Can you suggest some books for me?

[Palerider]

Originally Posted by bytebear

If you are interested in "hardcore theology" I would recommend Jesus the Christ and Articles of Faith, both by James E. Talmage.

The first book goes over essentially every aspect of the life and doctrine of Jesus Christ, from the creation of the world to the second coming. It's chronological and is jam packed with scriptural references that explain every aspect of the role and mission and atonement of Christ.

The second book goes through the 13 articles of faith one at a time and goes into the same scriptural depth explaining what is meant by each point.

I would also recommend getting a copy of Gospel Principles. It's a Sunday School manual that goes over all the basics in an easy to follow lesson format. It's very good for understanding the fundamentals, and cross referencing with the more detailed stuff.


As for finding the books, have you contacted your local ward or branch. I bet you find a lot of resources through them. Even if the church library doesn't have them, if you find an active member in your area, I am sure they have many books they would be happy to lend you.

Jesus the Christ would be a great book to read.

[rameumptom]

Originally Posted by lattelady

Dear Lilac,
What is "Rough Stone Rolling" about?

RSR is actually titled, "Joseph Smith, Rough Stone Rolling", by Richard Bushman. Bushman's bio is here.

RSR is one of the first biographies on Joseph Smith that is neither an anti-Mormon attack nor an LDS fluff piece. There are people on both sides of the aisle that do not like the book. It doesn't inspire, like other histories of Joseph Smith I've read. But it is fair to Joseph, also, unlike many diatribes that find their way into people's bookshelves.

[mnn727]

If you want to find out what we actually believe there is no better source than the Gospel Principles manual found here.
Gospel Principles

I'm sure some here will blast me for this but frankly "Jesus the Christ" that a lot of people are recommending took me 2 years to get through and while Talmadge may have been a scholar and a genius I think some of the things in it are more speculation than inspiration, and delves heavily into fringe beliefs that have nothing to do with salvation and are not teachings a member is required to believe.

[Barter_Town]

Check out "No Man Knows My History" by Fawn Brodie, the seminal biography of Joseph Smith and still the best book about him, imo. Some LDS members don't like it because the author didn't approach its subject as a true believer, but I found it to be a fair and balanced treatment. Written by a serious historian with full access to the church historical archives.

[Justinator1]

The Great Apostasy by James E. Talmage was a great read for me when I was trying to understand exactly why a restoration was needed.

[bytebear]

Originally Posted by Barter_Town

Check out "No Man Knows My History" by Fawn Brodie, the seminal biography of Joseph Smith and still the best book about him, imo. Some LDS members don't like it because the author didn't approach its subject as a true believer, but I found it to be a fair and balanced treatment. Written by a serious historian with full access to the church historical archives.

Actually, Brodie's approach was that Smith was either insane or just a brilliant fraud, but the problem is she twists the facts to come to her conclusions. The difference between her work and RSR is that RSR simply presents the facts as accurately as possible and lets the reader decide. In fact Bushman's approach was to present Smith's story as Smith would have seen himself. Brodie on the other hand had her conclusions already defined before she did her research, and chose only the facts and evidence that furthered her preconceived assertions.

[mnn727]

Brodies style is such that the book she wrote about Thomas Jefferson was ripped by other historians, she starts with her conclusion first and then chooses only facts that support it.

[Dr T]

I rec this book:

[cougarfan]

You might try reading Cleon Skousen's books as well as anything by Joseph Fielding Smith or Bruce R. McConkie.
Thomas S. Monson also wrote some awesome stuff.

[Barter_Town]

Originally Posted by mnn727

Brodies style is such that the book she wrote about Thomas Jefferson was ripped by other historians, she starts with her conclusion first and then chooses only facts that support it.

What an insightful response.. LOL.. so, have you read any of her books? Didn't think so..

Yes, a couple of Jefferson biographers (Dumas Malone and Merrill Peterson, to be specific) did have problems with her book due to its speculation that Thomas Jefferson fathered children by one of his slaves (Sally Hemmings). Brodie and her publisher both knew that her book would be controversial, so it was hardly surprising that her arguments met stiff resistance from other Jefferson scholars.

Nevertheless her book became a national bestseller, was the main spring selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, and was a NY Times bestseller for thirteen weeks. Literary reviews were generally positive, while historians were generally critical due to her unsupported speculations on the nature of the relationship between Jefferson and Sally Hemmings.

Funnily enough Brodie has had the last laugh, considering the fact that the Thomas Jefferson Foundation concluded that there is a high probability that Thomas Jefferson was indeed the father of Sally's son Easton, and possibly the father of all the Hemmings children listed in the Monticello records.

Anyway thanks for proving my point -- most church members badmouth her biography of Joseph Smith without even having read it simply because she doesn't approach the subject as a true-believer. I guess that's just too much to fathom for some folks.