Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet

by John G. Turner

From an award-winning biographer, a riveting and deeply researched portrait of Mormonism’s charismatic founder
 
Joseph Smith Jr. (1805–1844) was one of the most successful and controversial religious leaders of nineteenth-century America, publishing the Book of Mormon and starting what would become the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He built temples, founded a city-state in Illinois, ran for president, and married more than thirty women. This self-made prophet thrilled his followers with his grand vision of peace and unity, but his increasingly grandiose plans tested and sometimes shattered their faith.
 
In this vivid biography, John G. Turner presents Smith as a consummate religious entrepreneur and innovator, a man both flawed and compelling. He sold books, land, and merchandise. And he relentlessly advanced doctrines that tapped into anxieties about the nature and meaning of salvation, the validity of miracles, the timing of Christ’s second coming, and the persistence of human relationships for eternity. His teachings prompted people to gather into communities, evoking fierce opposition from those who saw those communities as theocratic threats to republicanism.
 
With insights from newly accessible diaries, church records, and transcripts of sermons, Turner illuminates Smith’s stunning trajectory, from his beginnings as an uneducated, impoverished farmhand to his ultimate fall at the hands of a murderous mob, revealing how he forged a religious tradition that has resonated with millions of people in the United States and beyond.

Genres: Biography, Religion, History, Mormonism, Nonfiction, Christianity, American History

464 pages, Hardcover

Published June 17, 2025

About the author

John G. Turner teaches religious studies at George Mason University and is the author of Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet and The Mormon Jesus.

Reviews

[Melody Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Context is important, so it’s important to note first that I am reading this as someone who has never been a part of the LDS Church; I only have an avowed interested in Mormonism, including having written my undergraduate honors thesis on the subject of contemporary Mormons’ perceptions of themselves within the Mormon diaspora.

Again, context is important, so it also important to note that the “big deal” behind this new biography of Joseph Smith is that it is (1) the first published since the publication of the Joseph Smith Papers, and thus (2) the first written by a “never Mormon” scholar. It fits nicely into what could now be considered a trilogy of key Smith biographies: first, Fawn Brodie’s No Man Knows My History, a distinctly skeptical take on the founder of Mormonism; followed by Richard Lyman Bushman’s tome Rough Stone Rolling, a decidedly more sympathetic view written by a faithful LDS and esteemed historian. Now, Turner’s An American Prophet provides a middle-of-the-road look at the complex figure that is Smith.

As a non-academic, I quite enjoyed reading this. It is not overly long, which means that it moves at a quick pace and doesn’t delve too deeply into all topics. While I appreciated his nuanced look at polygamy, I do think that he missed an opportunity to create a more rounded portrait of Emma (which ends up highlighting just how sorely we are in need of a new Emma Smith biography—it’s been 40 years since Newell and Avery’s Mormon Enigma!); but certainly readers will enjoy the attention paid to the polygamy of it all (this is just not the most interesting aspect of Mormon history for me personally).

Throughout his writing, Turner covers all of the basics of Smith’s life, including his politics and theological developments. Turner doesn’t speculate, nor does he shy away from controversial aspects (multiple chapters are devoted to polygamy). He draws a clear line from the beginning to the end, and leaves the reader with a beautiful ending paragraph that I won’t spoil for you.

Overall, this is an excellent addition to Mormon historical scholarship. This is the perfect book for someone who doesn’t know a lot about Joseph Smith (or perhaps thinks they do) or is just becoming interested in early Mormon history.

Now, someone go write about Emma!

*ARC via NetGalley*

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet
by John G. Turner

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Overview
John G. Turner’s Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet is a meticulously researched and nuanced biography of Joseph Smith Jr. (1805–1844), the controversial founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement. Turner, a respected scholar of religious history, navigates Smith’s complex legacy with balance, examining his visionary charisma, theological innovations, and the political and social turmoil that defined his life and eventual martyrdom. The book situates Smith within the broader context of 19th-century American religious revivalism, offering fresh insights into his successes and failures.

Themes and Content

Turner’s biography is structured around key phases of Smith’s life:
-Early Visions and the Book of Mormon: Explores Smith’s claims of divine revelation and the rapid growth of his followers despite widespread skepticism.
-Theological and Social Experiments: Details Smith’s radical doctrines, including polygamy and theocratic governance, which alienated mainstream America.
-Political Ambitions: Highlights Smith’s brief but impactful foray into presidential politics and his vision of a Mormon-led utopia.
-Violent Decline: Analyzes the escalating conflicts with dissenters and outsiders, culminating in his assassination by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.

Turner avoids hagiography or demonization, presenting Smith as a flawed but magnetic leader whose ambitions outpaced his ability to manage dissent.

Writing Style and Structure
The prose is academic yet accessible, with a narrative flow that balances chronological storytelling with thematic analysis. Turner’s reliance on primary sources (e.g., Smith’s personal writings, contemporary accounts) lends authority, though the dense historical detail may challenge casual readers. The structure effectively mirrors Smith’s meteoric rise and abrupt fall, though some sections—particularly on doctrinal debates—could benefit from tighter editing.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:
-Scholarly Rigor: Turner’s engagement with recent scholarship and archival materials is impressive.
-Nuanced Portrayal: Smith emerges as neither hero nor villain, but a product of his time.
-Contextual Depth: The book excels in linking Smith’s life to broader American religious and political trends.

Weaknesses:
-Pacing Issues: Theological and political minutiae occasionally overshadow narrative momentum.
-Limited Critique: Turner’s neutrality may frustrate readers seeking a stronger stance on Smith’s controversies.

Section Scoring Breakdown (0–5)
-Originality: 4/5 – Synthesizes existing scholarship with fresh perspectives.
-Narrative Quality: 3.5/5 – Academic rigor occasionally slows readability.
-Thematic Depth: 5/5 – Masterfully contextualizes Smith’s life and legacy.
-Emotional Resonance: 3/5 – Prioritizes analysis over emotional engagement.
-Structural Cohesion: 4/5 – Logical but uneven in pacing.

