This is a well-researched and insightful looked into polygamy in American history. It was especially interesting to see how monogamy developed as the "acceptable" relationship form and how that wasn't always the case.

A really interesting look at Polygamy .Polygamy was not based on religion but on the necessity for the frontier Hands needed for skinning animals ,And other tasks.Really enjoyed this informative well written book,#netgalley#yaleuniversitypress

This book starts off strong and grabbed my attention, but sadly couldn't hold it. I didn't finish and moved onto another novel instead.

Polygamy: An Early American History from Sarah M. S. Pearsall is a fascinating look at the history of polygamy in North America. This is an honest look at the hows and the whys of the practice without the moralizing that often comes with discussions of the topic. this is no more "pro-polygamy" than a researched book on the hows and whys of cannibalism is a "pro-cannibalism" book. Just because one doesn't insist on moralizing does not mean one is pro-anything, it means they expressed the facts and tried to explain why those actions were considered a good idea by those who practiced them. Anyway...

This is not too academic in writing style but definitely falls on that side of the spectrum. This is a history and since it is a history that has largely been overlooked Pearsall makes a point of being very clear and concise, which means an approach that approaches the academic tone many find off-putting. I will say that if you were hoping to be entertained as well as informed, this will probably still be worth your time but there will be sections that might seem dry to you.

The notes are a wonderful source for further reading and research. With many sources contemporaneous to the time, some resources may be difficult to find easily, but for anyone thinking of doing academic research they should be accessible enough.

While this is fascinating simply as history, I also found it interesting in light of the often touted, even though repeatedly disproved, "traditional marriage" argument. No doubt these people will claim this is "fake research" just as they spew "fake news" at every new treasonous event. But I digress.

I recommend this for anyone interested in social history as well as those simply interested in the history of specific practices or ideas. Not sure this really will be any more interesting to polygamists practicing today since the vast majority of the rationales of the past don't truly apply today. They may still find it interesting but not as any kind of support.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

3 out of 5

**OMG! I cannot believe that these reviews haven't been done! I am so sorry they are so late!!!**

This was a really interesting look at the history behind polygamy. Many of us think of it as a religious situation, but it was utilized so that there were more people to get animal skins ready to trade due to the high value of them. So, if there was a big kill, many were needed to prepare it. Polygamy was also utilized for reproduction. Overall, this was a very interesting look at a controversial topic.

Polygamy has a thrilling premise, but a rather lacklustre delivery. Written by Sarah M. S. Pearsall who has, in her own words ‘has no personal investment in polygamy.’ Rather her ‘interests are purely historical’, and consequently her writing suffers. After a jovial, if extensive, introduction, we are led into the world of dull academic prose. It’s not a quick descent, but it happens nonetheless, and I found myself becoming disengaged from the text.

Pearsall broaches interesting ideas, such as polygamy being maintained as a means of revolt and solidarity, allowing communities to be knitted together despite increasing distance and rapidly reductions in population. Yet, I never felt that an idea had been fully explored before she had moved onto the next.

Some of the notes were more interesting than the text itself and should have been included within the main body. Others are complete paragraphs and a minefield of further references which are challenging to follow.

Beginning with the Spanish Franciscan priests attempting to baptize Native Americans, Polygamy: An Early American History tours polygamist practices in the New World.

Not just interested in the what, the author looks into the underlying reasons for the popularity of multi-wife families. In the 1600s, wars cut down many Native men forcing a maiden to become a second wife if she wanted children of her own. As animal skins were becoming a valuable trading tool, more woman were needed to process the larger kills. In ultra-religious Puritan settlements, men asked why polygamy was fine for Abraham and other Old Testament men but not for them.

While it reads like the textbook it probably is destined to be, there is a wealth of information to be gleaned from Polygamy: An Early American History. The use of contemporaneous sources, including some shockingly blunt talk about sex acts, is intriguing. It is definitely written from a pro-polygamy point of view. If the subject sounds interesting or you are a polygamist, give it a try. 4 stars!

Thanks to Yale University Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.