Christian and quasi-Christian cults and sects Books

Book SynopsisThe medieval dissenters known as ‘Waldenses’, named after their first founder, Valdes of Lyons, have long attracted careful scholarly study, especially from specialists writing in Italian, French and German. Waldenses were found across continental Europe, from Aragon to the Baltic and East-Central Europe. They were long-lived, resilient, and diverse. They lived in a special relationship with the prevailing Catholic culture, making use of the Church’s services but challenging its claims. Many Waldenses are known mostly, or only, because of the punitive measures taken by inquisitors and the Church hierarchy against them. This volume brings for the first time a wide-ranging, multi-authored interpretation of the medieval Waldenses to an English-language readership, across Europe and over the four centuries until the Reformation. Contributors: Marina Benedetti, Peter Biller, Luciana Borghi Cedrini, Euan Cameron, Jacques Chiffoleau, Albert de Lange, Andrea Giraudo, Franck Mercier, Grado Giovanni Merlo, Georg Modestin, Martine Ostorero, Damian J. Smith, Claire Taylor, and Kathrin Utz Tremp.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Maps Abbreviations Used in the Notes Note on Contributors Introduction Marina Benedetti and Euan Cameron Part 1 From Lyons to Europe Section 1 Origins and Early Diffusion (12th–13th Centuries) 1 Valdo (or Valdesius) of Lyons and the Poor in Spirit   Grado Giovanni Merlo 2 A Presence in Languedoc (12th–13th Centuries)   Claire Taylor 3 The Early Waldenses and the Catholic Poor in the Crown of Aragon (12th–13th Centuries)   Damian J. Smith 4 Religious Dissidence and Political Struggles in the Rhone Valley (13th Century)   Jacques Chiffoleau Section 2 Germany (13th–14th Centuries) 5 Was Austria a Waldensian Heartland?   Albert de Lange 6 Waldenses in Bohemia, 13th‒16th Centuries   Albert de Lange 7 Waldenses by the Baltic   Peter Biller 8 Western Germany Including Strasbourg   Georg Modestin 9 Freiburg-in-Uechtland   Kathrin Utz Tremp Section 3 Piedmont, Provence and Dauphiné (14th–16th Centuries) 10 Who Were the Waldenses in Fourteenth-Century Piedmont?   Grado Giovanni Merlo 11 Provence (14th–15th Century)   Jacques Chiffoleau 12 The Dauphiné (13th–14th Century)   Euan Cameron 13 The Dauphiné (15th–16th Century)   Marina Benedetti Part 2 Themes in Waldensian History 14 On the Road: The Alpine Itinerant Preachers   Marina Benedetti 15 Women: A Silent Presence?   Marina Benedetti 16 Inquisitors’ Interrogations of Waldenses   Peter Biller 17 The ‘Waldensian Sect’: Heresy and Witchcraft   Franck Mercier and Martine Ostorero 18 Helping the Poor and Healing the Sick   Peter Biller 19 1488: A Forgotten Crusade   Marina Benedetti 20 Ancient Waldensian Literature   Luciana Borghi Cedrini and Andrea Giraudo 21 The Émigré Communities in Calabria and Apulia   Euan Cameron 22 From the Reformation to the Past: Historical Perceptions of the Medieval Waldenses in Protestantism   Euan Cameron Index

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Book Synopsis''a smart, daring and refreshing book'' - Weekend Australian ''deliciously sinister'' - Herald SunWhy would anyone join a cult? Maybe they''re unhappy with their current religion, or they want to change the world, or they''re disappointed with their lives and want to find something bigger or holier that makes sense of this confusing, chaotic and dangerous world. Or maybe they just want to give themselves the best possible chance of having sex with aliens.Whatever the reason, once people are in, it''s usually very difficult for them to leave. Cults have ways of making their followers do loopy, dangerous stuff to prove their loyalty, and in return they get a chance to feel secure within the cult''s embrace, with an added bonus of being utterly terrified of the outside world. From the tragic JONESTOWN Kool-Aid drinkers to the Australian cult THE FAMILY to the fiery Waco climax of THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS, this book is a wide-sweeTrade Reviewprose where every sentence is alive with individuality and intelligence. ... She has opened the creaking lid of the vampire's coffin and let in a good old blast of fresh daylight. * Weekend Australian *Written with a wonderfully irreverent sense of humour, the book has a serious aim, to instil irreverence in the reader, because, after all, an excess of reverence was what got many of these cult members into danger in the first place and then kept them there. