Currently I am doing some research in the history of Southern Alberta Mormonism. A few weeks ago I found a book which was considered to be a history of Raymond Alberta. It was a large book, think a National Geographic Atlas with about 500 pages. In other words it was big.
Reading through it I became very much aware that book was only a loose history. It reminded me more of those family history books which are filled with “stories” and genealogy. They are nice if you are a member of that family but not solid history.
The biggest example for me that things had gone awry was a photo. The photo was of three women bagging sugar from some time early in the 1900s. The only note on the photo was something to the effect of:
“You can tell these girls like their sugar because they have such sweet smiles.”
Posted by Jon W 
