List of Books and Sources

A list of commonly used books on this blog:

Pro-LDS spin, Historical

Emma Smith, Mormon Enigma[1] Though Dallin H. Oaks tried to suppress this book, no one was excommunicated and the history was too perfectly done to dispute it.

B. H. Roberts’ History of the Church[2] Yes, the very one where after compiling he concluded that Joseph could have written the Book of Mormon. Lots of interesting pearls in its pages.

History of the Church[3] The correlation version. Free Online version[4]

Journal of Discourses[5] Free Online[6]

Lectures on Faith[7] Free Online[8]

Mormons and Masons[9] A very pro-mormon book that gives GREAT history on the masons and is well sourced. In the second half, when it discusses the temple rites, all sources vanish and the subject matter is… watered down heavily.

Joseph Smith Papers[10]

Original 1835 Book of Commandments[11] Including dousing rods and that Joseph should pretend no other work than translation.

B.H. Roberts’ Rise and Fall of Nauvoo[12] Some of the city council notes and events are just jaw dropping for current members. Remember, this is an apostle writing faithfully about the history with a pro-Joseph slant, just pre-correlation.

Hugh Nibley’s “Tinkling Cymbals and Sounding Brass“[13] A great look at how apologists view “Anti-Mormon Literature.” Quoting him to TBMs that one should always check “sources of sources” when they cite something in a manual is priceless. Also, reading his “How to write an anti-mormon book,” if you flip it and enter “apologist” in place of “anti-mormon” it becomes pretty clearly “How to be an apologist.”

Rough Stone Rolling[14]

The Rise of Modern Mormonism, the Biography of David O. Mckay[15] Great view into how Correlation started, and the politics at play as well as a good look into how awesome David O. McKay was as a human.

Online 1830 copy of the Book of Mormon scanned in[16]

Questionably anti, still good history

Under the Banner of Heaven[17]

Section 132[18] Pro-FLDS… which can be viewed as “Anti” material for some. It’s very, very interesting to read, in my opinion, because it sounds and feels like our material, but is all about the FLDS being true.

Keep Sweet[19] Anti-FLDS material that some members would see as okay because it isn’t anti-LDS.

In Sacred Lonliness[20] Polygamy, not pro or against, just history which many members see as “Anti.”

Book of Mammon[21] Church Finances and structure from an apologist member who worked at the COB for 15 years. Hard read but worth it. [Cheaper version of the same](“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003NE6D56[22] )

D. Michael Quinn (Good historian, and I’d say pro LDS slant, but “Because he’s gay, many members write him off)

Magic and the Early World View[23] Complete with “Seerstone and surrounding info” and “Joseph Smith’s Magic Placemat.”

Origins of Power[24]

Hierarchy of Power[25]

Same Sex Attraction in 19th Century Americans[26]

Auto Biography of John D. Lee[27] forward and finished by an anti-mormon lawyer, everything John D. Lee says is very very pro-Joseph Smith, with a bit of bitter towards Brigham Young, the man who left him to die for the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Joseph Smith “Glass Looking” trial records[28]

Agnostic works that will still challenge a testimony

Things that members would look to to “verify their faith” that end up doing a lot of damage if really studied.

English – Hebrew Old Testament[29] Learn that Eve’s name wasn’t “Eve,” among other things.

English – Greek New Testament[30] Wow, those Greek words stand out. Garment has a dozen meanings? Oh, and Timothy is a very Greek name. Why is it in the book of… oh.

Egyptian – English Translation[31] Doubt the scholars on the Book of Abraham? Translate it yourself!

The Epic of Gilgamesh[32] Oh, they love to cite this as evidence of a flood, or for early church. Read it yourself and see!

The Book of Enoch[33] As you read this, bear in mind that only one or two of these was available when Joseph was doing his re-translation of the bible and one of those rare copies is known to be in Parley P. Pratt’s pocket two years after the re-translation of Genesis was finished.

When prophecy fails by Leon Festinger[34] Psychological study of a woman who supposedly begins to receive messages from a planet Clarion. It discusses her influences (dianetics, scientology, UFOs) and how she became committed to her belief. It starts discussing how other people get involved in her beliefs and develop their own convictions.

A View to the Hebrews[35] Online version[36]

The Spaulding Manuscript[37]

Anti Mormon, Still useful, but clearly slanted against the church

[Grant Palmer’s “An Insider’s View”](“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560851570[38] ) Excellent history, just don’t expect your testimony to remain intact by the end.

[Three days at Nauvoo](“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1175496553[39] ) A laughably bad anti-mormon piece. Dates don’t line up, places don’t line up, and Joseph runs out of town to escape the hero of the story… a minister. Yup.

By his Own Hand Upon Papyrus[40] The Best breakdown of the history around the Book of Abraham I know. It sets everything up, the whole history, including Hugh Nibley’s attempt to re-translate, his backtracking, etc. Not inaccurate on most points (The credibility of the man Hugh Nibley selected to work with is really the only disputable point and HUGH NIBLEY picked him… I mean, come on! His results have been verified by other Egyptologists later). Free online version[41]

Wife No 19[42] A good look at life in the 1900s, but cites no sources and is written like a tabloid magazine about life as a Brigham wife. Also, she wasn’t the 19th wife.

E. Howe’s Mormonism Unveiled online[43]