List of important, controversial Mormon history titles

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The reason I haven't bought this book is because I don't want to read a CD-ROM. If he can't get his material published in a book, well then, maybe me not reading it is a price he'll have to pay. He should just give the CD-ROM book away and not sell it.

Come on MW. Maybe I missed your original point but it seemed to be a swipe at Deseret Book for not publishing "real" Mormon history. Certainly there is some truth to this charge but the melodrama is just a bit much. Do we really need another "it speaks volumes" moment? I quickly look at the list and the list obscures the fact the one of the books is in fact published by Deseret book (16% of your list). Look I tend not to read very many books by Deseret book but their goal is clearly not to cater to a clientelle like me. That makes sense because I doubt it would be profitable. The criticisms in this thread seems silly.

Also, in terms of a "it speaks volumes" moment the 3 most recent books (in terms of publication date) on the list can be purchased from Deseret Book. So the only thing your list seems to empirically identify is the fact that Deseret Book is not and Academic Press. That is a startling revelation.

[MikeWaters]

I couldn't find In Sacred Loneliness on their site.

DB is a schlock press. If that is what you wanted to argue, I would have agreed with you a long time ago, and we would be done with it.

I don't think I own a single book published by DB.

[pelagius]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I couldn't find In Sacred Loneliness on their site.

DB is a schlock press. If that is what you wanted to argue, I would have agreed with you a long time ago, and we would be done with it.

I don't think I own a single book published by DB.

The book is not new. Do you have evidence that it was never stocked or sold at Deseret Book?

edit: The actually do list the book but they list it as being out of stock.

http://deseretbook.com/store/product...t_id=100010764

I am not sure we can infer much from the signal of a older book being out of stock on Deseret Book.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I couldn't find In Sacred Loneliness on their site.

DB is a schlock press. If that is what you wanted to argue, I would have agreed with you a long time ago, and we would be done with it.

I don't think I own a single book published by DB.

DB is a bookstore first, a publisher second. As such, your extending bitching about this is beyond stupid. Furthermore, your ramblings about not being able to find these books at DB has been refuted by several different people.

Give it up.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by pelagius

The book is not new. Do you have evidence that it was never stocked or sold at Deseret Book?

Yes, I have a secret file where I keep that evidence.

Ok you win. DB is fully "academically free" with no compelling interest or desire or practice of suppressing or limiting information that is true, yet embarrassing.

You win.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Ok you win. DB is fully "academically free" with no compelling interest or desire or practice of suppressing or limiting information that is true, yet embarrassing.

If that's the best retort you have for Pelagius, then he truly has won.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I couldn't find In Sacred Loneliness on their site.

DB is a schlock press. If that is what you wanted to argue, I would have agreed with you a long time ago, and we would be done with it.

I don't think I own a single book published by DB.

Mike, have you ever been inside a Deseret Book store?

I agree with Pelagius. This entire discussion is a bit silly.

[Solon]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

and what company published them:

1. David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism - Univ. of Utah Press

2. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling - Vintage

3. In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith - Signature Books

4. The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power - Signature Books

5. Early Mormonism and the Magic World View - Signature Books

6. No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith - Vintage

7. Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith - University of Illinois Press

8. Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball - Shadow Mountain

People, help me add to this list.

Beadle, Life in Utah; or, The mysteries and crimes of Mormonism (National: 1870)

Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven (Doubleday: 2003)

Mauss, The Angel and the Beehive (U of Illinois: 1994)

Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power (Signature: 1997)

Quinn (ed.), The New Mormon History (Signature: 1992)

Sillito and Staker (eds.), Mormon Mavericks (Signature: 2002)

Smith, Man, his origin and destiny (Deseret Book: 1954)

Toscano and Toscano, Strangers in Paradox (Signature: 1990)

Toscano, P. The Sanctity of Dissent (Signature: 1994)

Toscano, P. The Sacrament of Doubt (Signature: 2007)

Van Wagoner, Mormon Polygamy: A History (Signature: 1989)


Here are some less controversial titles.

Thomas G. Alexander and James B. Allen, Mormons and Gentiles: A History of Salt Lake City (Pruett: 1984)

Alexander and Embry (eds.), The Latter-day Saints in Sesquicentennial Perspective (Signature Books, 1983).

Gerlach, “‘The Mormon Games:’ Religion, Media, Cultural Politics, and the Salt Lake Winter Olympics,” Olympika XI (2002): 1-52.

Yorgason, Transformation of the Mormon Culture Region (U. of Illinois: 2003).

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Yes, I have a secret file where I keep that evidence.

Ok you win. DB is fully "academically free" with no compelling interest or desire or practice of suppressing or limiting information that is true, yet embarrassing.

You win.

Mike, it is not a binary world.

But regardless this is one of the few times you lost, and lost badly. It is ok, happens to me all the time. The only guys who never lose are the SeattleUte's of the world, and you never want to be a pretentious insufferable asshat now do you?

[MikeWaters]

So you take from this list that DB is a major player in current Mormon historical thought? You are dumber that I thought. And I mean that in an inoffensive way.