Which Are the Most Important Mormon Books?

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Contents

The very abundance of books in our days—a stupefying and terrifying abundance—has made it more important to know how to choose,” observed historian James Bryce. “The first piece of advice I will venture to give you is this,” he added. “Read only the best books. . . . Let not an hour . . . be wasted on third-rate or second-rate stuff if first-rate stuff can be had.”1 This wise counsel is in harmony with the scriptural injunction “seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom” (D&C 88:118). This marvelous passage of scripture is exhilarating but leaves one to wonder, which are the best books? Or, as Bryce might say, “What is the first-rate stuff?” Certainly the scriptures are most important by far, but next to them, which titles should be given highest priority? How would you answer if a serious but novice student were to ask you, “Which Mormon books should I be sure to read?”

Through the years, secular scholars have produced various lists to help guide readers. Most people appreciate such lists because modern men and women are extremely busy; these recommendations help give preference to certain books one might hope to read someday. Such lists include The Harvard Classics, C. Lewis Hind’s One Hundred Best Books, and Clifton Fadiman’s Lifetime Reading Plan. Jasper Lee Company has published a work entitled Have You Read One Hundred Great Books? which compiles several different lists produced by others.

Some Latter-day Saints have produced lists of the best Mormon titles. Curt Bench published a work in 1990 entitled “Fifty Important Mormon Books.”2 His contribution was valuable, but it considered only titles published through 1980. Bench received input from twenty-one scholars, and he divided the books into categories but chose not to rank them in importance.3 Obviously, any survey or list of such a kind, including the present one, will be colored by a high degree of subjectivity.

At the turn of the new millennium, the time seemed right for another attempt to identify the books that currently appear to be the most prominent among Mormon titles. I desired to conduct a formal survey of a large group of believing, mainstream Latter-day Saint scholars to determine which titles they thought were the most important books of Mormonism. Vaughn Call, chair of the Sociology Department at Brigham Young University, kindly gave helpful advice on how to make such a survey a legitimate scholarly enterprise. His counsel was to survey at least 350 scholars and strive for at least a 70% response rate. In fact, with support from John W. Welch and the staff of BYU Studies, 412 scholars were invited to participate, and 73% of them responded (303 out of 412). See the survey results on pages 42 to 47.

This survey was limited to scholars who teach, research, and write in the field of Mormonism. Under the guidance of independent professional designers of surveys, the BYU Studies staff and I sent questionnaires to randomly selected members of these groups:

1. BYU Rel Ed: Full-time faculty of Religious Education at BYU–Provo. (This group made up 9.9% of the respondents.)

2. BYU Non-Rel Ed: Scholars at BYU–Provo in areas related to Mormon studies: the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History and the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS). The group also includes scholars in other BYU departments who have demonstrated interest in and publish in Mormon studies (17.2% of the respondents).

3. BYU-I Rel Ed: Professors of religion at BYU–Idaho (6.6% of the respondents)

4. BYU-H Rel Ed: Professors of religion at BYU–Hawaii (0.7% of the respondents)

5. Other Univ: Professors of various departments at universities who are interested in and publish in Mormon studies (1.3% of the respondents)

6. CES Inst: Full-time Church Educational System (CES) Institute of Religion instructors and CES administrators who subscribe to BYU Studies (32.7% of the respondents)

7. CES Coor: Full-time CES coordinators who subscribe to BYU Studies (10.9% of the respondents)

8. CES Sem: Full-time seminary teachers who subscribe to BYU Studies (4.6% of the respondents)

9. Other Ch Employee: Scholars at the Family and Church History Department and various other departments of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City (11.6% of the respondents)

10. Others: Scholars of Mormon studies not currently associated with any university or CES (4.6% of the respondents)

The demographics of our 303 respondents were as follows: 94% had at least a master’s degree; 52% had a doctor’s degree; 94% worked for the Church or BYU; 65% taught religion for the Church either in the Church Educational System or at one of the three BYU campuses; 61% were over fifty years old, and 60% had read five or more Latter-day Saint books during the past year. We were satisfied that this group qualifies as a well-educated, well-read, mature, faithful group of Latter-day Saints. Naturally, this group also has its own inclinations and proclivities, but readers or teachers interested in knowing which books might be recommended by a large group of scholars who fit within this profile should find the following results to be of distinct interest.

