Review
======
Title: Legends, Lore & True Tales in Mormon Country
Author: Monte Bona
Publisher: The History Press
Genre: History
Year Published: 2015
Number of Pages: 144
Binding: Paperback
ISBN10:
ISBN13: 978-1-62619-939-2
Price: $21.99
Reviewed by Kristie Wilkins for the Association for Mormon Letters
For generations stories of the Old American West have fascinated people from all over the world and every age group. Tales of adventure, betrayal, sacrifice, bravery and suffering have thrilled and inspired the imaginations of millions. The area now known as Utah was once the home of cowboys, Native Americans, outlaws, lost treasure and at least one world famous actress. Every person who persevered through hardship to settle and tame this land has an incredible story just waiting to be told.
“The experiences of the pioneer settlers provide a wealth of stories illustrative of the human spirit. Their collective and individual stories are instructive, often remarkable and almost always inspiring, given how they interacted with one another, how they interacted with the land, which was both friend and foe, and how they interacted with the Native Americans, who had a sacred connection with the land and the waters that nourish it.” [8]
“Legends, Lore & True Tales in Mormon County” is a compilation of many of the true stories, tall tales and mysteries of the Old West. Edited by Monte Bona, each chapter is written by a different author or storyteller whose unique voice and perspective is as wonderfully diverse as the stories they tell. Because the book is a compilation of stories, it does not have to be read in any particular order, allowing readers to pick and choose whatever adventure fits their time and taste on any particular day. I found it fascinating to see which chapters my various family members turned to each time they stole the book from me, which, to “Legends and Lore’s” credit, was often.
This is exactly the kind of book that I love to purchase from a visitor’s center while on a road trip with my family. The stories and pictures contained in its pages transform an otherwise monotonous drive into a journey into the Wild West of old. We can look out the window and imagine a little old man named Hiram Bebe sitting outside a salon with eyes that hold the secrets of the Sundance Kid. As we pass Kanab we can see the shimmering mirage of a small wagon train making its way across a harsh and almost insurmountable landscape and wonder at the perseverance and determination those early settlers had. Would we be up to such a task? When we stand in awe of the view at the top of the Grand Canyon we can visualize the ghost of Zane Grey standing silently beside us, dreaming up the plot of his next old west adventure story. Ordinary trees and rocks become possible hiding spots for Native Americans intent on stealing cattle or settling a score with the white settlers. Small towns, old cemeteries and historical plaques along the way have interest and meaning because they are connected to real people whose stories and pictures we hold in our hands. An otherwise ordinary road trip can become an extraordinary adventure.
Works like “Legends, Lore & True Tales in Mormon Country” remind us that even the most famous among us may fade away and be forgotten if our stories are not only preserved but also shared. One example is the story of actress Maude Adams. Born in Salt Lake City in 1872, Adams became one of the most famous and revered stage actresses of her time. Initiating the role of Peter Pan in America, her name and accomplishments should still be well known. However, time and the development of motion pictures have erased the memory of this vibrant and talented woman from the memory all but a few who share her story as they wonder if she once graced the stages of their own towns in Utah.
If the remarkable Maude Adams, the mysterious Hiram Bebe and the location of a great treasure can be forgotten, what can be said of our own stories? Modern day historians and storytellers come together in this book to preserve a history that continues to live and breathe and teach those of us who come afterward. On your next road trip through Utah’s Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area, take a copy of “Legends, Lore & True Tales” with you and let history transform your trip into a memorable adventure.