Following funeral services held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for President Ezra Taft Benson, a cortege of family members, General Authorities, and friends moved north along Interstate-15 and eventually tot he cemetery in Whitney, Idaho. What made the event so touching was that all along the way, people gathered on the roadsides, and intersections, and on overpasses to wave and pay silent tribute to the much beloved prophet. That tender scene is typical of many that have been captured in this biography of the inspiring man who served as the thirteenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Biographer Francis M. Gibbons recounts the events of Ezra Taft Benson's full life, which began in an obscure farming community in Idaho and was played out in such diverse settings as a ruined Europe in the aftermath of World War II, the cabinet of the president of the United States, and the leading councils of the Church. Already noted for his impassioned pleas to the members of the Church to make reading from the Book of Mormon a daily practice and to avoid the sin of pride, President Benson is remembered in this book for the rich legacy of his other teachings. Filled with unshakable faith, a love of country, and a love for mankind, Ezra Taft Benson was able to effectively balance a career in government service with his apostolic ministry. By so doing, he made his influence for good felt not only in the Church but also in the world and truly was a statesman, a patriot, and a prophet of God.