Final Verdict
Turner’s biography is a definitive work on Joseph Smith, offering a balanced and richly detailed account of his tumultuous life. While its academic density may deter some, it is an essential read for scholars of American religious history and anyone seeking to understand Mormonism’s origins.

★★★★☆ (4/5) – A scholarly triumph that demystifies a polarizing figure.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author, John G. Turner, for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ma little tired of “great men” histories— but! Written by an award winning Protestant historian, this new update to the bio of Joseph Smith Junior is great. The last great one was rough stone rolling, which glossed over polygamy, and given its role in his downfall—turner made sure including the details became a lot of the context for his decisions. Near the end Joseph became a bit erratic and kept making risky decisions (that alienated many of his friends who later became enemies) trying to wriggle out of the consequences of polygamy.

I was exercising while listening to the last chapter and I burst into tears over the grief, mostly Emma’s, of Joseph dying by mob violence. And her grief, especially given the details of how jsj handled polygamy with her over the preceding years. It’s more than just the inclusion of those details that makes the book great though, it def filled in some missing pieces (prevalence of mob violence vs natives, Catholics, etc) for me on understanding him and his legacy.

The author shares the evidence of his life, without addressing truth claims or faith building apologetics, and you can tell he respects and likes his subject, even as an unbeliever. As such you get a unique view that he’s not framing him as a con man OR his beloved prophet he follows and will defend by hiding things. It’s just … evidence and his conclusions. I think if you exist in any space interacting with that legacy, this would be a useful read.

PS author says he wouldn’t trust Joseph with his money or daughters but would love to go out to dinner with him. I feel that.

[Dennis McCrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book via NetGalley from Yale University Press in exchange for an honest review.

I am a Latter-day Saint (LDS). This is the first biography I’ve ever read of Joseph Smith that was written by a non-LDS. All the books I’ve read had what I would term an apologist spirit to them. Couple this with the Sunday and otherwise classes that I have engaged in since my baptism in 1976 (including serving the typical 2 year mission in my early 20’s) and I would say I thought I was very knowledgeable about all things Joseph Smith.

In the last 10 years or so, I have been exposed to much of the messiness of Joseph Smith and received information that my Church and these apologists glossed over or quite frankly his. This book has been part of the exposure to knowledge this unsettling knowledge.

Especially to any LDS, this is why you should read this book.

[David Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW - Joseph Smith, The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by John G. Turner (09.01.25)

A few years ago I attended a small group dinner prior to the start of the annual Mormon History Association Conference. Both John Turner and Richard Bushman were there. It was evident that they have the greatest respect for one another and their scholarship, even though both see Jospeh through a nuanced personal lens.

Turner’s work is a landmark in modern Mormon biography. Appearing after the monumental Joseph Smith Papers Project, Turner’s book is the first full-length biography to incorporate the vast body of primary documents that project has made available. Turner writes with unprecedented access to Joseph Smith’s journals, revelations, correspondence, and the records of those closest to him. The result is a narrative that is richly detailed.

Few figures in American religious history are more polarizing. For millions of LDS, Joseph Smith is a prophet chosen by God; for critics, he is a fraud. Turner recognizes the impossibility of fully satisfying either camp. His strategy is to avoid both hero worship and hostility. He portrays Smith as a gifted, daring, and improvisational leader—an “American prophet” in the sense of a religious innovator and charismatic organizer rather than in the strictly theological sense his followers embrace.

Yet Turner’s interpretive stance creates a paradox. By downplaying the spiritual dimension of Smith’s life, Turner cannot fully explain how an uneducated young man could produce the Book of Mormon, a complex text that has generated a global movement numbering millions. The historian can trace the mechanics of its dictation and situate it in the cultural ferment of the 1820s, but the depth and durability of the movement remain mysteries that Turner, like other secular historians, ultimately leaves unresolved.

Turner reconstructs episodes with clarity unavailable to earlier writers. His account of the Kirtland banking collapse shows Smith as both visionary and reckless, torn between spiritual aspirations and worldly experiments. His treatment of Nauvoo reveals a leader who presided not only over a church but also over a city-state, a militia, and a court system—all while continuing to produce new revelations. Turner’s portrait of Smith’s prophetic leadership emphasizes its responsiveness: revelations often coincided with immediate crises, whether financial, legal, or political.

Turner’s handling of plural marriage is among the most striking features of the book. Rather than reducing it to scandal or apologetic justification, he situates it within Smith’s broader theological innovations. Eternal marriage, the sealing power, and the radical extension of kinship networks transformed Mormon cosmology. Turner shows how Smith’s closest associates wrestled with secrecy, loyalty, and jealousy, and how the practice destabilized Nauvoo’s social order while drawing sharp opposition from outsiders.

The narrative reaches its climax at Carthage Jail in June 1844. Turner carefully charts the buildup: dissenting voices within the church, hostility from surrounding communities, and Joseph’s increasing fusion of civic, military, and religious authority. The destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor press is framed as a decisive turning point, one that put Smith at odds with constitutional norms while reinforcing the perception that he was a dangerous theocrat. Turner portrays his death as the tragic but perhaps inevitable outcome of this combustible mix of theology, politics, and personality.
What distinguishes Turner’s biography becomes clearer when placed alongside other major works.

Richard Bushman’s Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (2005) remains the most sympathetic scholarly treatment, written by a believing LDS. Bushman embraces the prophetic dimension, presenting Joseph’s revelations as authentic spiritual experiences while situating him in the culture of early America. Others tend to offer a skeptical psychological reading, interpreting Joseph’s revelations as products of his imagination and ambition, which frankly for a believing LDS defies reason.

