Aw, thank you freckleface!
Unfortunately, as it always is with History of any kind, the best gems are usually scattered across a wide range of books. For example, the well known story about Joseph Smith rising from the floor in chains in the Richmond jail to rebuke the guards who had been boasting about how inhumanely they'd treated some of the Saints was documented in the autobiography of Parley P. Pratt (one of my favorite Apostles from Joseph Smith's days). Some things I've gleaned from reading various works by Bruce R. McConkie, and I'm talking about several lengthy books that don't have an index or even a table of contents.
One book I can recommend, though it's been a while since I read it and I can't remember much of it anymore, is "The Fate of the Persecutors of Joseph Smith". As I remember, the book wasn't so much about Joseph Smith as it was about what happened to the people who persecuted him, especially the ones that stormed the Carthage Jail. There's a story about one of them who developed a strange skin disease that ate away half of his face right down to the bone, and yet he lived for some time in that condition. I also remember reading a story (also from this book, if I remember correctly) about a boy who was at Haun's Mill when it was attacked. He tried to run into the blacksmith's shop, but every time he got within arm's length of the doorway, his arms shot up and grabbed the doorjamb, ON THEIR OWN. He tried repeatedly to get inside, and this kept happening, and eventually he gave up and ran up the hill and into the forest, which is where most of those who survived went. And as we all know, everyone who was inside the blacksmith's shop was killed, including a couple of children both around the age of 10.
I read a book called "The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph smith", which I thought was pretty good. Here's a gem from that one: Joseph Smith once had a dream, during the Nauvoo days, in which he was on his old farm back in Kirtland. He saw that it was run down from neglect, and as he entered the barn he saw that it was falling apart. As he took inventory of all the needed repairs, some angry, threatening, and scary men came into the barn. They told him that the farm was no longer his and he had no hope of ever getting it back, and if he tried they would kill him. In fact, they were acting like they were going to kill him at any rate, just for showing up. Next, more men came into the barn, also threatening Joseph, but then they started to quarrel amongst themselves as to who would get to keep the farm, and ended up killing each other over it while Joseph calmly walked out of the barn and away from the farm.
I've heard that "The History of the Prophet Joseph Smith, by his Mother" by Lucy Mack Smith, is a great read, but I haven't gotten that one yet.
I used to have a book (until I loaned it out) that focused on the relationship between Joseph and Emma, which was written by one of their descendants (most of which are out of the Church, and embarrassed about their genealogy). The author is a convert and she dedicated a lot of time and effort to exploring Joseph and Emma's relationship. That book contained some insights into Joseph Smith I'd never seen before.
While it's a bit of a downer, I can strongly recommend "I Witnessed the Carthage Massacre" by Willard Richards. It gives the most detailed story of what happened in the Carthage Jail (beginning well before the shooting began) that I have ever seen. In some parts, it covers the events second by second. It’s almost like Willard Richards slows down time so you can fully understand everything that Joseph Smith went through. And it gives you a look at Joseph under considerable pressure - you won't be disappointed.
Some of the most fascinating things I've ever heard about Joseph Smith have come from my institute teacher, when I was in college in Salt Lake City. I saw incredibly moving videos that don't appear to be available for mass consumption (I've never seen them at Deseret Book or in a ward library). But the stories my teacher told were amazing. He told one story, which I believe occurred during Zion's Camp, where Joseph Smith took Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball away from the camp and in private, showed them a vision. The three of them lay down on their backs and looked up into the sky, and Joseph raised his hands up before him and spread them apart, like the way you would part a curtain to look through it. When he did this, he parted the veil and Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were able to see Heavenly Father, the Savior, and numerous angels looking down at them. Then Joseph closed the veil again and told them that he had been instructed to show them that. My institute teacher had LOTS of stories like that, not just about Joseph Smith, but plenty of stories that amazed and dazzled me. There was a companion book for my institute class on the Doctrine and Covenants, a moderately detailed book on Church History, called "Church History in the Fullness of Times". You can pick that up any distribution center or Deseret Book, I believe. It's not the most detailed book you'll find, but it's a good book if you're looking for a single book that contains the most information on Church History.
I wish I could remember every other book I've read about Joseph Smith, but I'm terrible about remembering where I've heard something. All I can say is that everything I've ever read about Joseph Smith has led me to believe that he is one of the greatest men to have ever lived, that he was an extraordinarily benevolent man, despite the controversy that surrounds him, and that the things he taught are true, and that most of what we know about the Gospel of Jesus Christ we owe to him for revealing it to us. In short, he is indeed a Prophet of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ. But you knew that.
Books that I intend to read but haven't yet include "The Joseph Smith Papers" and "The History of the Church (all volumes). Basically, I just always try to keep my eyes open for anything about Joseph Smith that looks trustworthy. I try to stay with books you can get from Deseret Book, but I suppose other good books can be found on him as well.
I occasionally go to a website that I believe is administered by the Community of Christ. Far West History, or something like that. I have found a surprising wealth of historical information there, and though it doesn’t appear to be officially endorsed by the Church, I have a good feeling about what I’ve read there. I have never seen anything there that sounded like it was intended to lead us over to the Reorganized church. If nothing else, Community of Christ sure does take our mutual Church History pretty seriously.
From one fan of Joseph Smith to another, God bless you!
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