Book Review: Women of the Book of Mormon

In Sense and Sensibility (episode 3, part 2, 2008 version) Meg makes the comment, "I wish I was a man. Girls can never do anything. Men can ride about the country and do things. And girls just sit and wait for things to happen."

I have to confess there are times I have seen the same type of limitation in women's lives today that Meg saw in her own day. I have also wondered why there seems to be so little about women in scripture. Not that the scriptures are not completely wonderful, but there are times when I have wished for some more feminine advice from our most spiritual maternal progenitors.

Recently I have had the lucky opportunity to review Heather B. Moore's new book Women of the Book of Mormon: Insights and Inspirations. This new volume will be released this month and will make a perfect gift for Mother's day next month. But what most struck me about Women of the Book of Mormon is the added depth Moore was able to provide regarding the five women specifically named in the BOM (Sariah, Mary, Eve, Isabel, and Abish). I learned more than I ever thought possible about these five women.

Heather B. Moore is the author of the 'Out of Jerusalem' series, as well as additional books based on the Book of Mormon. In fact, much of Moore's Women of the Book of Mormon grew out of research she did for some of her (fabulous) earlier books based on that book of scripture. She was very thorough in her historical, cultural, and religious research to ensure that her plot lines were as accurate as possible. And the interest generated in the female characters of these books indicted there are many women in the Church who feel the same way I do--they would love to know more about the women in the scriptures. The end result is a beautifully well written, inspiring, and tender book that brought me closer to some of the great matriarchs I have long yearned to know.

Moore makes it easy to say, to Meg and everyone else, "I am proud to be a woman."

Scripture of the Day: Amos 3:7