Turner’s contribution lies between these poles. He does not attempt to reduce Joseph Smith to pathology or fraud. At the same time, he lacks Bushman’s sympathy for the religious claims. His balanced but detached stance allows him to focus on the historical record itself, offering readers a biography that is less about verdicts and more about context. For those familiar with the field, Turner’s book feels like the first biography written in the Joseph Smith Papers era, one that takes seriously the breadth of evidence without falling into either apologetic or polemic.

Quotes:

“Joseph Smith was neither a mere charlatan nor a simple saint. He was a prophet who redefined what prophecy meant in nineteenth-century America: a revelator who wove together biblical restoration, visionary leadership, and bold theological innovation, all while navigating the perils of legal conflict, political power, and human frailty.”

“Joseph Smith is a white whale for a biographer, captivating but maddeningly elusive. Smith remains an irresistible figure for many who encounter him, whether they see him as a prophet or a scoundrel—or a bit of both. ���Put me in the last camp.”

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read with lots of details not contained in Rough Stone Rolling and other previous bios.

This book is smooth. By that, I mean I felt the flow of time as Joseph Smith grew up, embarked on his life's mission, and moved from one location to another. It's not like I don't know the chronology and the geography of Smith's life but Turner does an outstanding job of connecting the hundreds of dots and moving the reader through 38 full years.

A page-turner for me.

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing a biography of Joseph Smith is uniquely difficult because of the truth claims of Mormonism: either one sees the man as a prophet of God or a megalomaniacal con-man. Previously the two go-to biographies for Joseph Smith were Fawn Brodie's No Man Knows My History (1945) or Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling (2005). I think John Turner's biography will in time replace both of them as the authoritative biography of the founder of Mormonism because his analysis is remarkably objective and the primary sources he draws from represent a complete record.

This book is a wonderful example of the historian's craft. Turner is open about when evidence is lacking at certain points of Smith's life, the reasoning behind his (conservative) conclusions in those situations, and his own biases. The author is a non-believer but has a lot of admiration for the Mormon prophet. Because of this tension, I think LDS believers and non-believers will equally enjoy this biography, even if they might disagree with some of Turner's conclusions. This is a huge accomplishment. Some of the big insights on Joseph Smith's character that the author emphasizes is Smith's propensity for mirth, that he was much more original in his solutions to the problems of his time than his critics gave him credit for, and perhaps more importantly, that he was super audacious. Whether it was writing the Book of Mormon or founding several religious communities, or practicing polygamy, Joseph Smith responded to failure by doubling down on his ideas and being even more bold than before. This attitude eventually got him killed because most Americans didn't share his polygamous theocratic vision.

What follows is why I think Turner's biography of Joseph Smith is better than Brodie's or Bushman's. Fawn Brodie's 1945 biography embraces psychoanalysis when trying to understand Smith, which, although interesting, is lacking in evidence. Also the Mormon church still hid many of the primary sources concerning the prophet's life in the 1940s. Joseph Smith was a polarizing figure, and Brodie is not as careful as she should be when selecting accounts to describe events. Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling benefitted from access to the primary source records of the Joseph Smith Papers Project and consequently was a much more complete accounting of the man. Rough Stone Rolling is also much more careful in its analysis and very well written. The fatal flaw of the book, however, is that Bushman is high up in the LDS church and makes the decision to assume that Joseph Smith was a prophet that received revelations from God. The analysis is thus quite lacking or stretches the limits of credulity concerning the production of the Book of Mormon or Smith's polygamy/polyandry. In sum, John Turner's biography benefits from access to the sources from Joseph Smith Papers Project and is much more committed to objectivity than Richard Bushman's faithful account. Furthermore, Turner is an historian well versed in the scholarship who deftly places Joseph Smith within the context of early-nineteenth century American culture.

[Lyndsey Thackston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredibly well written balanced account of Joseph Smith’s life. Turner’s thesis was that Joseph was a brilliant religious innovator and also incredibly reckless and I would add thoughtless at times. I think thats an excellent one line summation of Joseph’s life and ministry.

I appreciated the deep contextualization and careful coverage of Joseph’s unstable and sometimes traumatic upbringing. I think it lends a lot of insight into some of his more problematic behavior and difficulty with relationships later in life. I was left with more empathy for Joseph than I anticipated . Turner believes that Joseph believed everything he taught. He directly challenges the all or nothing view that he was either a prophet in everything he did or a fraud. I appreciate the challenge to the dualistic thinking surrounding Joseph’s life

My only critique is with how Turner handled the plates. A more careful exploration of the sources may have been more helpful here.

What left me most disturbed by the way Joseph
treated women. Particularly his manipulation, lying and pitting very very young women against older women. He to borrow Turners language recklessly put very young women in some pretty awful positions.

Finally I think Turner inadvertently pointed out the origins of some deep cultural wounds that continue to play out in an unhealthy way in LDS congregations today.

[Sixed Major · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third biography of Joseph Smith I have read. John Turner did a great job at keeping things to the point and trying not to speculate far beyond what facts could be confirmed through evidence. He demonstrated through such evidence how some details included in previous biographies may have been a bit off and confirmed many other details. Overall, a well written account of this audacious, American prophet.

Rough Stone Rolling left me with less emotions than this.
No Man Knows My History left me with a more emotional reaction than this.

Turner keeps things pretty neutral.

[Beth Given · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't really read a biography of Joseph Smith since reading Lucy Mack Smith's a couple of decades ago. This one, written by someone outside of the Mormon faith, is pretty objective -- though that doesn't mean it's comfortable material. As Joseph gets older, his life becomes increasingly complicated: polygamy, court cases, enemies both in and out of the church -- it's a lot to process.

This book was pretty long on audio, which is kind of crazy since Joseph died young.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of respect for John Turner as a historian. This book is generally fair to Joseph Smith, but like Turner’s portrait of Brigham Young, it’s incomplete. Parts of this book, especially the ending, felt rushed. Other parts, like Turner’s significant attention to Joseph Smith’s polygamy, feel imbalanced.

