David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism Hardcover by Gregory A Prince and, Wm Robert Wright (University of Utah Press)

This phenomenal work is much more than the life story of David O. McKay, a much-beloved president/prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Based on a wide array of sources heretofore unavailable to scholars, it is a remarkable combination of biographical narrative and historical analysis that is destined to function as a scaffolding on which to hang the still virtually untold story of the Latter-day Saints in the middle of the twentieth century. David O McKay was The Mormon Prophet who helped bring the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints or Mormons from a small regional Church based in Utah to the world. Each chapter deals with a topic rather than a narrative of his life. The church had to deal with subjects like Integration, politics, the use of the ever expanding media, Communism, and new cultures. The book is very well documented as the Author had access to diaries written by the Prophet and is private secretary. The prophet had to deal with growing BYU, with an Apostle who was more interested in waging a war on communism than advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He started building chapels around the world, telling members to stay in their own country instead of coming to Utah. I learned a great deal from this book about the inner workings of the Church and how it adapted to the need to spread the gospel throughout the world.