Mormon History

A companion volume to their massive bibliography Studies in Mormon History, 1830-1997, this descriptive history by a team of top Mormon scholars provides a comprehensive view of how the writing of Mormon history has evolved since the establishment of the church. Mormon History offers an interpretive survey of Mormon historical writings, from the partisan and often ephemeral history of the nineteenth century through the shift in the first half of the twentieth toward a more balanced and professional approach and an emphasis on how the Mormons helped settle the American West. Since World War II the "new Mormon history" has focused on broadening the base for understanding Mormonism's history rather than on resolving questions about religious "truth." In addition to laying out Mormon historiography, Mormon History examines Mormon biography and autobiography and discusses social science literature on the Mormons, including historical and contemporary studies of social geography, rural sociology, and agricultural economics. Two valuable appendices round out this volume, one on the development and nature of Mormon imprints, the other on conducting historical research in Mormon sources. Taken together, Mormon History and Studies in Mormon History, 1830-1997 represent a milestone in recording, cataloguing, and assessing historical interpretations of the LDS church. They are sure to become the tools of choice in conducting research on the Mormons and Mormonism.