My biggest criticism of the book has to do with Turner’s treatment of the Book of Mormon and its translation. He doesn’t engage with Latter-day Saints on the materiality of the plates or really do much to explain the enduring appeal of the Book of Mormon. Nor does he really engage much with the Book of Mormon witnesses.

Maybe the book is too short. This was one of the problems with Turner’s Brigham Young biography. “Rise and Fall” is a page turner, I’ll admit, but I think that’s mainly because Turner is a good writer and his view is that Joseph Smith was fundamentally a reckless main who let his ambitions run wild. The pace of the biography is galloping, but even Joseph Smith’s life was not lived at a gallop. You miss some of the quieter moments of Joseph’s life in this book, including the quieter moments in Carthage Jail.

[Erik Champenois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Smith was a complicated man, and this book depicts that better than most. Turner's biography situates itself between Fawn Brodie and Richard Bushman, viewing Joseph Smith as "a bit of both" prophet and scoundrel. It excels, however, in describing and connecting events and context with limited authorial commentary - Turner mostly tells the story without explicitly coming down hard one side or the other on Joseph Smith's character or the nature of his revelations. Instead, he mostly lets the sources speak for themselves.

In doing so, I thought his account especially illuminated Joseph's character in his later years - negatively so - as Joseph seemed increasingly less empathetic and authoritarian, undoubtedly partly in reaction to the persecutions and dissensions he had experienced, but also associated with his desire to keep his polygamous exploits secret. (In some ways, I think this starts as early as the episode with Fanny Alger in 1836, shortly after the spiritual high of the Kirtland temple dedication, though it gets more pronounced in the 1840s).

As a believing member of the LDS Church, I find Joseph Smith worth wrestling with - spiritually and intellectually (though of course the prophet enjoyed physically wrestling too). Joseph recounted that the angel Moroni told him, at age 17, that his "name should be had for good and evil among all nations." I see this fulfilled not only in the polarized believing and unbelieving responses to Joseph Smith - but also through Joseph's own life and character, because he brought about - and WAS himself- both "good and evil." I am inspired by the Book of Mormon and by Joseph's revelations - and by the doctrines, teachings, and ordinances he brought about. And yet, as I have come to know Joseph better in his later years, I have been repulsed by his increased megalomania, his brutal treatment of former friends and ex-members, and especially by his immoral practice of polygamy. I find myself sympathetic to those who, like William Law, believed that Joseph had been a prophet but was now fallen. And yet I remain inspired by both his earlier and his later teachings (with some exceptions, mostly the polygamy).

Turner's biography shows both sides of Joseph Smith and doesn't attempt to steer the presentation toward one side. It is clear from the sources that Joseph Smith could be the friendliest host and the most vehement opponent to those who dissented from the church. As Turner puts it in his introduction: "I wouldn't trust him with my money, my wife, or my daughter... And yet Smith endeared himself to people" (p. 2). The complexity of Joseph Smith's life and character is better dealt with in this low commentary presentation than in either apologetic or overtly critical treatments. For that, Turner's biography deserves to be viewed as the premier, most up to date, and standard biography of Joseph Smith in our time.

[Brad Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by John G. Turner
Yale University Press, 2025. 584 pp.

Sometimes it takes an outsider.

In recent decades, scholarly treatments of Joseph Smith have often reflected polarized perspectives: on one end, faithful Latter-day Saint historians such as Richard Bushman have sought to affirm Smith’s prophetic claims within a framework of religious legitimacy; on the other, critics—frequently including former adherents—have followed interpretive paths laid by figures like Fawn Brodie, portraying Smith as fundamentally deceptive. Within this well-worn dialectic, John G. Turner’s Joseph Smith: A Biography represents a refreshing and much-needed intervention. As a historian without personal ties to Mormonism, Turner brings a measured, methodologically rigorous, and refreshingly dispassionate voice to the study of one of America’s most controversial religious founders. In this case, the perspective of a scholarly outsider proves particularly fruitful.

Sometimes it takes an outsider.

Turner, a professor of religious studies at George Mason University, is well known for his careful, balanced scholarship in Mormon history, most notably his groundbreaking biography on Brigham Young (Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet), which has become a staple for anyone interested in Mormon studies. Turner’s new biography on Joseph Smith is sure to follow suit.

Turner frames Smith as a “religious entrepreneur”describing him as “a man both flawed and compelling.” By relying on the most current scholarship available, thanks in large part to the Joseph Smith Papers project and the diaries of William Clayton, Turner is able to offer a balanced, and unflinchingly critical perspective that resists both devotional hagiography and facile debunking.

The biography carefully navigates the major claims of the Restoration, weighing them against both internal church sources and external historical evidence. Turner’s treatment of Smith’s claims to have translated golden plates is especially notable. Rather than couching the episode in euphemism, Turner posits that the absence of physical evidence and conflicting witness testimony make it more plausible that the plates never existed in a material sense—an argument grounded not in polemic, but in historiographical restraint.

Among the biography’s greatest strengths is its integration of newly available primary sources and its willingness to confront the most controversial elements of Smith’s life. Turner offers particularly nuanced treatments of plural marriage, ecclesiastical authoritarianism, and the escalating tensions that led to Smith’s death in 1844. His depiction of Nauvoo-era politics, the secret introduction of temple rites, and Smith’s own growing sense of prophetic kingship are handled with careful contextualization and narrative clarity. Yet Turner does not lose sight of the human subject at the center of the story; his Joseph is impulsive, devout, theatrical, and often sincere—a man wrestling with forces partly of his own making.

The biography is not without its limitations. Turner’s account, while fair-minded and meticulous, occasionally omits the impact that other figures had on the development of the Latter-day Saint faith. For example, Turner gives only cursory attention to figures like Sidney Rigdon, whose contributions to the development and evolution of Mormonism are critical. In addition, Turner’s narrative sometimes privileges analytical skepticism to faithful testimony. For example, Turner’s dismissal of the Three and Eight Witnesses’ claims to having seen the golden plates feels reductive. He suggests visionary enabling, which comes off as an incoherent workaround that does not fully explain this important component of LDS history.