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis'Hough's conversational prose reads like the voice of a blues singer, taking breaks between songs to narrate her heartbreak in verse, cajoling her audience to laugh to keep from crying' - The New York Times'Hough's writing will break your heart' - Roxane Gay, author of Difficult Women'Each one told with the wit of David Sedaris, and the insight of Joan Didion' - Telegraph 'This moving account of resilience and hard-earned agency brims with a fresh originality' - Publishers WeeklySearing and extremely personal essays from the heart of working-class America, shot through with the darkest elements the country can manifest - cults, homelessness, and hunger - while discovering light and humor in unexpected corners.As an adult, Lauren Hough has had many identities: an airman in the U.S. Air Force, a cable guy, a bouncer at a gay club. As a child, however, she had none. Growing up as a member of the infamous cult The Children of God, Hough had her own self robbed from her. The cult took her all over the globe but it wasn't until she finally left for good that Lauren understood she could have a life beyond "The Family."Along the way, she's loaded up her car and started over, trading one life for the next. Here, as she sweeps through the underbelly of America--relying on friends, family, and strangers alike--she begins to excavate a new identity even as her past continues to trail her and color her world, relationships, and perceptions of self.At once razor-sharp, profoundly brave, and often very, very funny, the essays in Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing interrogate our notions of ecstasy, queerness, and what it means to live freely. Each piece is a reckoning: of survival, identity, and how to reclaim one's past when carving out a future.Trade ReviewLauren Hough's extraordinary essay collection Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing is as powerful as it is poignant. So many moments in this exceptionally crafted essays brought me to tears and before long I would find myself laughing as Hough wielded her razor sharp wit. This is one of those rare books that will instantly become part of the literary canon and the world of letters will be better for it. * Roxane Gay, author of Difficult Women *Lauren Hough's Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing is so brilliant, so humane and pissed off and hysterically funny and thought-provoking, and so beautifully written it's hard to describe except to say that it's a book that is going to mean a lot to a lot of people, and it might cause some fights, and you better read it so you can have the pleasure of reading it and the pleasure of talking about it with everyone. * Elizabeth McCracken, author of Bowlaway *Lauren Hough is the best new voice I've read in years: fiercely honest, funny, brazen, and unrepentant. * Heather Havrilesky, Ask Polly columnist and author of What If This Were Enough? *Hough's direct, no bullshit manner will have you laughing and nodding your head in agreement. If you are a fan of memoir and books about moving through life overcoming any obstacle in your way or, if, like me, you love reading about strong queer people - then this book is for you! * Christina Pascucci-Ciampa, Boston Magazine *[Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing] is a killer debut, as riveting for its content as it is for its captivating style. * BookPage, '2021 preview: Most anticipated nonfiction' *These essays mine [Hough's] eclectic, fascinating life and her efforts to create her own identity. Plus, she's a fabulous writer. * Deborah Dundas, The Toronto Star *An edgy and unapologetic memoir in essays. * Kirkus Reviews *This moving account of resilience and hard-earned agency brims with a fresh originality. * Publishers Weekly *Each one told with the wit of David Sedaris, and the insight of Joan Didion * Telegraph *Hough's conversational prose reads like the voice of a blues singer, taking breaks between songs to narrate her heartbreak in verse, cajoling her audience to laugh to keep from crying * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisA leading journalist's intense, riveting and personal investigation into the worlds and minds of cults At a new age festival in Byron Bay, journalist Anke Richter is finding her spiritual awakening when she meets a woman - a survivor of the Auckland cult Centrepoint - who will change the course of her life and career. Over the next ten years, Anke pursues a labyrinthine investigation into how and why cults attract, entrap and destroy otherwise ordinary people, asking what the line is between tribe and cult, participant and perpetrator, seduction and sexual abuse. From the emotional and criminal carnage of Auckland's Centrepoint to an anti-cult conference in Manchester, the infamous Osho's ashram in India, the tantric Agama Yoga school in remote Thailand, and culminating in a visit to Gloriavale on the West Coast of the South Island, Anke uncovers a disturbing pattern of violence and suffering. Cult Trip is a powerful exploration of what really goes on inside the groups we call cults, and how to reckon with their aftermath.'Wild stuff. Anke Richter is one of my favourite writers, blurring the line between participant and reporter.' David Farrier, journalist behind Dark Tourist and Tickled'Thorough and compassionate ... Cult Trip is a brittle, sensitive book.' Steve Braunias'What a book and what a writer! Cult Trip is an incredibly immersive, intense and necessary reading experience put together with doggedness and skill. The stories are heart-rending, told with bravery and care.' Noelle McCarthy, author of Grand'Phenomenal. I cannot recommend this book enough.' Tova O'Brien, Today FM'Cult Trip is incredibly painful and powerful - an eye opener, a tour de force and a call for justice.' Janja Lalich, author of Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships'Bringing together information from around the globe, Anke Richter pinpoints the internal struggles of those coming out of cults, and the debilitating harm that lingers afterwards.' Rachel Bernstein, cult specialist and educator