The survey contained only two brief questions: first, “Excluding the scriptures, which would you consider the three most important books written by Latter-day Saint authors about Mormonism in each of the following categories?” The five categories were “Fiction,” “Inspirational/Devotional,” “Biography,” “History,” and “Doctrine.” Respondents were asked to list the most important book first and the other two in descending order. The second question simply inquired, “Which one book would you consider the most important book overall?” We then explained: “The purpose of the survey is to identify which are the most important books in the minds of Latter-day Saint scholars, not necessarily the most popular or best selling ones among the general readers of the Church.” Multivolume works under the same title and written by the same author were considered as one book. Choosing to leave respondents as free as possible to answer however they wished, the survey made no attempt to define “most important” any further. The open-ended nature of this question was frustrating to some respondents, and it is impossible to determine how they ultimately defined this term in their own minds. Readers may puzzle over how they would have responded under similar circumstances.

In tabulating the results of all the categories (except the one entitled “Overall”), the first book listed by a respondent received three points, the second two points, and the third one point. The question concerning the one most important book overall asked for only one response; therefore, one point was given for each answer. As a result, the total points in that category are much smaller.

No claim is made that this survey has produced anything close to a perfect list: it is neither definitive nor final. Readers’ personal preferences will sometimes agree with the survey results and sometimes not. Indeed, we were surprised at a few books that appeared, especially near the bottom of the twenty listed for each category. Perhaps similar surveys can be conducted in ten, twenty, or thirty years to update this list and see which books have withstood the test of time.

If we were to conduct this survey over again, we would add another category entitled “Scripture Studies.” Another possible classification might be “Books by Sympathetic non-Mormon Authors.” We certainly acknowledge that members of other faiths such as Jan Shipps, Hubert H. Bancroft, Richard F. Burton, Thomas L. Kane, Thomas F. O’Dea, and Wallace Stegner have made important contributions to the field of Mormon studies.

Nevertheless, we believe that this modest survey was worthwhile. Members of the Church can benefit from the collective wisdom of 303 Latter-day Saint scholars. BYU students often ask their professors which Latter-day Saint books they should buy and read. This is an excellent list to help them start their personal libraries. We also believe the survey can help new seminary instructors and Gospel Doctrine teachers throughout the Church. Even well-read scholars will probably find a few titles here that they have overlooked.

I am grateful to the staff of BYU Studies, especially Glenda Egbert, who efficiently helped administer the survey. The questionnaires were numbered so that she could receive the mail, check off those who had responded, and mail out a follow-up to those who had not yet responded. She then cut the tracking number off of the returned questionnaires before they were sent to other assistants who tabulated the results. In this way the survey was kept as anonymous and confidential as possible. We also express our sincere thanks to the Religious Studies Center at BYU for providing a grant for the project.

Results of the Survey

Fiction. We discovered that a significant portion of Latter-day Saint scholars apparently do not read Mormon fiction. In fact, 40 percent of the respondents left the “Fiction” part of the survey blank, and many others listed only one book. We therefore included on this table the last name of the author, for the benefit of those who have had little contact with this genre. Nevertheless, those who voted left little doubt as to what they thought was the most important book of fiction. It should surprise no one that Gerald Lund’s The Work and the Glory came out on top. This series is so highly regarded that it received seven times more points (371 to 54) than the book in second place, Maurine Whipple’s The Giant Joshua. Another indication of Gerald Lund’s tremendous current prominence is that he authored three others in the top eleven books of fiction: Fishers of Men (fifth); Fire and the Covenant (sixth); and The Alliance (eleventh). Another important contemporary novelist is Dean Hughes, whose Children of the Promise finished third. The nineteenth century classic Added Upon: A Story, by Nephi Anderson, finished fourth. An amusing side note: Fawn Brodie’s controversial biography of Joseph Smith, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, received four points as a work of fiction.

