Social and intellectual history, inclusive of many themes, remains relatively untouched. The life of immigrants and of settlers of various areas and generations, of life in towns and villages need better portrayal. Regions need updated histories. The anti-polygamy raids by federal marshals is a drama only touched upon; the judicial crusade against the Mormons is becoming better known, but the crusade in other states is hardly known at all. The technological revolution that have changed the world need a place in our histories: the coming of the telephone, electricity, refrigeration, the automobile, the airplane, radio, movies, television, the computer chip and all it has done to us. How life has been changed needs to be told. There is no Great Basin Kingdom for the twentieth century, nor an economic or political history for Utah through time. Much remains to be done in political history: changes in forms and functions of government, party history elections, agencies and services, changes in political thought. All call for our attention.

There is little in our literature that matches the epic quality of Utah's history. For some subjects the time has come for a synthesis--the integration of our knowledge into a more meaningful whole in a work of greater breadth in scope that covers a longer period of time than any work presently available. Great history must deal with subjects of significance, be based on knowledge derived from critical examination of the sources, studies with some imagination and understanding, written with some literary skill, and hopefully portray what is universal in the human experience. We have very little that can pass as great. We have had many articles on small and often not very significant subjects. We need more studies of significance to many people, that enrich our knowledge of the human condition and experience, and our understanding of our heritage and of ourselves.

S. George Ellsworth