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Book Synopsis'For anyone who enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy or Educated, Unfollow is an essential text' - Louis Theroux'Such a moving, redemptive, clear-eyed account of religious indoctrination' - Pandora Sykes'A nuanced portrait of the lure and pain of zealotry' New York Times'Unfolds like a suspense novel . . . A brave, unsettling, and fascinating memoir about the damage done by religious fundamentalism' NPRA Radio Four Book of the Week Pick for June 2021As featured on the BBC documentaries, 'The Most Hated Family in America' and 'Surviving America's Most Hated Family'It was an upbringing in many ways normal. A loving home, shared with squabbling siblings, overseen by devoted parents. Yet in other ways it was the precise opposite: a revolving door of TV camera crews and documentary makers, a world of extreme discipline, of siblings vanishing in the night.Megan Phelps-Roper was raised in the Westboro Baptist Church - the fire-and-brimstone religious sect at once aggressively homophobic and anti-Semitic, rejoiceful for AIDS and natural disasters, and notorious for its picketing the funerals of American soldiers. From her first public protest, aged five, to her instrumental role in spreading the church's invective via social media, her formative years brought their difficulties. But being reviled was not one of them. She was preaching God's truth. She was, in her words, 'all in'.In November 2012, at the age of twenty-six, she left the church, her family, and her life behind.Unfollow is a story about the rarest thing of all: a person changing their mind. It is a fascinating insight into a closed world of extreme belief, a biography of a complex family, and a hope-inspiring memoir of a young woman finding the courage to find compassion for others, as well as herself.---More praise for Unfollow'A beautiful, gripping book about a singular soul, and an unexpected redemption' - Nick Hornby'A modern-day parable for how we should speak and listen to each other' - Dolly Alderton'Her journey - from Westboro to becoming one of the most empathetic, thoughtful, humanistic writers around - is exceptional and inspiring' - Jon Ronson'A gripping story, beautifully told . . . It takes real talent to produce a book like this. Its message could not be more urgent' Sunday TimesTrade ReviewMegan Phelps-Roper is a beautiful writer, and her journey - from Westboro to becoming one of the most empathetic, thoughtful, humanistic writers around - is exceptional and inspiring. I met Megan shortly after she left her church. She said, 'I want to do good, but I don't know how.' With Unfollow she's figured out how. -- Jon RonsonUnfollow is a book that speaks eloquently to our divided times: the tale of a young girl born into a family whose name is a byword for bigotry and how she grew into a compassionate young woman, leaving her family behind and forging an entirely new understanding of the world and her place in it. Full of insight, thoughtfulness and vivid detail, it is also the debut of a gifted new writer. For anyone who enjoyed Hillbilly Elegy or Educated, Unfollow is an essential text, a testament to the fact that there is no-one immune to childhood indoctrination, but also to the ever-present possibility of profound change. -- Louis TherouxMegan Phelps-Roper has guts - maybe more guts than can comfortably be contained within one adult human. First, as a member of the scary Westboro Baptist Church, she had the guts to get into the faces of people she disapproved of, gays and Jews and less fiery Christians, and tell them why God hated them. Then - and this is where you and I come in - she had the guts to listen and to think, and to decide that everything she had built her life upon was wrong. This is a beautiful, gripping book about a singular soul, and an unexpected redemption. -- Nick HornbyRarely do you come across someone with the courage and clarity of Megan Phelps-Roper. From her story, we can learn things sorely needed in our age: empathy, openness, and how we can best build bridges across divided lines. -- Chris Anderson, Head of TEDMegan Phelps-Roper is one of the most inspiring women I have ever met. If you want to see how a girl raised on religious fanaticism and