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Title: No Man Knows My History : The Life of Joseph Smith by Fawn M. Brodie ISBN: 0-679-73054-0 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 01 August, 1995 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.61 (99 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Great reading, great history
Comment: The best things about Brodie's work:
1)She is accurate. Even though it's been decades since this book has been out, it is still a widely-read text. She is a competent historian, which is a must if you want to learn about things as they reflect reality.
2)She is readable. You can actually -enjoy- reading this one! It makes things much easier when a historian can write well, and Brodie does.
3)She has a fascinating subject. Joseph Smith is one interesting fellow, as evidenced by the successful church that has sprung up in Utah. For some orthodox Mormons, reading this may even be quite adventuresome, as they learn about Smith from another perspective! I think everyone can read this and be intrigued by a complex person.
If I have any complaint, it's that Brodie tries to psychoanalyze Smith too much. Obviously every biography is going to involve some speculation - unless you can actually interview the person yourself - but I thought she went too far at times in assuming she knew "why" Smith did certain things.
Overall I highly recommend the book and I think it is still after all these years the best biography on Smith you can get your hands on.
Rating: 5
Summary: Buy and Read This Book!!!
Comment: Yes, buy and read this book. You can see from the reviews that it is controversial. Reading controversial literature generally makes people more well rounded.
The controversy doesn't revolve around the merits of the book. Any book that touches a religious theme has the same source of antagonism. A large number of people reading the history of Joseph Smith are doing so to ask the question: Was Smith truly the divine relevator of God or was he a charlatan?
Such controversies are always mysteries.
Accurate historical and scientific research has a wreckless history of messing with beliefs based on revelation. Look at the job that Copernicus did on the Catholic Church with his little diagrams suggesting the earth was round.
Ms. Brodie was a faithful member of the LDS Church who changed her mind on this issue while doing her historical research. Yes, she is an apostate. She brings to the surface many of the facts that led to her conclusions.
Of course, it should be noted that she is researching in a field where others have done twisting of facts to cast Smith as a living saint.
Over all, it appears to be an extremely well researched work in a field where all of the research is questionable in nature. If you are interested in LDS or Utah history, I would strongly recommend the book.
If your are wanting to read the accepted version of Joseph Smith's life, I would recommend reading The Work and The Glory by Gerald Lund.
If you enjoy learning, I would pick up Brodie's book, it is far more interesting.
Rating: 5
Summary: Yes Ma'am, That's History
Comment: I owe a debt of gratitude to the late Fawn M Brodie. It is largely through this book that many of my questions about Mormonism were answered. It is largely due to her that I left Mormonism.
My feelings towards Mormonism are fairly neutral. I certainly do not wish any ill towards Mormons. I continue to hold many of them in very high esteem.
However, this does not change the fact that there are very serious historical questions regarding the founding of early Mormonism. I've not yet seen a reasonable, balanced, and scholarly (as opposed to polemical, and Dr Nibley's work on this topic does fit in this category) response to Mrs Brodie's pioneering work.
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Title: The Mountain Meadows Massacre by Juanita Brooks, Jan Shipps, Fuanita Brooks ISBN: 0806123184 Publisher: Univ of Oklahoma Pr (Trd) Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D. Michael Quinn ISBN: 1560850892 Publisher: Signature Books Pub. Date: December, 1998 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Mormon Conspiracy by Charles L. Wood ISBN: 158275067X Publisher: Black Forrest Book Promotions Pub. Date: 01 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: Mormonism Unveiled by John D. Lee ISBN: 0826327885 Publisher: University of New Mexico Press Pub. Date: September, 2001 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
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Title: By His Own Hand Upon Papyrus: A New Look at the Joseph Smith Papyri by Charles M. Larson ISBN: 0962096326 Publisher: Institute For Religious Research Pub. Date: March, 1992 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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