Provo’s Two Temples

by Richard O. Cowan & Justin R. Bray

Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2015. 364 pgs. Nonfiction

Provo’s Two Temples is a beautifully written and lavishly illustrated history of each of the two LDS temples now in Provo. The first temple was dedicated in 1972. The first half of this volume tells the story of the planning, building and use of this first Provo Temple. The story of the second temple is a little more complicated. On December 17, 2010 a devastating fire gutted the Provo Tabernacle and left little but the brick walls. The Tabernacle has been rebuilt to be the Provo City Center Temple, and the second half of this volume tells the story of the former Tabernacle, the fire, and the construction of the new temple, which is scheduled to open in March of 2016.

This book was a surprisingly quick and enjoyable read. There were many interesting details, fabulous photographs, and the authors have included quite a few quotes from a variety of individuals which provide a personal touch to the text. One last note: in an age in which many books are produced cheaply this is one that has been well built. This is a book that will endure.

SML