sectarian hatred can be cured by the power of honest reasoning, read this book. -- Sam HarrisMegan Phelps-Roper finds a way to tell the story of the girl she was raised to be from the perspective of the woman she became, without rewriting history or losing touch with the earnestness that made everything in her world seem ok, if not downright righteous. Despite a fundamental transformation of epic proportions, Megan's core, her soul, remains the same throughout: kind, passionate, and open. Her process is wildly brave and incredibly thoughtful and this book gives us the incomparable insight into a world we all, and yet, none of us, know. This book will leave you holding your heart. -- Sarah SilvermanMegan's story embodies the power of patience, listening, and empathy in this time of extreme intolerance and hatred of one's ideological enemies. It is, quite simply, exactly what the world needs right now. -- Mark DuplassExcellent . . . Phelps-Roper's intelligence and compassion shine throughout with electric prose . . . For anyone interested in the power of rhetoric, belief, and family, Phelps-Roper's powerful, empathetic memoir will be a must-read. * Publishers Weekly *Eloquent and entirely candid . . . A heartfelt and richly detailed memoir. * Kirkus *A gripping story, beautifully told, and one offering an extraordinary insight into the minds and thoughts of rational, bright, generally decent people who have been brainwashed into believing crazy, cruel things. Phelps-Roper's years of voracious reading were not wasted. In clear, readable prose, she moves between remembered scenes, vivid descriptions and reflection to paint a fascinating portrait of the family she loved and had to leave . . . It takes real guts to do what she has done. It takes real talent to produce a book like this. Its message could not be more urgent. * Sunday Times *Unfolds like a suspense novel . . . A brave, unsettling, and fascinating memoir about the damage done by religious fundamentalism. * NPR *A nuanced portrait of the lure and pain of zealotry. * New York Times *A must-read for anyone who loved Tara Westover's Educated and is ultimately a book about hope and compassion. * Red *'Offers an important lesson in our current, angry political climate. Phelps-Roper's story is instructive and captivating in itself, but it also contains a critical message about communication and understanding for an era in which they are increasingly scarce. Listening and persuading have become rare skills, and they are needed now more than ever. If the spokeswoman raised on the picket lines of the most hated family and church in America can be persuaded to leave bigotry and everything she's ever known behind and make amends with those she once tormented, what excuse can there be for our age of competitive pettiness?' * Washington Examiner *Unfollow is an exceptional book: a loving portrait of a fanatical organisation. * The Times *This is her wise, heart-rending account of loving and leaving 'America's most hated family'to live on the 'outside', damnation be damned. * Saga Magazine *

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Book SynopsisAnalyzes the events in 1993 that led to the death of 74 men, women and children in the Waco religious community in Texas. Examining topics such as the media's role and the relation between religion and violence, the book discusses why the tragedy took place and whether it could have been avoided.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: Another View of the Mt. Carmel Standoff Stuart A. Wright 1: An Age of Wisdom, An Age of Foolishness: The Davidians, Some Forerunners, and Our Age Robert S. Fogarty 2: Davidians and Branch Davidians: 1929-1987 William L. Pitts, Jr 3: The Davidian Tradition: From Patronal Clan to Prophetic Movement David G. Bromley, Edward D. Silver. 4: Construction and Escalation of a Cult Threat: Dissecting Moral Panic and Official Reaction to the Branch Davidians Stuart A. Wright 5: Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes, the Anticult Movement, and the Waco Confrontation James R. Lewis 6: "Babies Were Being Beaten": Exploring Child Abuse Allegations at Ranch Apocalypse Christopher G. Ellison, John P. Bartkowski. 7: Manufacturing Consent about Koresh: A Structural Analysis of the Role of Media in the Waco Tragedy James T. Richardson 8: Cops, News Copy, and Public Opinion: Legitimacy and the Social Construction of Evil in Waco Anson Shupe, Jeffrey K. Hadden. 9: Public Narratives and the Apocalyptic Sect: From Jonestown to Mt. Carmel John R. Hall 10: Sects and Violence: Factors Enhancing the Volatility of Marginal Religious Movements Thomas Robbins, Dick Anthony. 