Book of Mormon: 1830 Edition

by Joseph Jr. Smith

From the highest quality replica company, Stratford Books, in association with Grandin Artisans . . . . . . The only replica highly accurate to the original, as described by experts . . . . . “The Rolls Royce of replicas,” says Steve Rasmussen, Book Conservator and restorer of numerous 1830 originals . . . . . Steve Blake “The ONLY ONE WITH the right color, paper, thickness, weight – EVERYTHING.” . . . . . Historian Richard Lloyd Dewey states, “This is the only replica with 50 authentic, accurate features.” . . . . . Master book-binder Ethan Ensign of Scrub Oak Bindery endorses this as the BEST-MADE 1830 replica. He has restored over 50 copies of the original 1830 edition. . . . . What's the story behind it? Our researchers “dissected” five 1830 originals, using a digital micrometer and high-end scale to measure everything to within 1 gram and 20/100,000th of an inch. Then sought out the most authentic materials available. . . . . . THE RETAIL PRICE COULD BE FAR HIGHER, but the craftsmen wish to make it affordable for everyone. . . . . Rasmussen points out numerous crucial features, . . . . . 1) LEATHER No other mass-produced 1830 replica uses leather. (Some replicas claim to, but in testing, their covers show characteristics of 100% plastic – bubbling under high temperature) . . . . . 2) MOST AUTHENTIC ARTWORK ON The only replica with correct lettering size and spacing plus correct shade of gold. . . . . 3) ALL TEXT PROPERLY “Not all replicas position every page correctly, this one does,” says Rasmussen, who is independent of our company. . . . . . 4.) MOST ACCURATE PAPER QUALITY – using long fibers. “None of the others come close,” he says.

590 pages, Leather Bound

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the Book of Mormon as it originally came off the press in Palmyra is like reading a completely different book than the two-column, footnote-laden standard edition of today. In the best way. Gone are the intrusive chapter headings and the additional chapter breaks, giving the text room to roam and to read like the unified narrative that it is. Spelling and grammatical errors jolt every page, to be sure, but even the typos enhance the experience with a certain rawness that is almost akin to reading Kerouac on the original scroll.

I had more flashes of insight reading this version straight through than I've had reading the current edition the last 7 or 8 times combined, even more perspective than I gained through reading Grant Hardy's excellent "Reader's Edition." I think I'll have a hard time going back to the standard edition anytime soon.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

FYI prior to my review, the edition I'm reading isn't this super-fancy 1830 replica, but it's similar - the Grandin edition, I think it's called. I bought mine in Nauvoo on our church history trip. But I wanted to log it as this to differentiate it from the usual version.

Versions like this are meant to replicate the first edition of The Book of Mormon, most noticeably in that it is not separated into columns or verses, there are no footnotes, and the chapters are often longer (there are also uncorrected grammatical or printing errors left in, which are kind of fun to see). So it reads like a regular book.

The newer versions work well for gospel study, cross-referencing, going slow - all of which are great ways to study. However, I, like most people, do tend to do just that: read The Book of Mormon slowly, as one usually does with scripture, either over an entire year for Come, Follow Me, or a chapter or so a day with my family for family scripture study. Up until now, I've never read it any faster than over several months. But this version is great for reading through more quickly and getting a big-picture view. I had started reading this version around Christmas time and had gotten to around Enos. Then I got sick with a cold, and decided to just dive in and see what happened.

What happened was that I read Enos through the end of the book - about 450 pages - in five days. And it was an incredible experience. I felt like I finally really understood where everything fit, I connected with the people more, I saw overarching themes and messages so clearly, and the spirit of the book just enveloped me. It was just me and the message of God's dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas - without interruption or the forgetfulness that comes with the chopped up reading over time. When I got to 3rd Nephi, I walked out into the living room to declare to my husband, "Jesus came!!" I felt more excited about it than I ever had before.

It was beautiful, and I intend to do it again and again throughout my life. Maybe every January? Maybe I'll get sick again next January, lol. I can't recommend enough trying it for yourself, if you can manage to find a week or so where you can carve out a few hours a day of reading. 100 pages a day was a good sweet spot, I feel like. Once I settled into the pattern, it didn't feel overwhelming or too much. It's doable, for sure.

The best part? Jesus came. He really did. I know it.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

No other book has changed my life like the Book of Mormon. I would recommend it to anyone who has a sincere desire to come closer to Jesus Christ and to make their life better and more full of peace.
This particular edition is very nice in that it gives the reader an idea of what it was like for early pioneers to read the book when it was first published. No verses or columns, which I have always found a bit distracting. Also, the typos stemming from early printing methods are a bit amusing at times (Gadianton the nobler instead of Gadianton the robber). In any case, highly recommended.