated between the two so much that even though I knew who she married, I couldn't help but be worried! I was also surprised by President Smith's sense of humor and couldn't help but laugh out loud at some points, such as when a man wrote to inquire about President Smith's feelings about cocoa and cremation, and President Smith quipped, "They're both hot." I got a little bogged down with all of the dates, but overall, this book was a surprising amount of fun, while still being very insightful.

AE