11: Religious Discourse and Failed Negotiations: The Dynamics of Biblical Apocalypticism in Waco James D. Tabor 12: Waco, Federal Law Enforcement, and Scholars of Religion Nancy T. Ammerman 13: Breaching the "Wall of Separation": The Balance between Religious Freedom and Social Order Rhys H. Williams 14: The Waco Tragedy: Constitutional Concerns and Policy Perspectives Edward McGlynn Gaffney, Jr 15: The Implosion of Mt. Carmel and Its Aftermath: Is It All Over Yet? Dean M. Kelley Appendix: Branch Davidians Who Died at Mt. Carmel List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisThe 1993 government assault on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas, resulted in the deaths of four federal agents and eighty Branch Davidians, including seventeen children. This title address the accusations of illegal weapons possession, strange sexual practices, and child abuse that were made against David Koresh and his followers.Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1. What Might Have Been 2. Moving to Mount Carmel 3. Unlocking the Seven Seals 4. The Sinful Messiah 5. A Complex Hostage / Barricade Rescue Situation 6. The Wacko from Waco 7. The Cult Controversy 8. Waco and Religious Freedom in America Appendix: An Unfinished Manuscript by David Koresh Notes A Note on Sources Index List of Mount Carmel Branch Davidians Illustrations following page 146

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Book SynopsisOffers an examination of the concept of 'Waldensianism' from the late 12th century to the Reformation. This book draws on primary sources to consider each of the manifestations of the movement in turn. It examines connections in space and time through correspondence and tradition between the different groups of Waldenses.Trade Review"... exemplary in its clarity and comprehensiveness and will easily count as the standard treatment in the subject for years to come." Times Literary Supplement "[Cameron's] command of the difficult and controversial evidence is masterly throughout this study, and his grasp of the ideas which formed the movement, and the different approaches of the new Protestantism, is outstanding. This book will provide a starting-point for future study of the Waldenses." Journal of Theological Studies "A scholarly account ranging from the late twelfth century to the Reformation..." Missiology: An International Review "Waldenses is a lucid, nuanced, and intelligent assesment of the history of this diverse group of medieval dissenters.... Cameron's assesments are penetraing and sound... [the book] should find its way onto the bookshelves of many scholars and students interested in medieval religious cultures." Shannon McSheffrey, Concordia UniversityTable of ContentsList of Plates viii List of Maps ix Preface x Introduction 1 Waldenses and the Catholic Church 2 The Changing Shape of the Sources 3 Some Questions Arising 5 Part I The First Phase 1 Before Heresy: Valdesius and the Poor Brethren at Lyon to 1184 11 2 Disobedient Preachers, 1184-c.1210 23 3 The Lombard ‘Poor in Spirit’, c.1205-1240 36 4 The Reconciliations with Rome, 1208-1212 49 Part II The Age of Inquisition, Thirteenth to fifteenth Centuries Introduction: The impact of Organized Inquisitorial Activity 63 5 Waldenses in Occitan France, c.1220-1320 70 6 Germany and Eastern Europe 96 7 The Southwestern Alps 151 Part III The Alpine Waldenses Confront the Reformation Introduction: The End of Heresy? 209 8 The Alpine Barbes and their Culture, c.1520-1530 211 9 The Encounters of 1530-1532 and their Outcomes 232 10 Calvin’s Geneva takes over in Piedmont, 1555-1565 264 Epilogue: The Waldenses as Persecuted Martyrs and the ‘True Church’ 285 Conclusions and Reflections 297 Bibliography 304 Index 319

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Book SynopsisWhat is a cult? Why do they emerge? Who joins them? And why do tragedies such as Waco and Jonestown occur? This reader brings together the voices of historians, sociologists, and psychologists of religion to address these key questions about new religious movements. Looks at theoretical explanations for cults, why people join and what happens when they do. Brings together the best work on cults by sociologists, historians, and psychologists of religion. A broad-ranging, balanced and clearly organized collection of readings. Includes coverage of topical issues, such as the ''brainwashing'' controversy, and cults in cyberspace. Section introductions by the editor situate the nature, value, and relevance of the selected readings in context of current discussions. Trade Review"This is a superb collection which will effectively introduce some readers to the field of NRM studies, and which is indispensable for any course on alternative religions. The volume really represents some sort of a milestone and its publication may indicate that the scholarly study of NRMs has 'arrived'." Nova Religio "This is a valuable reader and one which deserves to become part of the landscape." Gerald Vinten, European Business School, London "The book is very useful for students, scholars of different disciplines, and lay readers to get an idea of the scientific response to publicly debated issues about new religions. Furthermore, with bibliographies at the end of each article, it also provides an excellent starting point for further study." Marburg Journal of Religion "The editor has collected a number of fine writings by leading authors, theorists and researchers in the field of NRMs. One find understandable and accessible essays by historians, sociologists and psychologists of religion and other scholars well known for their work on the subject and/or famous in their disciplines ... For readers interested in the phenomenon the book is very readable and can open up a new world - a balanced world without prejudice." Journal of Empirical TheologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgements. Introduction: The Book and The Subject. 