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Show New book out on life of Porter Rockwell "Orrin Porter Rockwell, man of God, son of Thunder," is a 400 page book just off the University Uni-versity of Utah press, written by Harold Schindler and illustrated illus-trated by Dale Bryner, teacher in the department of art a Weber We-ber Sate College, Ogden. Just what sort of a man was Porter Rockwell? This question is one which the author spent more than six years in finding answers. Born in Chicago in 1929, Mr. Schindler spent his first years in New York City, moving to Utah with his family in 1940. His education was completed in Salt Lake City schools, including the University Uni-versity of Utah. He served with the 115th Engineer Combat Com-bat Battalion, Utah National Guard during the Korean War. He has been associated with the Salt Lake Tribune since 1945. The author of this biography of Porter Rockwell has wisely not tried to separate the life of the man from the hisory of the people. He has skillfully woven wo-ven his narrative from biography biogra-phy and history to trace a man who left no records (Rockwell could neither read nor write) from his New England boyhood to young manhood in Missouri and Illinois, to maturity and death in Utah. Before he died Rockwell became be-came known as the destroying angel of Mormonism. His name was a legend. Travelers sang ballads about him as they gathered gath-ered around their campfires at night. Mothers used his name to frighten children into obedience. obed-ience. He was accused of literally lit-erally hundreds of murders, all in the name of the Mormon Church. Rockwell continued to serve the leaders of his church as guide, messenger, scout, general, gener-al, marauder and executioner. He traveled extensively, outlived out-lived four wives; he sired fourteen four-teen children; accumulated land and wealth; and he favorably impressed almost everyone who came in contact with him. Still he remained an enigma; few persons knew him well. Mr. Schindler has done much to clear the air surrounding Rockwell. In some instances Mr. Schlinder has relied upon sources whose objectivity is open op-en to question. However he openly op-enly acknowledges these limitations limi-tations and has apparently attempted at-tempted to substantiate his observations ob-servations wherever possible. The book is illustrated by artist art-ist Dale Bryner. |