Nonetheless, these are minor trade-offs for a work of such intellectual integrity and scholarly precision. As a result, I contend that Turner’s Joseph Smith stands as a milestone in Mormon studies and a major contribution to the study of American religion. It will easily surpass the works of other noteworthy scholars by becoming the “go to” biography on this complex religious and historical figure. In short, Turner offers readers a portrait that is as compelling as it is unsparing. For scholars of 19th-century American religious movements, this biography is indispensable. For general readers, it is both accessible and thought-provoking. Whether one views Smith as prophet or pretender, Turner’s biography commands attention as the new standard in the field.

Sometimes it takes an outsider!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No church, archive, or book has been able to constrain Joseph Smith. Whether it was religion, marriage, or politics, he burst through the conventions of his time. Brigham Young once said that when he encountered Mormonism, he couldn’t let it go, in part because he couldn’t put it in a box, couldn’t fully figure it out. The same holds for Joseph Smith. He was a day labourer, visionary, seer, money-digger, glass-looker, translator, revelator, profit, Elder, high priest, president, patriarch, merchant, banker, prisoner, wrestler, Real Estate speculator, prolific polygamist, lieutenant general, Master Mason, and mayor. He always had another plan grander than the last plan. With Joseph Smith, everything was subject to revision, from the Bible to the church’s hierarchy to its sacred rituals. He was never finished, and at least as long as his devotees in their attracts care about his legacy, we will never be finished with him.”

No man could know his history but Fawn Brodie and Richard Bushman both tried to write a critical and revisionist, more tolerant biography of Joseph Smith respectively. John G. Turner, a scholar of religions and, importantly, not a member of any LDS denomination has given a masterful and valuable new biography of Smith, one that does not shy away from his controversial aspects (multiple chapters detailing the development, deceptions, and fallout from polygamy) but also one that does not attempt to secularise Smith as another conman or treasure hunter common in Jacksonian America.

Complete chronologically, Turner follows Smith and the development of the LDS church up until Smith’s murder by a mob in Carthage. The main thread of the narrative being Smith’s constant desire for change and risk - always in motion, Smith lived dangerously (risking death and imprisonment repeatedly and bringing himself, his family, and the church to the brink of ruin). He was never one to be constrained by tradition or society.

As a single volume biography, this is a perfect introduction to Joseph Smith, his life and work. Turner never speculates on or denigrates the spiritual aspects of Smith’s life; instead he shows how Smith integrated and expounded on current theological discourse to create and renew unique beliefs that are purely Smith.

Turner has proved himself to be a fair and honest historian of the LDS movement and in showing Joseph Smith to be as much as man as any of us, it is clearer to see how he embodied that spirit of antebellum America, that can-do attitude, that indefatigable spirit but also that all-too-human desire. This should be the definitive biography of Smith and of the start of the restoration.

[Russell Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful, rollicking tale of a powerful, rollicking individual. Turner dives into the weeds in some of the most contradictory and confusing moments of Smith's life--contradictory and confusing sometimes because the record isn't clear, and sometimes the accounts of moments given by Smith and his associates and enemies simply can't be made compatible with each other--and while sometimes that slows down the tale (all the lawsuits and hearings and posses and habeas corpuses and rulings of all the judges and accusers and lawyers during the post-Missouri years of Smith's life really are next to impossible to keep clear in one's head), by and large Turner always is able to return to the pace that Smith maintained throughout his life: one of constantly moving, constantly changing. Turner writes of Smith early is his career, but after the major debacle of the Zion's Camp march, "He wasn't a one-trick prophet. He set aside his seer stone. He dictated fewer revelations but improved his rhetoric. Joseph was a constant innovator" (p. 154). The result of this usually fast-paced tale of a charismatic believer, for me at least, as a committed member of the Mormon community Smith laid the foundation for, is fascination, with a few surprises along the way (I actually can make better and more faith-affirming sense of Smith's doomed efforts in Missouri now, while Turner's account of Smith's duplicitous polygamous behavior made my opinion of that period of Smith's even lower, and it was pretty low already). Figuring out how I feel about Smith isn't nearly as important to me as it was 20 years ago, when I read Richard Bushman's Rough Stone Rolling (my old thoughts are here), but I'm glad for this additional, critical brick to add to Smith's edifice in my head.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good biography of a man who was mired in messy and juvenile public controversies for his entire adult life and then aggressively sanitized by his church every minute since he was murdered. It must be so difficult to index the relatability of sources. I appreciated that this biographer didn’t go too deep into the theological debates but rather focused on his personal and professional lives in the context of a wild chapter in American history. So many militias and mobs! It made me more sympathetic to Joseph’s rationale for building a Mormon militia, then of course they go way over the line under his direction. That’s a theme. I found myself surprisingly sympathetic to his rationale, then you’re disappointed by his recklessness. The vibe in the country is violent lawlessness; he’s on the lam for one reason or another for most of his life. At the same time, he was constantly in court getting charged and sued, so there’s plenty of court drama as well. Nearly everyone in his inner circle at the beginning is either betrayed by Joseph or thrown out of the church (with some allowed back in). There is a lot of weird drama. It’s fascinating to see the overlaps with Mormon history and civil war history (Abraham Lincoln has a cameo).

The other theme is that he needed to be relentlessly audacious to start and successfully build a church, but that quality led him to creepily horn in on basically every woman in his circle and try to secretly marry them behind his doting wife’s back (and often their husband’s!). The polygamy stuff is so insane, which the biographer briefly indulges the sordidness of it all, but most of the focus on this book is how it created personal, professional and spiritual disasters. This biography uses Sarah Pratt as the case study of how Joseph’s prowling tore his friendships and church apart. He was awful to her and her husband, destroying her reputation and excommunicating him, for purely selfish and gross reasons. By the end of the book, I was ready for it to be over. I can’t imagine he would have ever changed course and it seems like he was only getting more selfish and assertive as he aged.