1. The Study of New Religious Movements:. Eileen Barker, The Scientific Study Of Religion? You Must Be Joking!. James A. Beckford, The Continuum Between "Cults" and "Normal" Religion. 2. The Nature of New Religious Movements:. Roy Wallis, Three Types of New Religious Movement. William Sins Bainbridge and Rodney Stark, Cult Formation: Three Compatible Models. 3. New Religious Movements in Historical and Social Context:. Philip Jenkins, False Prophets And Deluded Subjects: The Nineteenth Century. Robert Wuthnow, The New Spiritual Freedom. 4. Joining New Religious Movements:. Lorne L. Dawson, “Who Joins New Religious Movements And Why: Twenty Years Of Research And What Have We Learned?. Saul Levine, The Joiners. 5. The ‘Brainwashing’ Controversy:. Margaret Thales Singer, The Process Of Brainwashing, Psychological Coercion, And Thought Reform. James T. Richardson, A Critique Of ‘Brainwashing’ Claims About New Religious Movements. Thomas Robbins, Constructing Cultist ‘Mind Control’. 6. Violence and New Religious Movements:. John R. Hall, The Apocalypse At Jonestown. Jean-Francois Mayer, "Our Terrestrial Journey is Coming to an End": The Last Voyage of the Solar Temple. 7. Sex and Gender Issues and New Religious Movements:. Elizabeth Puttick, Women In New Religious Movements. Susan J. Palmer, Women’s ‘Cocoon Work’ In New Religious Movements: Sexual Experimentation And Feminine Rites Of Passage. 8. New Religious Movements and The Future: Rodney Stark, Why Religious Movements Succeed Or Fail: A Revised General Model. Lorne L. Dawson And Jenna Hennebry, New Religions And The Internet: Recruiting In A New Public.

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Book SynopsisThe study of Joseph Smith and his writings have
long been shaped by the polemical atmosphere that surrounds Smith's claims to divine authorship. Even after a half-century of serious scholarship devoted to Smith, fundamental questions remain about how to best interpret features of his life and writing. Smith's own History of Joseph Smith (edited and revised at the beginning of the twentieth century by B. H. Roberts) created an enduring image that influenced Mormon theology, doctrine, and polity for generations. With new historical documents now available, however, a reappraisal of Smith and the origins of Mormonism warrant attention. Ronald O. Barney - a former editor of the Joseph Smith Papers - applies new interpretations to Smith
in history and memory, re-examining both his writings and contemporary accounts. The book explores the best methodologies for appraising the historical record, including a review of Smith's world and its contextual background, an analysis of his foundational experiences, and a characterization of Smith as a man and prophet. Though the premise of re-evaluation may be unsettling to traditionalists, a modern reconsideration of the historical record's entire range of sources is necessary to fashion a strategy for evaluating Smith and his enduring but complex legacy.Trade ReviewThere is so much I enjoyed about this work. My copy has dozens 
of dog-eared pages that I have marked with enthusiastic notes. This will be an indispensable volume for the next generations of graduate students and scholars." - Christopher James Blythe, faculty research associate, Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, Brigham Young University

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Book Synopsis This is the first biography of Dale L. Morgan, preeminent historian of the Latter Day Saints, the fur trade, and the trails of the American West. The book explores how, despite personal struggles, Morgan remained committed to interpreting the past on the strength of documentary evidence, leaving a legacy to inspire contemporary historians. Connecting Morgan’s life with some of the broad cultural changes that shaped his experiences, this book engages with the methodological shifts that coincided with his career: the mid-twentieth-century collision of interpretations within Latter Day Saint history and the development of a descriptive, scholarly approach to that history. Morgan’s work signaled the start of new ways of understanding, studying, and retelling history, and he motivated a generation of historians from the 1930s to the 1970s to transform their historical approaches. Sounding board, mentor, and close