Dialogue Book Report #9: Novels of polygamy and the Great Basin frontier

Andrew Hall converses with three remarkable novelists, all of whom have recently published novels set in 19th century Mormon settlements on the Great Basin frontier. Phyllis Barber, John Bennion, and Dean Hughes write in widely different styles, but all of their recent novels feature characters struggling with polygamy. They talk about their novels, the realities of polygamy and the United Order, and the influence of Maurine Whipple’s The Giant Joshua on their works.
 
Featured books:
Phyllis Barber. The Desert Between Us
John Bennion. An Unarmed Woman
John Bennion. Ezekiel’s Third Wife
Dean Hughes. Muddy: Where Faith and Polygamy Collide
Dean Hughes. River: Where Faith and Consecration Converge
Maurine Whipple. The Giant Joshua
Maurine Whipple. A Craving for Beauty: The Collected Writings of Maurine Whipple (edited by Veda Hale, Andrew Hall, and Lynne Larson)