Overall, this is the best biography I have read of him and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Mormonism or US history. However, if you’ve read the other biographies I don’t think there’s anything in this one that will shock or amaze you. It’s just a very concise and well written summary of a true American eccentric. Recommend!

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turner does a great job narrating Joseph Smith’s life, pointing out both his successes and his flaws. Having grown up in a culture that would never—could never—admit that Joseph had any specific flaw, Turner’s frank analysis was refreshing. In the intro he writes, “I wouldn’t trust him with my money, my wife, or my daughter.”

And yet, Turner repeatedly resists characterizing Joseph as a fraud or a conman. “Whether Joseph fashioned plates or put some other object in the box, the act was more audacious than mendacious. … It was a remarkably bold gambit. And it worked.”

I particularly appreciated that Turner pointed out that Joseph had a remarkable and unique skill: “Many Americans claimed to have visions. Joseph Smith had the much rarer ability of enabling others to share those visions.” I’ve long recognized this ability was at play for the Three Witnesses and for Sidney Rigdon, but Turner points out the Eight Witnesses also fall in this category. “In this case, he made a mysterious hidden object present for other people. The immaterial became real.”

I also liked when Turner points out that we celebrate ambition from businessmen and politicians but not from religious leaders. Well, Joseph Smith had ambition in spades so it’s difficult to appreciate his life without addressing this discrepancy.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suppose it’s “balanced,” but having read a lot about the subject of the biography (Joseph Smith), it felt more like recap rather than introducing new material. Oddly, at the end of each chapter, Turner tells his reader what he thinks of his subject or the topic of the chapter. I say oddly because biography usually tries to maintain more overt objectivity.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked:
- Accurate based on accepted historical events.
- Unflinching in exploring the unsavory but significant topics.
- Limited editorializing, leaving room for faithful perspectives.

Didn’t Like:
- Somewhat tone-deaf regarding the most meaningful events and experiences that have proven time and again to inspire devotion.

[Garrett Maxwell]

Basically Rough Stone Rolling with less eloquence and less benefit of the doubt.

[Brad Rees · Rating 3 out of 5]

2025- aug

[Hunter Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will write a review later, but as the 5 stars show, this is a remarkable book that I’d highly recommend! This subject is no easy task, but Turner writes an extensively researched and often entertaining biography of Joseph Smith. Looking forward to diving into his Brigham Young biography, as well as his book on the pilgrims.

[Tony Baird · Rating 2 out of 5]

Since it was based on the premise that the author had access to new documents from the Joseph Smith Papers Project, I assumed the book would contain new information, but it did not, and it read more like a short summary of previous biographies. Buschman’s “Rough Stone Rolling” did a much better, more thorough and enlightening job. Not sure we needed this new biography if it didn’t add anything new beyond the author’s opinion on the various controversies.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first major biography released about the founding prophet of the Latter Day Saint movement since the completion of the Joseph Smith Papers project. It is a notable contribution to the study of Smith’s life by someone who has never been affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A lot of research went into the biography, and due to the smaller size of the book (464 Pages, 6.12 x 9.25 in), the narrative is kept moving in a tight and concise fashion throughout. The size alone precludes the possibility of achieving the quixotic goal of an authoritative or comprehensive biography of Joseph Smith, though it does provide an updated view of an important figure in American and Latter-day Saint history with a balanced approach. While Turner is fair and even-handed in his approach, however, I suspect many members of the Church will not be happy with this book.


Richard Bushman once described how his biography, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, was unable to dethrone Fawn Brodie’s No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith. “Brodie has shaped the view of the Prophet for half a century. Nothing we have written has challenged her domination. I had hoped my book would displace hers, but at best it will only be a contender in the ring, whereas before she reigned unchallenged.” Turner’s entry will stand as a third viable contender in the ring, but I doubt that it will completely displace these earlier biographies of Joseph Smith, particularly Bushman’s. As I read Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, I was reminded of Phillip Barlow’s assessment of Turner’s Brigham Young biography that was presented as a reader blurb on Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet: “Turner’s treatment of the complex Brigham Young is unsentimental, cogent, critical, and fair. It takes its place alongside Leonard Arrington’s magisterial American Moses as the essential, mutually challenging portraits of one of America’s greatest colonizers and religious figures.” The same could be said here—Turner’s treatment of Joseph Smith takes its place alongside Richard Bushman’s biography as the essential, mutually challenging portraits of one of America’s greatest religious figures.

Joseph Smith’s life is difficult to chronical because of the truth claims he made and the ways they influence people’s lives to this day. The biggest difference between assessing the lives of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young is that while Brigham Young can be seen as sincere in his belief in Joseph Smith—whether Joseph Smith’s religious-making work was genuine or not—Joseph Smith is the point or origin of the Latter Day Saint movement. Rather than skirting the topic by sharing the accounts and evidence and leaving the decision up to the reader, Turner takes this head-on at one point and makes it clear that he believes Joseph Smith fabricated the story of the gold plates. “Readers deserve an author’s best sense of what transpired,” he wrote. “In this case, it is that Joseph did not have golden plates. When someone refuses to show a hidden, valuable object to others, the simplest explanation is that he does not possess it” (40). Oddly, however, the statement felt a bit shoehorned into the book, like he had received feedback that he needed to take an explicit stand on the subject and dropped it in with minimal editing around the insertion.

That decision, however, colored the entire book. The implication became that Joseph Smith was a gutsy scoundrel who wasn’t motivated to do hard work, but who loved living on the edge. It also led to a bothersome instance of Turner forcing evidence to match his conclusions rather than the other way around. When it came to his explanation for why Turner concluded that Smith fabricated the story of the gold plates, Turner noted that Smith refused to show them to others and “there aren’t witnesses in the ordinary sense of the term” (40). This was a somewhat surprising statement, given that the Eight Witnesses document portrays an experience that was defined by physically handling the plates in a normal fashion. As a result, Turner engaged in some bizarre hand-waving. While he admitted that when it came to the eight witnesses, “the physicality of these claims is striking,” he quickly dismissed the idea by stating that “Joseph Smith had the … ability of enabling others to share those visions,” allowing him to make “a mysterious hidden object present for other people. The immaterial became real” (59–60). It’s a leap in logic to make a statement like that, even if it conveniently places the incident into a preconceived framework for the narrative of the gold plates.