Inspirational/Devotional. The voting on “Inspirational/Devotional” books was much closer. Believing Christ, by Stephen E. Robinson, took first place. This book received a great deal of support from BYU Religious Education. Next on the list was The Miracle of Forgiveness, by Spencer W. Kimball. BYU non-Religious Education and CES Institute instructors gave this title its greatest support. This book actually would have been in first place had all the points it received under “Inspirational/Devotional” and “Doctrine” been combined. Finishing third, fourth, and fifth were Standing for Something, by Gordon B. Hinckley; Jesus the Christ, by James E. Talmage; and A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, by LeGrand Richards. Jesus the Christ is the ubiquitous title: respondents listed it under all the nonfiction categories and ranked it fourth in “Inspirational/Devotional,” sixth in “Biography,” seventeenth in “History,” third in “Doctrine,” and second “Overall.”

Biography. The top five biographies are an interesting mix of old and new. Go Forward with Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley, by Sheri Dew, finished first. It received over half of its support from the Church Educational System. Two time-honored, nineteenth-century titles finished in the top five: The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (second) and Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt (fifth). Spencer W. Kimball, by his son and grandson, Edward Kimball and Andrew E. Kimball Jr., finished third, and Brigham Young: American Moses, by Leonard Arrington, finished fourth.

History. Perhaps the two most influential historians in the long life of the Church appear prominently at the top of our “History” category—B. H. Roberts and Leonard Arrington. The first title on the list is the multivolume treasure History of the Church, by Joseph Smith, introduced and edited by B. H. Roberts. All but one of the ten groups of scholars voted this series number one on their list. A Comprehensive History of the Church, the multivolume narrative by B. H. Roberts, finished a distant but strong second on the list. Leonard Arrington’s Great Basin Kingdom: An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830–1900, finished third, followed just six points behind by The Story of the Latter-day Saints, which was co-authored by James Allen and Glen Leonard. Joseph Smith and the Restoration, by Ivan Barrett, finished fifth, receiving the majority of its support from employees in the Church Educational System. Richard Bushman’s Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism finished seventh, but it would have been in third place in “History” had all the points it received under “Biography” and “History” been combined.

Doctrine. The number one book in the category of “Doctrine” is appropriately Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, edited by Joseph Fielding Smith. Five books or series written or edited by Bruce R. McConkie appear in the top fourteen titles—an indication of the high esteem scholars hold for him: Mormon Doctrine (second), Doctrines of Salvation (fourth), the Messiah series (ninth), Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (tenth), and A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (fourteenth). Finishing third on this list is Jesus the Christ, and fifth is The Encyclopedia of Mormonism, edited by Daniel H. Ludlow.

Overall. Adam S. Bennion was known to sometimes ask his students, “If you were going to be a prisoner in a concentration camp for the next four years and could take with you the works of any ten authors, which would you take?”4 The respondents to the “Overall” section of our survey can help answer that question. By an overwhelming margin they selected Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith as the most important nonscriptural volume. Perhaps the reason this book is held in such high regard can be found in its introduction: “The members of the Church quite generally desire to know what the Prophet Joseph Smith may have said on important subjects, for they look upon his utterances as coming through divine inspiration.”5 Number two on the “Overall” list is Jesus the Christ. As noted above, our respondents loved this book, even though they did not agree how it should be categorized. It received most of its points as a book of doctrine. The next two titles found in the top five overall were number three, History of the Church, which was followed closely by The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Some have wondered whether the Encyclopedia, published in 1992, has taken its rightful place as a prominent reference book in the Church. Our respondents say it certainly has, especially in the field of doctrine. Finishing fifth overall is Mormon Doctrine, one of the more widely quoted books in the Church.

Some Observations

A total of 94 books made it on the “top 20” lists. (In some categories there were more than 20 because of ties.) Thirteen books received points in more than one category (other than “Overall”): Jesus the Christ (4 categories), Encyclopedia of Mormonism (3), Journal of Discourses (3), and ten others (2). Fourteen of the 24 titles on the “Overall” list are books of doctrine.

Only 8 of the 94 books were published in the nineteenth century, and 4 of those 8 were biographies. Five titles written since 1990 have had especially wide appeal: The Work and the Glory (Fiction), Believing Christ (Inspirational/Devotional), Standing for Something (Inspirational/Devotional), Go Forward with Faith (Biography), and Encyclopedia of Mormonism—the only newly published title to make the top five list in the “Overall” category.

Stirling W. Sill once declared, “The influence of great books upon us is miraculous. They can make us into their own image, and you may judge a man more truly by the books . . . he reads than the company that he keeps.”6 We hope this survey will help many people in their quest to find the “best books” or, in other words, “the first rate stuff.”

