We can learn a lot about the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith by studying the history of his parents, Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. Mark Staker, a Master Curator for the Church History Department’s Historic Sites Division, has done precisely that. His landmark new volume is Joseph and Lucy Smith’s Tunbridge Farm: An Archaeology and Landscape Study (John Whitmer Historical Association, 2021).
Casey Paul Griffiths is the author of Truth Seeker: The Life of Joseph F. Merrill, Scientist, Educator, and Apostle (BYU Religious Studies Center, 2021). His contribution stands alongside apostolic histories such recent biographies of Henry B. Eyring and Dallin H. Oaks.
Joseph Smith had a grand view of the ultimate relationship between politics and religion. He and the early Latter-day Saints also suffered greatly from political persecution. With no obvious path for recourse, Joseph Smith launched a presidential campaign in 1844. In this interview, historian Spencer McBride explains what happened.
A new book includes more than 800 pages about the life of Latter-day Saint Scholar Hugh Nibley, including contributions from Dallin H. Oaks, Richard Bushman, and Truman G. Madsen. Hugh Nibley Observed also includes an emotional story about Nibley’s final weeks. In this interview, editor Jeffrey Bradshaw discusses the landmark Hugh Nibley book.
Frank J. Cannon is an overlooked—and often misunderstood—figure in Latter-day Saint history. As the son of George Q. Cannon, Frank was religious royalty of his time, but often rebelled. He was eventually excommunicated, but not before being relied up to negotiate on behalf of the Church and ghostwrite a faith-promoting biography of Joseph Smith. In this interview, independent historian Val Holley discusses his biography of Frank Cannon.
Apocalyptic beliefs and expectations have shaped the beliefs of Latter-day Saints since the time of Joseph Smith. Key narratives of our religious history were formed using apocalyptic language, including the building of temples and conflicts with the government. Popular Latter-day Saint apocalyptic texts such as the White Horse Prophecy and Visions of Glory continue to make headlines today. In this interview, folklorist Christopher Blythe discusses topics from his new book, Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints and the American Apocalypse.
Know Brother Joseph: New Perspectives on Joseph Smith’s Life and Character is a book drawn from Joseph Smith Papers Project research. Contributors share invaluable insights about the Joseph Smith’s life, ranging from his birth and First Vision to his character and martyrdom. Editors R. Eric Smith, Matthew C. Godfrey, and Matthew J. Grow discuss some of the book’s highlights.
Anthony Sweat is an Associate Professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU and the author of Repicturing the Restoration: New Art to Expand Our Understanding. His art is informed by asking how we know Joseph Smith and Church history through the Joseph Smith Papers.
Michael D. Hattem is the author of ‘Past and Prologue: Politics and Memory in the American Revolution‘ (Yale University Press, 2020).
Stephanie Gorton is the author of Citizen Reporters: S. S. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and the Magazine That Rewrote America (Harper Collins, 2020).