Volume Two A: a cultural history of the book of mormon: Voicing Being Power

by Daymon M. Smith

Continuing the ground-breaking first volume's emphasis on Kirtland Restorationists, Part A of the second volume describes the particular textual practices that pinned their readings of the Bible onto the pages of the Book of Mormon, and spread that reading across a landscape. This volume also reconstructs how these Restorationist's readings were scattered across the globe under the name "Mormonism" or "the Gospel," as the writings of Parley Pratt were copied, quoted, and fragmented into a thousand elders' voices. This is Part A of Volume Two, which concludes with Part B, Follies Epic and Novel. A preview of B is included here.

Genres: Religion

Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2013

Reviews

[Chad Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picks up where volume 1 left off. This was a much easier read than the first volume. I'm not sure if the material and writing is easier to grasp, or my ability has increased after working through the first volume. Either way, these are extremely fascinating and thought provoking books. Although I don't necessarily agree with every conclusion Daymon draws (although do agree with most), I have learned a ton. It's also made me want to consider the Book of Mormon again in a completely different light. I highly recommend these books. I just got volume 2a, and I'll be starting in on that soon.

[Andrew Lavin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"[The Book of Mormon] never did more than corroborate the Bible, for Mormons, except when it did not. Sometimes it was changed to match their notions of what it ought to be saying; about Jesus, for instance. So much of Mormonism by the late 1850s was concerned with moving around, under, far above, or somehow through the Book of Mormon. Cutting it up and aligning it with passages taken from the Bible, presenting it almost reluctantly, like some aged funky aunt one cannot in good conscience dismiss or mistreat, nor keep silent in public: that is what the book had become."

I'd give 5 stars but for Smith's obstrusive style that deters all but the most intrepid of readers.