Rightly or wrongly, some members of the LDS faith view the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency as “rock stars.” They tend to focus more on the messengers rather than the message. While these men are called as Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ they are still men, imperfect men, who hold a high and holy calling, which is why we respect them and listen to the counsel they have to give. It is also why I have always been fascinated with learning about their lives, their heartaches and joys, the sum of their experiences that makes them who they are.

The first time I attended General Conference in the Tabernacle was in October 1994. My soon-to-be-husband and I walked toward our assigned entrance door when I saw a crowd of people gathered around a very tall older gentleman {he was a whole head taller than everyone else} who had a HUGE smile on his face. It was Elder L. Tom Perry warmly greeting conference attendees, shaking hands, and spreading cheer through his smile and words of encouragement. While I was too shy to go join the crowd I’ll never forget the confirming feeling that came over me that here was an apostle of the Lord. I get the same feeling every time I hear him speak and received the same confirmation reading the biography written by his son Lee. In L. Tom Perry, An Uncommon Life: Years of Preparation we come to learn about a great man, an Apostle of the Lord, who describes himself as being “as common as dirt.”

Lowell Tom Perry was born and raised in Logan, Utah. Family, including extended family, played an important role in his life. His ancestors hailed mainly from Denmark and were hard working and faith filled. Elder Perry took that faith and built upon it. It’s evident in the talks he has given over the years sharing what he learned from his mother or the value of honest labor his father taught him.

Of course there is a photo section! Don’t you just love the laundry photo in the upper right?

As with any good biography we learn of the struggles, large and small, L. Tom Perry faced as a youth and later as an adult. We learn of the day Lowell decided to go by Tom. His younger brother was learning to talk but pronounced his name “Wo-wo.”  Lowell decided that would not do and asked the family to call him Tom instead. While members of the church think of Elder Perry as outgoing he was shy as a youth and had an inferiority complex because his siblings earned higher grades than he did and would rather read books than play with him. It took a while for Tom’s natural abilities – to lead, to inspire others and to speak well publicly – to present themselves. But when they were recognized Tom developed them and used them to serve others around him.

This first in what will be a two volume biography takes us through Tom’s mission to the Northern States Mission, his service in the Marine Corps during the end of World War II, his courtship and marriage to Virginia Lee, and their family’s growth through the years as they lived in the east and west depending on where his executive positions in the retail industry lead him. It ends with the passing of his beloved Virginia from cancer. Through it all we see L. Tom Perry face every situation, difficulty, and hardship with a positive attitude that God will carry him through. And He has.

My only disappointment with the book. . . . having to wait for volume 2! L. Tom Perry, An Uncommon Life: Years of Preparation is available from Deseret Book. Its perfect for any bibliophile who, like me, adores biographies.

{I was sent a copy of the book to review by Deseret Book. All opinions are mine.}