A new biography of President Dallin H. Oaks, titled "In the Hands of the Lord," offers a detailed examination of the life of the prominent religious and legal figure, tracing his path from BYU graduate to clerk for a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and eventually an Apostle.
A Life of Diverse Milestones
Authored by Richard E. Turley Jr., the biography explores a life that spans significant secular and spiritual milestones. According to a review from BYU Studies, the book documents Oaks's tenure as a clerk to the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court between 1957 and 1958, his leadership as president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, and his service as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ beginning in 1984.
Turley, a graduate of BYU Law School and former Assistant Church Historian and Recorder, utilized an extensive array of archival materials to compile the work. The author navigated a vast collection of storage boxes, diaries, speeches, and letters to assemble what the review describes as hundreds of "pearls of great price." The biography is structured into thirty accessible chapters that average twelve pages each.
Personal Origins and Upbringing
The biography provides personal details often unknown to the general public. The BYU Studies review notes that Oaks's father passed away when he was only seven years old, leaving him to be raised primarily by a single mother. The middle initial "H" in his name stands for Harris, which was his mother's maiden name and identifies her as a great-granddaughter of Emer Harris, the brother of Book of Mormon witness Martin Harris.
Beyond his professional accolades, the book touches on more personal aspects of his upbringing, including his time playing the oboe in a band, his struggles with arithmetic, and experiences with bullying in school. The text also recounts a spiritual event from his youth involving his grandfather, who used the priesthood to revive a child who had drowned in an irrigation ditch.
Legal Career and Civil Rights
The book also highlights the intersection of Oaks's legal career and his religious commitments. During his time at the University of Chicago, where he graduated as editor in chief of the law review and second in his class, Oaks served as a public defender in Chicago's inner city. This work contributed to his role as a pioneer in the 1964 federal civil rights legal movement.
His academic mentor, Edward Levi, appointed him as acting dean of the law school, a position that showcased Oaks's ability to manage demanding ecclesiastical callings alongside intense professional responsibilities. The biography also references his early writing, such as his 1963 book, "The Wall between Church and State," and articles regarding Supreme Court cases on prayer in schools.
Family and Personal Life
The narrative of Oaks's life is divided into two distinct chronological periods defined by his marriages. The first period covers his 46 years with his first wife, June Dixon, which spanned from 1952 until her death from cancer in 1998. This era included his time as BYU president and his first fourteen years as an Apostle.
The second period follows his marriage to Kristen McMain, which began in 2000 and has continued for twenty-one years as of the book's recent coverage. The biography also includes lighter moments, such as the presence of the family dog, a Great Dane named Gretchen—referred to by Oaks as "the beast"—who accompanied the couple from Chicago to the President's House in Provo.
Availability and Formats
Deseret Book offers the biography in several formats for readers. As listed in their product catalog, the hardcover edition is priced at $32.99, while an eBook version is available for $14.99. For those preferring audio, a CD audiobook is priced at $44.99 and a digital audiobook version is available for $21.99.
