The first paperback edition of the classic biography of the founder of the Mormon church, this book attempts to answer the questions that continue to surround Joseph Smith. Was he a genuine prophet, or a gifted fabulist who became enthralled by the products of his imagination and ended up being martyred for them? 24 pages of photos. Map.

Focuses primarily on the years of McKay's presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during some of the most turbulent times in American and world history.

The core of Mormon belief was a conviction about actual events. The test of faith was not adherence to a certain confession of faith but belief that Christ was resurrected, that Joseph Smith saw God, that the Book of Mormon was true history, and tht Peter, James, and John restored the apostleship. Mormonism was history, not philosophy. It is as history that Richard L. Bushman analyzes the emergence of Mormonism in the early nineteenth century. Bushman, however, brings to his study a unique set of credentials - he is both a prize-winning historian and a faithful member of the Latter-day Saints church. For Mormons and non-Mormons alike, then, his book provides a very special perspective on an endlessly fascinating subject. Building upon previous accounts and incorporating recently discovered contemporary sources, Bushman focuses on the first twenty-five years of Joseph Smith's life - up to his move to Kirtland, Ohio, in 1831. Bushman shows how the rural Yankee culture of New England and New York - especially evangelical revivalism, Christian rationalism, and folk magic - both influenced and hindered the formation of Smith's new religion. Mormonism, Bushman argues, must be seen not only as the product of this culture, but also as an independent creation based on the revelations of its charismatic leader. In the final analysis, it was Smith's ability to breathe new life into the ancient sacred stories and to make a sacred story out of his own life which accounted for his own extraordinary influence. By presenting Smith and his revelations as they were viewed by the early Mormons themselves, Bushman leads us to a deeper understanding of their faith.''A brilliant piece of research and writing by one of America's top historians. It is written with style and felicity, and it deals with all the difficult topics that must be probed in describing and interpreting the controversial early history of Mormonism. It is simply an outstanding work.''--Leonard J. Arrington, co-author of The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-day Saints''A brilliant piece of research and writing by one of America's top historians. It is written with style and felicity, and it deals with all the difficult topics that must be probed in describing and interpreting the controversial early history of Mormonism. It is simply an outstanding work.''--Leonard J. Arrington, co-author of The Mormon Experience: A History of the Latter-day Saints

A psychological biography of Joseph Smith presents a comprehensive account of his life, set against a backdrop of theology, local and national politics, Smith family dynamics, organizational issues, and interpersonal relations.

An ambitious, perceptive portrayal of a complex man, this bestselling biography breaks new ground in its exploration of Jefferson's inner life. "Brodie has humanized Jefferson without in the least diminishing him".--Wallace Stegner. Photos.

The first paperback edition of the classic biography of the founder of the Mormon church, this book attempts to answer the questions that continue to surround Joseph Smith. Was he a genuine prophet, or a gifted fabulist who became enthralled by the products of his imagination and ended up being martyred for them? 24 pages of photos. Map.

Of three major biographies of Joseph Smith -- including those by Fawn Brodie and John Henry Evans -- Hill's is the most comprehensive and most temperate. Skillfully navigating between secular criticism and overt devotion, she chooses to take Joseph Smith on his own terms, as both a fallible human being and as a transcendent prophet who founded a major religious movement. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.