Given the position of John Turner’s biography as the first one post-Joseph Smith Papers to cover all of Joseph Smith’s life, there was a tendency to focus on topics that biographers hadn’t covered in detail for one reason or another. For example, Turner gave a more detailed look at his plural marriages (though he could have benefited from taking some time to incorporate the insights from Secret Covenants: New Insights on Early Mormon Polygamy). And at times, it felt like it was difficult to see why so many thousands of people found Joseph Smith engaging and inspiring enough to leave family and friends, moving to a new community and donating money to the cause, even with Turner’s repeated references to Joseph Smith’s charisma. That is why I say that it’s important to read it alongside Richard Bushman’s biography, which does a much better job at highlighting that side of Joseph Smith.

That being said, Turner’s assessment of Joseph Smith (much as Barlow described his book on Brigham Young) is evenhanded, well-researched, well-written, and up-to-date. Throughout, it felt like a good-faith effort to portray Joseph Smith according to the best available scholarship of our time. I did not walk away feeling like John Turner had an axe to grind against Mormonism or that he was engaging in anti-Mormon polemics. The underlying disconnect is one of worldview between those who believe in Joseph Smith’s claims and those who do not. Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet is an important contribution to the field of Mormon studies that deserves a place in the pantheon of top-notch Joseph Smith biographies.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this biography. On the one hand, I thought the prose was well written. The book was engaging and I was drawn into the narrative. It was a fairly fast and interesting read. The parts of the book that I thought were the most interesting, enlightening, and that I learned the most from were the chapters on the Kirtland Safety Society scandal, the Missouri Persecutions, and about Joseph Smith's plural marriages. I also appreciated the forthright accounts of visions, dreams, angels, revelations, miracles, spiritual gifts, priesthood blessings and healings, some prophecies fulfilled, etc.

On the other hand, I thought the author's arguments about the gold plates, the Book of Mormon text, and the eight witnesses were laughably bad. He basically argues that the gold plates didn't really exist and that Joseph Smith was deceiving people that they were real, and he sort of hand waves over the 8 witnesses experience in seeing, touching, and hefting the gold plates because it doesn't fit his narrative. He also argues that the Book of Mormon is a work of fiction 100% authored by Joseph Smith (with no mention of stylometric studies or other evidence that contradicts that argument). I thought that was the weakest part of this book.

Similar to this author's biography about Brigham Young, overall I enjoyed reading this book because his perspective as a nonmember of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a different vantage point for considering this aspect of church history. I appreciated some patterns and themes that Turner noticed in Joseph Smith's life and character that I hadn't considered before. I didn't agree with all his conclusions, but overall I thought the book was fairly good history. I wouldn't necessarily call the book faith-promoting though. The author says that whether or not the miracles or visions described in the primary sources actually happened or not is a matter of faith, not history, and he makes the case that Joseph Smith was deceptive in at least some of what he was doing. If a reader doesn't have a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and the reality of Joseph Smith's prophetic call there are some parts of this book that are quite critical of him and could potentially damage one's testimony.

All of the above said, for me, this book was worth reading. I think Rough Stone Rolling is a bit better though. I'm looking forward to reading Joseph the Prophet which is still being written as of when I am writing this. I want to read a more faith-promoting account that also has the advantage of the new research material available because of the Joseph Smith Papers project that wasn't available when Rough Stone Rolling was written.

[Rob Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2025, a major new biography titled Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by historian John G. Turner was released. Below is a detailed overview of this notable work:

What It Covers
Turner offers a deeply researched, balanced portrait of Joseph Smith—charting his journey from rural farmhand to charismatic religious leader, political aspirant, city-builder, and controversial polygamist. The biography covers:
• The First Vision and emergence of the Book of Mormon
• Establishment of Latter-day Saint settlements
• Smith’s ventures into presidential politics and theology
• Doctrinal developments (e.g., polygamy, cosmology)
• His death in Carthage Jail in 1844

Critical Reception
• Publisher’s Weekly praises it as "scholarly yet highly readable," noting Turner’s fair and engaging historical approach.
• A review in the Washington Post describes it as "clear eyed," presenting Smith as ambitious and flawed, yet influential—asserting that the Book of Mormon was likely authored by Smith himself, not translated from golden plates.
• The Times & Seasons review underscores Turner’s even-handed method and strong use of the Joseph Smith Papers, though some may find his stance on golden plates controversial.
Noteworthy Insights
• Turner avoids hagiography but doesn't dismiss Smith's impact, describing him as a "religious entrepreneur" employing innovative doctrines that resonated with 19th century America.
• He boldly confronts contested topics—gold plates, plural marriage—applying Occam’s razor and concluding that Smith likely concealed or fabricated some claims.

How It Compares to Previous Works
• Fawn Brodie’s No Man Knows My History (1945) offered a critical, psychological take on Smith.
• Richard Bushman’s Rough Stone Rolling (2005) provided a more sympathetic, faith-affirming portrait.

Turner’s new biography positions itself as a third way: rigorous, balanced, and informed by fresh scholarship, including the Joseph Smith Paper
Turner’s 2025 biography stands as a must-read for those interested in Joseph Smith and American religious history—offering clarity, balance, and new insights by incorporating recent documents and scholarship.

[Caleb Stott · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Joseph broadened Zions geography. The whole of America is Zion, he proclaimed. The elders would build churches across North and South America. Nauvoo would become a place of pilgrimage. The Saints would not only be baptized for the dead… they would also be anointed and washed, same as for themselves.”

