LDS in the USA: Mormonism and the Making of American Culture

Acknowledgments

ix Acknowledgments Although our names are listed as the authors, this book is the culmination of the shared efforts of our families, friends, and colleagues.Toallofthesepeoplewecertainlywanttoextendthanks for their support, patience, and good graces while we worked to complete this book. We especially want to thank Carey Newman, who has been instrumental in this book from its inception to its completion, as well as the staff of Baylor University Press. Without Carey’s and their assistance, this book would not only have been a much poorer product, but it would never have been published. This book was a result of a chance meeting at Princeton University , where we were both participants at the Lehrman American Studies Center in the summer of 2009. Having learned about the Mormons from living in Utah for four years, Lee was looking for some project to explain his experiences with Mormon culture and its relationship to American civilization. Likewise, Lynita had just completed her dissertation on Mormonism in the Age of Jackson and had been searching for a venue to publish part of her findings. x — LDS in the USA Without the sponsorship of the Lehrman American Studies Center , we would never have met and therefore been able to write this book. To Mr. Lehrman and his staff, we want to express our gratitude for his invitation to Princeton, where this fortuitous encounter took place and resulted in this book. On a final personal note, we would like to express our thanks and love to our spouses, MiJung and Chad, and Lynita’s children, Madison and Lincoln. Without your unwavering support, this book would never have been realized. And although our names are on the cover of this book, you are the true coauthors of our lives. It is to you that this book is rightfully and most properly dedicated. ...