Table 1. Fiction

Book (author, publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

The Work and the Glory (Lund, 1990–2001)

371

35

48

19

3

0

140

43

26

42

15

The Giant Joshua (Whipple, 1941)

54

7

23

2

0

3

3

0

1

15

0

Children of the Promise (Hughes, 1997–2000)

39

2

5

0

0

0

15

8

1

6

2

Added Upon (Anderson, 1898)

35

0

11

0

0

0

11

6

2

5

0

Fishers of Men (Lund, 2000)

26

2

0

0

0

0

16

3

4

0

1

Fire and the Covenant (Lund, 1999)

17

0

0

0

2

0

14

0

0

1

0

The Tales of Alvin Maker(Card, 1987–98)

16

0

4

1

0

3

0

4

0

4

0

Prelude to Glory (Carter, 1998–)

14

0

0

0

0

0

9

0

3

2

0

The Backslider (Peterson, 1990)

13

0

5

0

0

4

0

0

0

4

0

Heaven Knows Why (Taylor, 1994)

10

0

6

0

0

0

1

0

0

3

0

The Alliance (Lund, 1983)

9

0

0

0

0

0

4

2

0

0

3

Charly (Weyland, 1987)

7

0

0

2

0

0

1

4

0

0

0

The Canyons of Grace (Peterson, 1982)

6

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

3

0

Gadianton and the Silver Sword (Heimerdinger, 1991)

6

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

0

0

0

Sarah (Card, 2000)

6

0

3

0

0

0

1

0

0

2

0

Tennis Shoes among the Nephites (Heimerdinger, 1989–)

6

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

0

0

0

Charlie’s Monument (Yorgason, 1980)

4

0

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

0

0

The Christmas Box (Evans, 1993)

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

1

0

No Man Knows My History (Brodie, 1945)

4

0

0

0

0

0

4

0

0

0

0

The Rummage Sale (Marshall, 1972)

4

0

4

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Table 2. Inspirational/Devotional

Book (publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

Believing Christ (1992)

103

35

13

3

0

0

23

7

8

8

6

The Miracle of Forgiveness7 (1969)

98

6

30

3

0

0

37

5

5

9

3

Standing for Something (2000)

88

4

7

6

3

0

40

6

5

12

5

Jesus the Christ (1915)

44

4

9

3

0

0

10

3

5

7

3

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder8 (1950)

40

5

12

0

0

0

9

5

0

6

3

The Broken Heart (1989)

25

4

3

5

0

0

3

3

0

3

4

Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992)

25

3

2

2

0

0

11

4

0

3

0

The Holy Temple (1980)

20

0

6

3

0

0

3

4

0

4

0

Neal A. Maxwell Quote Book (1997)

19

3

1

1

0

0

7

7

0

0

0

Christ and the New Covenant9 (1997)

18

5

0

0

0

0

0

8

4

0

1

Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley10 (1997)

17

2

0

3

0

0

10

0

0

2

0

Teach Ye Diligently (1975)

16

3

3

0

0

0

5

2

0

3

0

All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience (1979)

15

0

1

0

3

0

4

1

0

3

3

Approaching Zion (1989)

15

0

4

0

0

1

10

0

0

0

0

The Lord’s Way (1991)

14

3

0

0

0

0

8

0

0

0

3

The Divine Center (1982)

13

2

0

2

0

3

3

0

0

3

0

Faith Precedes the Miracle (1972)

13

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

3

7

0

The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley (1986–)

12

0

1

0

0

0

6

3

0

0

2

Journal of Discourses (1854–1886)

12

0

6

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

Eternal Man (1966)

11

0

0

3

0

0

5

0

0

3

0

The Infinite Atonement (2000)

11

1

0

0

0

0

9

0

0

0

1

Table 3. Biography

Book11 (publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

Go Forward with Faith (1996)

249

24

37

14

5

1

106

25

11

13

13

History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (1853)

209

31

34

11

0

0

57

40

8

23

5

Spencer W. Kimball (Kimball) (1977)

193

18

41

10

5

9

61

9

7

27

6

Brigham Young: American Moses (1985)

127

16

41

5

0

5

20

3

5

32

0

Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt (1938)

122

10

20

8

0

0

39

19

9

9

8

Jesus the Christ (1915)