If there was one thing Brother Joseph was did well, it was speaking some far fetched ideas into existence.

This is my third John Turner book. Overall he writes fair. He stays out of the unimportant and moves things along at a beneficial pace.

Like most Joseph biographies, it progresses through phases with Polygamy being an era of ugly for sure. The pencil whipped revelations and frenzy of wife collecting are mostly a lot to take in, even when considering polygamy a negligible “evil” from an evolutionary standpoint point. The associated coercion and deception are the “a lot.” Other than that good for the old ladies that got to sleep with a good looking, charismatic bull of a human in his prime. Quite the accomplishment for these Nauvoo cougars! It’s like current day Julia Louis-Dreyfus bagging a 30 seconds to Mars Jared Leto.

As far as everything else Joseph, I don’t find much more confusion beyond the above. The Book of Mormon remains solid and beautiful. His version of Christianity is 1000x more inclusive and liberal than any Evangelical quack even knows how to admit. His Christ is so much more personal and relatable.

If ever there was a modern day prophet, Joesph did enough to qualify and the Church he founded is top tier among institutions that profess Jesus Christ’s name. Like the quote at the beginning, it’s mind blowing where Mormonism is today given the where, how and who it started with. Hate all you want but today’s Mormon church is well beyond caring what you think, it’s been like that for over 200 years and it’s going nowhere but where it intends to go.

[Rebecca Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turner is an accomplished, deft historian who gives a thorough, readable account of the events of Joseph's life and articulates his view of Joseph's self-conception.

Turner’s tone is authoritative and definitive even about questions in Joseph’s life that are unsettled, which is misleading. I was disappointed when Turner at times didn't mention historical records that contradicted his conclusions. At the outset of the book, Turner posits that his is a middle ground interpretation of Smith which is appealing because as the fallacy goes, the truth is somewhere in the middle. But Bushman also presented Smith as flawed, while not overtly forcing his interpretation on the reader as frequently as Turner does. Overall, Turner's account is more fair-minded than some previous biographies though not as even-handed as Bushman's biography in my opinion.

The parts I was most disappointed with were the authorship of the Book of Mormon, the Fanny Alger situation, and Joseph’s political rule in Nauvoo. Turner concludes that Smith authored the Book of Mormon without detailing how problematic this conclusion is. Smith dictated the manuscript without revision in about 75 working days. Producing a 600 page complex, internally consistent final narrative in that time would be impossible or at least a literary feet unmatched in history. If the book was the product of Smith’s imagination, he would've had to write the narrative in the years previous, memorize it, and then dictate it to his scribes. There are no historical records to support that hypothetical, and nothing else to indicate any native genius or remarkable memory in Joseph. Turner doesn't adequately address this. Turner also didn't mention the Hancock records regarding Fanny Alger which point to it as Joseph's first attempt at plural marriage rather than an affair. And finally, I thought Turner was heavy-handed at the end in describing Joseph's despotism in Nauvoo.

I did think Turner did a pretty good job writing about Joseph's polygamy.

I appreciated that at both the beginning and end of his book, Turner acknowledged his difficulty in understanding Joseph. Joseph experienced incredible manifestations throughout his life that motivated him, but the revelation he was receiving to illuminate the mind and will of God was not constant. Joseph did his best with the great calling he had, and the theology he articulated on God and God's plan for his children is uniquely soaring and loving. I'm grateful for Joseph and that Turner turned his scholarly attentions to him.

[Malum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not and have never been a Mormon, but they do fascinate me. It amazes me that millions of people flock to what is likely the most disprovable major religion on the planet. We literally have documents that prove Joseph Smith was a liar (the Egyptian funerary text that Smith said was about Abraham is a good example) and the history in the book of Mormon is 100% proven to be a fabrication.

Reading this biography only cemented my feelings on these things. Turner tries to paint a neutral picture of Smith and I never felt like he was attacking him, but the things that Smith said and did were so outlandish and wildly fraudulent and stupid that just stating the facts of them seems like an attack. Like, for example, when Smith had to rewrite the Book of Mormon because the original was stolen. People said "when we find the stolen copy we can compare it with the new copy and you can prove you are a prophet because they will match" to which Smith replied "Oh, ummmm....god told me that they would be different and that that was ok". How did anyone fall for this?

I will say that Turner really made me feel for Smith when he was younger. He went through a lot of hardships and Turner makes you feel like you are right there with him. This book also makes me wonder if other religious figures were just as transparent but the vast gap of time that Smith doesn't benefit from (and lack of all of the existent documents that we have from and about him) has smoothed those rough edges over.

So, anyway, this was a fantastic biography. Mormons probably wont be too comfortable with this book but, again, Turner simply presents the facts and lets you do with them what you will.

[Justin Hodges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic biography. I read and enjoyed his Brigham Young biography, so I was excited when I learned he was writing about Smith. Joseph was a complex and evolving figure. He had his hands in a lot of pots and was constantly involved in what felt like 50 projects at once.

After reading this book, I better sympathize with Joseph's struggles and respect his leadership and experimentation. The book displays Joseph's charm and charisma as well as his ability to justify himself and his emotions. Something about Joseph's soft spot for his dog, Old Major, was really touching to me, and I'm not sure why. I don't even like dogs.

One area where this book shines over Rough Stone Rolling is the way polygamy is covered. In Rough Stone Rolling, polygamy was breezed over in like a paragraph. This book goes into significant detail, not to be malicious or to unnecessarily make Joseph look bad, but to give proper context to how widespread and harmful the practice was and why so many individuals close to him ultimately fell out.

Joseph is human in this work; his creativity, insecurity, and persistent drive to translate and become great are clearly in the front and center of his mind. Clearly, many individuals experienced Joseph as a prophet and experienced what they perceived as miraculous events. His critics saw him as a fraud taking advantage of those with low SES and strained relationships. The way Turner frames this book is not about truth vs fraud, but about how belief can act as an engine of creation and destruction.