BEST BOOK AWARD, JOHN WHITMER HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION; BEST BIOGRAPHY AWARD, MORMON HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Rarely does a biographer capture the sense of being in a different time and mindset to the extent that readers feel they are reliving events through the eyes of the biographer's subject. This is the skill of Dan Vogel—after twenty-five years of researching Joseph Smith's life and publishing on such related issues as Seekerism, the Book of Mormon, views of Smith's contemporaries about Indian origins, and the existing documents pertaining to Smith family experiences.

Vogel weaves together strands of evidence into a complete fabric including, among other aspects of Smith's environment, the content of his daily dictation of scriputre and revelation—all contributing to a nearly complete view of what occurred on any given day in Smith's lfie. The result is as much intellectual history as traditional biography. Readers will feel engaged in the dramatic, formative events in the prophet's life against a backdrop of theology, local and national politics, Smith family dynamics, organizational issues, and interpersonal relations. One can form a mental picture, and many will find themselves carrying on an internal dialogue about the issues raised.

1. The home that Joseph Smith was raised in was religiously divided. His mother's family was orthodox and partly mystical; his father's family tended toward rationalism and skepticism. Joseph's maternal grandfather published an account of seeing a heavenly light and hearing Jesus' voice. Joseph's paternal grandfather promoted Thomas Paine's skeptical critique of the Bible, The Age of Reason.

2. When Andrew Jackson was elected U.S. president in 1828, it was a key transitional period in American history. Jackson was a Mason and an advocate of secularism, which alarmed evangelical Protestants.

3. The Smith family experienced a series of financial setbacks and lost their farm in 1825. Joseph felt disinherited and saw no way of escape—no chance for his family to regain its former standing in the community.

4. Joseph found solace in religion. In the early 1820s, he had a powerful conversion experience and felt that Jesus had forgiven him of his sins. This inspired him to share the gospel message with others, particularly with his own family. About the same time, Smith found a talent for preaching and delivered "passable" Methodist sermons at a nearby revival.

5. Over time, Joseph became aware that people trusted him and that he could be an influence for good or ill, that even through nefarious means, God worked through him when his heart was right. He realized this when he led groups in search of Spanish treasure in New York and Pennsylvania. Although no treasure was found, the men sincerely believed that Smith had a spiritual gift and could see where casks of gold were hidden in the earth. This training ground in spiritual leadership was invaluable because the prophet learned how to create an environment for belief—one in which people could exercise faith and be converted to Christ through the sensible influence of the Spirit, all prior to the overarching work of restoring primitive Christianity.

From the dust jacket:

"This carefully written, prodigiously researched biography of Mormonism's founder goes far toward solving the so-called 'prophet puzzle.' Through critical historical analysis, Vogel follows Joseph Smith's early religious-intellectual development—utilizing multi-disciplinary tools such as psychology, sociology, literary analysis, and family systems theory. In probing the prophet's complex, elusive personality, including varied motives and inner conflicts, Vogel advances beyond the naturalistic interpretations of Fawn M. Brodie and others; he asserts that Smith truly 'believed he was called of God to preach repentance to a sinful world but at the same time felt justified in using deception to accomplish this mission more fully.'"

—Newell G. Bringhurst, professor of history, College of the Sequoias; past president, Mormon History Association; author, Fawn McKay Brodie: A Biographer's Life

—Ann Taves, Professor of Religion, Claremont Graduate School; author, Fits, Trances, and Visions: Experiencing Religion and Explaining Experience from Wesley to James.

"Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet will be of high interest to both the scholarly specialist and the generally curious. Vogel exploits his unparalleled knowledge of the primary sources and locates them within a broader framework of American history and religion, providing an insightful treatment of the Mormon prophet's complex personality. Vogel argues for a sincerity of purpose coupled with a duplicity of means. Of particular interest will be his extensive analysis of how the Book of Mormon reflects Smith's purposes and the events of his life."

—Daniel Walker Howe, Rhodes Professor of American History Emeritus, Oxford University; Professor of History Emeritus, University of California, Los Angeles; author of Making the American Self: Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln