The 19th Century Love Affair of Joseph Smith and Emma Hale was born out of the author's study of LDS polygamy, polyandry, and child marriage within the early days of the LDS Church. The author's grandfather was a polygamist and could, first-hand, see the strain on the last wife of her grandfather. Grandma Cleo worked and cooked for 45 children, during family gatherings. I never saw her tire, but I was always sorry for her. I tried to stay out of the way and not get into trouble, so I minded my business, as was the discipline at that time. My father did not want anything to do with polygamy, so our immediate family was spared the pain of that God-forsaken lifestyle.

Mormon founder Joseph Smith is one of the most controversial figures of nineteenth-century American history, and a virtually inexhaustible subject for analysis. In this volume, fifteen scholars offer essays on how to interpret and understand Smith and his legacy. Including essays by both Mormons and non-Mormons, this wide-ranging collection is the only available survey of contemporary scholarly opinion on the extraordinary man who started one of the fastest growing religious traditions in the modern world.

In People of Paradox, Terryl Givens traces the development of Mormon culture from the days of Joseph Smith in upstate New York, to the global spread of the Latter-Day Saints. Here is a religion shaped by an authoritarian hierarchy and individualism, intellectual investigation, existence in exile and a yearning for acceptance by the larger world.

Many people are unaware of how influential Mormons have been on American popular culture. This book parts the curtain and looks behind the scenes at the little-known but important influence Mormons have had on popular culture in the United States and beyond. Mormons and Popular Culture: The Global Influence of an American Phenomenon provides an unprecedented, comprehensive treatment of Mormons and popular culture. Authored by a Mormon studies librarian and author of numerous writings regarding Mormon folklore, culture, and history, this book provides students, scholars, and interested readers with an introduction and wide-ranging overview of the topic that can serve as a key reference book on the topic. The work contains fascinating coverage on the most influential Mormon actors, musicians, fashion designers, writers, artists, media personalities, and athletes. Some topics—such as the Mormon influence at Disney, and how Mormon inventors have assisted in transforming American popular culture through the inventions of television, stereophonic sound, video games, and computer-generated animation—represent largely unknown information. The broad overview of Mormons and American popular culture offered can be used as a launching pad for further investigation; researchers will find the references within the book's well-documented chapters helpful.

The pure joy of eyewitness history, one author observed, lies in the vicarious thrill of experiencing the event. The Eyewitness History of the Church: Volume Two draws together hundreds of first-person, eyewitness accounts covering the period of growth and testing that followed the restoration of the Church. Each chapter in this innovative book consists of eyewitness narratives of central events. You will experience a whole new world of LDS Church history through snapshots of specific moments captured by those who were there. See the dedication of the Kirtland Temple through the eyes of Sylvia Cutler Webb and the distinct impression it made, despite her young age at the time. View the tragedy at Haun's Mill with Amanda Smith, who lost a husband and a son, and find hope in the story of the son who lived. Feel the power of Joseph Smith's rebuke of the prison guards in Richmond, as recorded by Parley P. Pratt. Cheer Hurrah for Israel! with Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young as they embark on a mission to England. Marvel with Wilford Woodruff at the day of miraculous healings in Nauvoo. Rejoice with the sisters in Nauvoo at the formation of the Female Relief Society. Experience the Martyrdom at Carthage Jail with Willard Richards, who, in fulfillment of prophecy, was not harmed. For the past 175 years, these eyewitness accounts have helped shape the spiritual heritage of the Church around the world. They not only bear testimony of what occurred but also plant seeds of faith and belief in modern readers. This firsthand approach to learning about Church history will touch your heart, stir your imagination, expand your knowledge, and strengthen your testimony.