WOMEN AND THE PRIESTHOOD by Sheri Dew

This is actually one of the books I bought on our B&N trip.  Since I am currently reading everything I can find on this particular issue due to current social conversations and my new RS calling, this book seemed appealing since, even if she's not saying anything new, Sister Dew usually says the old stuff better than anyone else.  And this book ultimately did not disappoint.  Slow to get going, the first couple of chapters were a bid tedious, but about half way through things start to pick up and Chapters 6 and 7 are the best.  In chapter 6 she gives the clearest, most relevant doctrine defining priesthood keys, authority, and power that I've ever read, and she's very convincing in her argument that women have nothing to be afraid of, or feel cheated about. This is followed by chapter 7, titled "God Reserved the High Privilege of Motherhood for Women." This chapter scared me, because I'm done with the patronizing talks on this subject, but here, Sister Dew comes through with flying colors, she avoids platitudes, discusses sound doctrine, and makes one of the best arguments for honoring motherhood I've read.  It includes this little story: " I have friends," she says, "a husband and wife, who have served widely in the Church an at the same time raised a large and close-knit family.  The husband has also enjoyed sustained professional success.  One day I asked how they had managed it all.  "One day early in our marriage the light clicked on for me," he explained. "It happened after we had been to an event sponsored by my work.  One person after another complimented my wife on supporting me in my career.  As we drove home, it dawned on me that actually I was the one doing the supporting.  I went to work every day to make it possible for her to stay home with our children and focus without distraction on the most important work we as a couple would ever do--and that was raise our children to love the Lord."  I love all the levels of perspective illustrated in this short paragraph.

I do recommend this book, even if all you read are the last 3 chapters!