66

7

0

6

0

0

32

7

5

6

3

Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism (1984)

57

3

14

0

3

0

9

0

1

27

0

Life of Heber C. Kimball (Whitney) (1888)

50

2

5

5

0

1

27

6

2

2

0

Joseph Smith, the First Mormon (1977)

31

0

12

0

0

2

6

2

3

3

3

George Q. Cannon (Bitton) (1999)

30

6

10

0

2

2

0

0

6

4

0

The Life of Joseph Smith, the Prophet (Cannon) (1888)

26

2

8

0

0

0

9

0

0

7

0

Wilford Woodruff (Cowley) (1909)

24

0

0

2

0

0

14

7

0

1

0

No Man Knows My History (1945)

18

1

10

0

0

0

1

0

0

6

0

LDS Biographical Encyclopedia (1901–36)

17

1

3

0

0

0

5

2

0

6

0

Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, 1833–189812 (Kenney) (1983–84)

17

3

4

0

0

0

5

3

0

2

0

Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith (1984)

13

0

4

1

0

0

2

0

2

3

1

Ezra Taft Benson (Dew) (1987)

12

0

1

1

0

0

6

2

2

0

0

Messiah Series (1978–82)

11

0

0

0

0

0

11

0

0

0

0

Boyd K. Packer (1995)

10

0

0

0

0

0

4

4

0

0

2

Harold B. Lee: Prophet and Seer (Goates) (1985)

9

2

0

0

0

2

3

0

2

0

0

Joseph Smith and the Restoration (1967)

9

0

0

0

0

0

6

3

0

0

0

The Papers of Joseph Smith (1989–)

9

1

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

5

0

Table 4. History

Book (publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

History of the Church (1902–1932)

441

56

71

19

3

3

148

58

17

45

21

A Comprehensive History of the Church (1930)

161

17

24

8

3

2

62

14

20

8

3

Great Basin Kingdom (1958)

99

4

29

4

0

8

25

0

3

26

0

The Story of the Latter-day Saints (1976)

93

12

19

5

0

3

14

1

1

33

3

Joseph Smith and the Restoration (1967)

69

1

7

5

0

0

33

19

3

0

1

Church History in the Fullness of Times (1989)

64

5

0

9

0

0

40

5

3

2

0

Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism13 (1984)

62

9

16

7

0

0

12

3

3

9

3

History of Joseph Smith by His Mother (1853)

38

5

4

2

0

0

17

3

0

7

0

Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992)

30

0

12

0

1

0

7

3

3

4

0

The Mormon Experience (1979)

30

4

8

2

0

0

5

0

3

7

1

The Papers of Joseph Smith14 (1989)

29

0

4

6

0

0

2

3

4

10

0

The Mountain Meadows Massacre (1950)

22

0

13

2

0

3

0

1

0

3

0

Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (2000)

20

1

2

2

2

0

9

0

2

2

0

Mormonism in Transition (1986)

20

2

9

0

0

1

2

0

0

6

0

The Heavens Resound (1983)

19

3

1

2

0

0

9

0

0

0

4

Essentials in Church History (1922)

18

0

3

0

0

0

7

4

0

4

0

Jesus the Christ (1915))

14

2

4

0

0

0

2

6

0

0

0

Wilford Woodruff’s Journal (1983–1984)

14

0

0

0

0

0

4

1

5

4

0

A Study of the Origins of the Church (1971, 2000)

12

8

0

2

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

Journal of Discourses (1854–1886)

10

0

0

0

0

0

1

6

0

0

3

Men with a Mission (1992)

10

6

0

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

Table 5. Doctrine

Book (publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (1938)

350

53

60

22

3

3

119

40

16

28

6

Mormon Doctrine (1958)

191

16

49

15

4

0

47

24

12

21

3

Jesus the Christ15 (1915)

168

11

36

4

0

2

55

11

3

33

13

Doctrines of Salvation (1954–56)

111

18

10

3

0

0

49

10

9

9

3

Encyclopedia of Mormonism16 (1992)

85

6

10

8

0

0

30

10

4

14

3

Gospel Doctrine (1919)

79

13

17

2

1

0

28

9

3

4

2

The Articles of Faith (1899)

69

2

19

3

0

1

18

3

1

16

6

The Miracle of Forgiveness (1969)

