Joseph Smith The Making of a Prophet

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 scripture and revelation -- all contributing to a nearly complete view of what occurred on any given day in Smith's life. The result is as much intellectual history as traditional biography. Readers will thereby 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. Book jacket.Vogel, Dan is the author of 'Joseph Smith The Making of a Prophet', published 2004 under ISBN 9781560851790 and ISBN 1560851791.