Joseph Smith: The First Mormon

One of four major biographies of Joseph Smith, Donna Hill’s award-winning book is the most comprehensive. Hill cautiously rejects the simplistic reductionism of either/or characterizations in favor of a broader, more humanistic view that takes Smith on his own terms as both prophet and as man.

Foremost among Hill’s concerns is the spiritual drama that defined Smith’s controversial life, as well as his theologically motivated sexuality and the apocalyptic assumptions that fueled his political and military activism. Her intent is not to validate Smith’s actions, only to understand them. Equal attention is given to the environmental influences that shaped Smith’s 1830's New York upbringing. Add th these Hill’s impeccable scholarship, the result of nine years of research, and her talents as a novelist, and the significance of her achievement is apparent. Her quest for authenticity provides a vivid portrait of an extraordinary life.