61

3

17

4

0

0

10

5

4

16

2

Messiah Series (1978–82)

44

2

4

5

2

0

10

9

4

5

3

Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (1965–73)

42

4

3

2

0

0

18

8

3

0

4

Lectures on Faith (1835)

25

0

3

2

0

0

10

4

2

4

0

Messages from the First Presidency (1965–75)

23

0

1

3

0

0

11

5

0

3

0

The Words of Joseph Smith (1980)

23

5

0

2

0

3

2

7

2

0

2

A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (1985)

19

2

5

3

0

0

5

0

1

0

3

Discourses of Brigham Young (1925)

17

0

6

0

0

3

3

0

0

3

2

Journal of Discourses17 (1854–86)

17

1

3

0

0

0

3

2

1

3

4

Christ and the New Covenant (1997)

16

1

0

3

2

0

6

3

0

1

0

Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon (1987–92)

15

0

3

2

0

0

10

0

0

0

0

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder (1950)

15

0

3

1

0

0

6

3

0

2

0

Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997)

15

0

2

0

0

0

9

3

0

1

0

Table 6. Overall

Book (publication date)

Total Points

BYU Rel Ed

BYU Non-Rel Ed

BYU-I Rel Ed

BYU-H Rel Ed

Other Univ

CES Inst

CES Coor

CES Sem

Other Ch Employee

Others

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (1938)

66

10

9

5

0

1

24

6

5

3

3

Jesus the Christ (1915)

43

3

9

1

0

0

14

7

1

6

2

History of the Church (1902–1932)

24

3

5

2

0

0

4

4

0

5

1

Encyclopedia of Mormonism (1992)

20

1

4

0

0

0

10

2

2

1

0

Mormon Doctrine (1958)

13

1

2

1

0

1

5

1

0

1

1

The Miracle of Forgiveness (1969)

5

0

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

Standing for Something (2000)

5

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

2

1

The Articles of Faith (1899)

4

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

1

Great Basin Kingdom (1958)

4

0

2

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

Believing Christ (1992)

3

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

Doctrines of Salvation (1954–1956)

3

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

1

0

0

Gospel Doctrine (1919)

3

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism (1984)

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

2

0

Messiah Series (1978–1982)

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

2

A Comprehensive History of the Church (1930)

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

Conference Reports (1898–)

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

Go Forward with Faith (1996)

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

The Infinite Atonement (2000)

2

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

A New Witness for the Articles of Faith (1985)

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

The Prophets Have Spoken (1999)

2

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

Spencer W. Kimball (1977)

2

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

The Story of the Latter-day Saints (1976)

2

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997)

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

Words of Joseph Smith (1980)

2

1

0

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

About the author(s)

Arnold K. Garr is Associate Professor and Associate Department Chair of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University. He received a B.A. in history from Weber State College, an M.A. in history at Utah State University, and a Ph.D. in American history from Brigham Young University.

Notes

1. Richard L. Evans, Richard Evans’ Quote Book (Salt Lake City: Publishers Press, 1971), 71.

2. Curt Bench, “Fifty Important Mormon Books,” Sunstone 14 (October 1990): 54–58.

3. Bench, “Fifty Important Mormon Books,” 54.

4. Stirling W. Sill, The Majesty of Books (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1974), 108.

5. Joseph Fielding Smith, comp., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1963), 3.

6. Sill, Majesty of Books, 26.

7. The Miracle of Forgiveness also received 61 points in the “Doctrine” category.

8. A Marvelous Work and a Wonder also received 16 points in the “Doctrine” category.

9. Christ and the New Covenant also received 16 points in the “Doctrine” category.

10. Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley also received 15 points in the “Doctrine” category.

11. Authors’ names are given only where needed for clarification.

12. Wilford Woodruff’s Journal also received 14 points in the “History” category.

13. Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism also received 57 points in the “Biography” category.

14. The Papers of Joseph Smith also received 9 points in the “Biography” category.

15. Jesus the Christ also received 66 points in “Biography,” 44 in “Inspirational,” and 14 in “History.”

16. Encyclopedia of Mormonism also received 30 points in “History,” and 25 in “Inspirational” categories.

17. Journal of Discourses also received 12 points in “Inspirational” and 10 in “History” categories.

 

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