About
My name is Rick Bennett, and I have been happily married to Wendy for more than 10 years. We are the parents of Brandon, Jessica, and Preston. I am a member of the Mormon History Association, and love to discuss the scriptures. We make our home in Lehi, Utah.
When I'm not discussing religion, I work as a bio-statistician in Salt Lake City. I have (a soon to be) published a peer-reviewed article in the European Academy of Dermatology and Veneriology on a drug to treat mouth lesions. Currently, I am project coordinator on a multi-center study on traumatic brain injuries.
The Sons of Godwine: Part Two of The Last Great Saxon Earls
Description
<p>Emerging from the long shadow cast by his formidable father, Harold Godwineson showed himself to be a worthy successor to the Earldom of Wessex. In the following twelve years, he became the King's most trusted advisor, practically taking the reins of government into his own hands. And on Edward the Confessor's death, Harold Godwineson mounted the throne—the first king of England not of royal blood. Yet Harold was only a man, and his rise in fortune was not blameless. Like any person aspiring to power, he made choices he wasn't particularly proud of. Unfortunately, those closest to him sometimes paid the price of his fame.<br /><br />This is a story of Godwine's family as told from the viewpoint of Harold and his younger brothers. Queen Editha, known for her Vita Ædwardi Regis, originally commissioned a work to memorialize the deeds of her family, but after the Conquest historians tell us she abandoned this project and concentrated on her husband, the less dangerous subject. In THE SONS OF GODWINE and FATAL RIVALRY, I am telling the story as it might have survived had she collected and passed on the memoirs of her tragic brothers.<br /><br />This book is part two of The Last Great Saxon Earls series. Book one, GODWINE KINGMAKER, depicted the rise and fall of the first Earl of Wessex who came to power under Canute and rose to preeminence at the beginning of Edward the Confessor's reign. Unfortunately, Godwine's misguided efforts to champion his eldest son Swegn recoiled on the whole family, contributing to their outlawry and Queen Editha's disgrace. Their exile only lasted one year and they returned victorious to London, though it was obvious that Harold's career was just beginning as his father's journey was coming to an end.<br /><br />Harold's siblings were all overshadowed by their famous brother; in their memoirs we see remarks tinged sometimes with admiration, sometimes with skepticism, and in Tostig's case, with jealousy. We see a Harold who is ambitious, self-assured, sometimes egocentric, imperfect, yet heroic. His own story is all about Harold, but his brothers see things a little differently. Throughout, their observations are purely subjective, and witnessing events through their eyes gives us an insider’s perspective.<br /><br />Harold was his mother's favorite, confident enough to rise above petty sibling rivalry but Tostig, next in line, was not so lucky. Harold would have been surprised by Tostig's vindictiveness, if he had ever given his brother a second thought. And that was the problem. Tostig's love/hate relationship with Harold would eventually destroy everything they worked for, leaving the country open to foreign conquest. This subplot comes to a crisis in book three of the series, FATAL RIVALRY.</p>
Story Behind The Book
A few years ago, I picked up a children’s Bible (made out of sturdy cardboard pages) and brought it home. My kids loved it, and became very familiar with the stories of the Bible. One day, I asked my children about a Book of Mormon story, and they had no idea what I was talking about. I have looked for a children’s version of the Book of Mormon, but they were all a bit too mature for my 7 and 5 year old to understand. I needed something that would teach to their level. So, I decided to write it myself, and have them illustrate it. My children loved the idea. Included are 25 "essential" stories from the Book of Mormon. My kids are the illustrators. They used a bit of artistic license: Samuel the Lamanite has a pirate hat, there are elephants on Nephi's ship, various Nephites do cart-wheels when they see Jesus, and the sun and trees frown when Nephi breaks his bow. Children ages 2-10 will love this book!
Brandon was so excited about the prospect that he thought we could sell it! At first, I laughed at the idea. But with the Nook or Kindle, publishing is much easier so, I thought I would give it a shot! Our Bible was read so much, it’s practically destroyed now. I think it’s ok to read a Bible so much that it gets worn out. I hope to do the same with the Book of Mormon. (But make sure your kids don’t destroy your Kindle or Nook!)
Brandon suggested that we make a child’s version of the Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price too. Those are available on our website! Keep informed of our progress at http://www.GospelTangents.com