friend to Nels Anderson, Leonard Arrington, Fawn Brodie, Juanita Brooks, Bernard DeVoto, and Wallace Stegner, Dale Morgan is the common factor linking this influential generation of mid-twentieth-century historians of western America. Trade Review“Richard Saunders charts the life and career of Dale Morgan in this deeply researched biography. Saunders places Morgan’s career in the context of the evolution of Mormon and western American history as well as changes in the publishing world. Although Morgan’s papers illuminate his scholarly work more than his personal life, Saunders manages to vividly illuminate chapters in his personal life—especially his childhood, adolescence, and final years.” —Brian Q. Cannon, Brigham Young UniversityTable of Contents List of Illustrations Foreword by Daniel Walker Howe Acknowledgments A Note on Sources List of Abbreviations Introduction: “A Thousand Utterly Trivial Things” Part I: Mormon, Historian 1. “Under the Shadow of Her Love”: Family and a Salt Lake City Childhood, 1914–1929 2. “A Sense of Being Socially Maimed”: Salt Lake City’s West High School, 1929–1933 3. “The Strange Mixture of Emotion and Intellect”: The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 1933–1938 4. Digression: Telling the Past in Latter-day Saint Utah, 1930s Style 5. “One of Those Minds Which Dwell in a Typewriter”: The Historical Records Survey, Ogden, Utah, 1938–1940 6.“This May Not Last, but It’s Fine While It Does”: The Utah Writers’ Project, Salt Lake City, 1940–1942 7. “Not So Dull as It Sounds”: Office of Price Administration, Washington, DC, 1942–1947 8. “It Is Best to Make the Most of My Opportunities”: The Guggenheim Fellowship Travel and Salt Lake City, 1947–1949 Part II: An Uncomfortable Interlude 9. Digression: Books and History in the Postwar Context 10. “I Am in for a Long Pull”: Job Seeker in Washington, DC, and Salt Lake City, 1950–1952 11. “Sundry Kinds of Hackwork”: Writing in Washington, DC, 1950–1952 12. “Half an Easterner and Three-Quarters a Westerner”: Writing Jedediah Smith and Salt Lake City, 1952–1953 Part III: Western American Historian 13.“It Is Something to Be On My Way Again”: Bancroft Library and the Navajo Project, Berkeley, California, 1954–1962 14. “Too Many Things Have Been Going On at the Same Time”: Writing, 1954–1963 15. “Too Many Obligations Out Here”: Turning Points and Departures 16. “Struggling to Get My Disordered Life Back Under Control”: Bancroft Library, Berkeley 1964–1965 17. “I Seem to Work All the Time”: Shifting Priorities, Berkeley, 1966–1968 18. “There Are All Sorts of Problems That Will Have to Be Worked Out”: New Directions, Berkeley, California, 1969–1970 19. “As Liable to Happen to Me as to Anyone Else”: Lafayette, California, and Accokeek, Maryland, 1970–1971 Epilogue. “If History Is Going to Stay Viable”: A Historian’s Life and Contexts A Dale L. Morgan Bibliography Works Cited Index

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Book Synopsis This is the first biography of Dale L. Morgan, preeminent historian of the Latter Day Saints, the fur trade, and the trails of the American West. The book explores how, despite personal struggles, Morgan remained committed to interpreting the past on the strength of documentary evidence, leaving a legacy to inspire contemporary historians. Connecting Morgan’s life with some of the broad cultural changes that shaped his experiences, this book engages with the methodological shifts that coincided with his career: the mid-twentieth-century collision of interpretations within Latter Day Saint history and the development of a descriptive, scholarly approach to that history. Morgan’s work signaled the start of new ways of understanding, studying, and retelling history, and he motivated a generation of historians from the 1930s to the 1970s to transform their historical approaches. Sounding board, mentor, and close friend to Nels Anderson, Leonard Arrington, Fawn Brodie, Juanita Brooks, Bernard DeVoto, and Wallace Stegner, Dale Morgan is the common factor linking this influential generation of mid-twentieth-century historians of western America. Trade ReviewRichard Saunders charts the life and career of Dale Morgan in this deeply researched biography. Saunders places Morgan’s career in the context of the evolution of Mormon and western American history as well as changes in the publishing world. Although Morgan’s papers illuminate his scholarly work more than his personal life, Saunders manages to vividly illuminate chapters in his personal life—especially his childhood, adolescence, and final years." —Brian Q. Cannon, Brigham Young UniversityTable of Contents List of Illustrations Foreword by Daniel Walker Howe Acknowledgments A Note on Sources List of Abbreviations Introduction: “A Thousand Utterly Trivial Things” Part I: Mormon, Historian 1. “Under the Shadow of Her Love”: Family and a Salt Lake City Childhood, 1914–1929 2. “A Sense of Being Socially Maimed”: Salt Lake City’s West High School, 1929–1933 