“A fascinating novel and an important historical document.” — Kathryn M. Daynes, PhD, author of More Wives Than One “A delightfully relatable human story that will make you laugh, cry, curse, and stand up and cheer.” — Jeff Beyer, PhD, Psychotherapist and Ecopsychologist Growing up as a Mormon pioneer in the Rocky Mountain West, Nellie Hagen has complicated dreams for the future. She follows her religion, but fears one of its most defining practices at the time: plural marriage. Her best dreams seem to be coming true when she is courted by Ted Chandler, a thoughtful young man who likewise detests the practice of plural marriage. Yet, sacrifice is also a principle of their religion, and Ted and Nellie quickly find themselves sacrificing their personal preferences in a complicated web of expectations. First Wife follows Nellie, Ted’s first wife, and her family as they work through hardship, triumph, and heartbreak. This book is a work of historical fiction based on real people and events witnessed firsthand by author Elsie Chamberlain Carroll (1882–1967), who was raised in a polygamous household. She explores the ideological struggles of characters trying to remain obedient to the law of plural marriage while dealing with personal misgivings about the lifestyle. The novel is a captivating firsthand depiction of the classic paradox between choice and obedience, and it offers a unique, authentic perspective of the psychological and religious conflicts that members of early Mormon polygamous families faced. This publication includes: The original novel First Wife , by Elsie Chamberlain Carroll (1882–1967), plus selections of her poetry - Historical photographs from the author's life - Preface and Introduction that explain the history of this manuscript and its connections to real people in the author's life - Reader aids, including a list of characters, section overviews, and a glossary Now, 56 years after her death, Elsie Chamberlain Carroll's book is being published, providing a new historical voice on a complex topic. “A courageous book.” — Lavina Fielding Anderson, PhD, editor of Lucy’s Book “Sure to entertain, educate, and inspire.” — Brian C. Hales, author of Joseph Smith’s Polygamy: History and Theology " First Wife , both a fascinating novel and an important historical document, reflects Elsie Chamberlain Carroll's life as a child of polygamy but also as a twentieth-century educated woman whose Mormon culture had moved beyond its polygamous passage. It is a significant addition to our understanding of that bygone culture." - Kathryn M. Daynes, PhD, author of More Wives Than One " Fist Wife is an insider's nuanced look at the everyday struggles early Mormon Americans faced as human beings trying to live meaningful lives. This delightfully relatable human story will make you laugh, cry, curse, and stand up and cheer. On the surface it is about polygamy, but at the core it is about the depths and complexity of relationships, with polygamy magnifying the struggle for open, intimate, and genuine ways of relating." - Jeff Beyer, PhD, Psychotherapist and Ecopsychologist "A courageous book." - Lavina Fielding Anderson, PhD, editor of Lucy's Book  "Sure to entertain, educate, and inspire." - Brian C. Hales, author of Joseph Smith's Polygamy: History and Theology Elsie Chamberlain Carroll (1882-1967) was a talented author, poet, and educator. She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees from Brigham Young University (BYU) before performing graduate work at the University of Minnesota, Stanford University, and Columbia University. She began her remarkable career in education as an elementary and high school teacher, and she finished her career as a college professor at BYU, where she taught in the English Department for nearly twenty-five years. At BYU she is memorialized with an essay contest in her name; she is also the namesake of Carroll Hall, one of the former Heritage Hall dorms. Elsie married Charles Hardy Carroll, her childhood sweetheart from Orderville, Utah, in 1907. They had two children. Elsie retired from her professorship at BYU in 1950 and moved to Salt Lake City, where she continued to teach through BYU correspondence courses. She lived in Utah most of her life but loved adventure and traveled extensively. Elsie was known for making the best chocolate chip cookies in the neighborhood.