3. “The Strange Mixture of Emotion and Intellect”: The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, 1933–1938 4. Digression: Telling the Past in Latter-day Saint Utah, 1930s Style 5. “One of Those Minds Which Dwell in a Typewriter”: The Historical Records Survey, Ogden, Utah, 1938–1940 6. “This May Not Last, but It’s Fine While It Does”: The Utah Writers’ Project, Salt Lake City, 1940–1942 7. “Not So Dull as It Sounds”: Office of Price Administration, Washington, DC, 1942–1947 8. “It Is Best to Make the Most of My Opportunities”: The Guggenheim Fellowship Travel and Salt Lake City, 1947–1949 Part II: An Uncomfortable Interlude 9. Digression: Books and History in the Postwar Context 10. “I Am in for a Long Pull”: Job Seeker in Washington, DC, and Salt Lake City, 1950–1952 11. “Sundry Kinds of Hackwork”: Writing in Washington, DC, 1950–1952 12. “Half an Easterner and Three-Quarters a Westerner”: Writing Jedediah Smith and Salt Lake City, 1952–1953 Part III: Western American Historian 13. “It Is Something to Be On My Way Again”: Bancroft Library and the Navajo Project, Berkeley, California, 1954–1962 14. “Too Many Things Have Been Going On at the Same Time”: Writing, 1954–1963 15. “Too Many Obligations Out Here”: Turning Points and Departures 16. “Struggling to Get My Disordered Life Back Under Control”: Bancroft Library, Berkeley 1964–1965 17. “I Seem to Work All the Time”: Shifting Priorities, Berkeley, 1966–1968 18. “There Are All Sorts of Problems That Will Have to Be Worked Out”: New Directions, Berkeley, California, 1969–1970 19. “As Liable to Happen to Me as to Anyone Else”: Lafayette, California, and Accokeek, Maryland, 1970–1971 Epilogue. “If History Is Going to Stay Viable”: A Historian’s Life and Contexts A Dale L. Morgan Bibliography Works Cited Index

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFrom their earliest days on the American frontier through their growth into a worldwide church, the spatially expansive Mormons made maps to help them create idealized communities, migrate to and colonize large parts of the American West, visualize the stories in their sacred texts, and spread their message internationally through a well-organized missionary system. This book identifies many Mormon mapmakers who played an important but heretofore unsung role in charting the course of Latter-day Saint history. For Mormons, maps had and continue to have both practical and spiritual significance. In addition to using maps to help build their new Zion and to explore the Intermountain West, Latter-day Saint mapmakers used them to depict locations and events described in the Book of Mormon.Featuring over one hundred historical maps reproduced in full color—many never before published—The Mapmakers of New Zion sheds new light on Mormonism and takes readers on a fascinating journey through maps as both historical documents and touchstones of faith.Trade Review“The Mapmakers of New Zion is a brilliant history of Mormons and Mormon thought, viewed through the unique lens of cartography. Written in an engaging style, Mapmakers documents the minutiae of history and geography and offers an ongoing meditation on Mormon cosmology and Latter-day Saint views on space and time. A stimulating and enlightening book.” —Todd Compton, author of A Frontier Life: Jacob Hamblin, Explorer and Indian Missionary “Provides an excellent introduction to historical cartography and asks a series of illuminating questions about the art and science of mapmaking. Carefully crafted and full of cultural insights.” —Will Bagley, author of South Pass: Gateway to a Continent “A magnificent tome about the mapmakers of the Mormon exodus out of the United States into the American West.”—The Journal of Mormon History “From its trek west in the 1800s to today’s missionary efforts, Mormonism has left behind its fair share of maps. Richard Francaviglia studies these maps in detail and brings to light some new insights about the religion’s culture and theology.”—Deseret News “It is rare to discover a book as richly illustrated and produced as Richard Francaviglia’s new The Mapmakers of New Zion.…Those interested in Mormon history, scholars, students, and general public, will find much to appreciate in Francaviglia’s work, and various fields of study will benefit from considering the questions he poses and insights he provides.”—The Journal of Arizona History “[Francaviglia’s] analyses continually reveal new insights and fresh readings of old stories.”—Nova Religio “A marvelous archival cartographic lesson on the LDS experience from its inception.…this work is enterprising and thought-provoking.”—Mormon Studies Review “Effectively makes the case that maps are an important, and underutilized, source for understanding the history and geography of the Latter-day Saints. More importantly, this work enlightens us as to how the Latter-day Saints have thought about their own history and geography.” —BYU Studies

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