By Christopher Angulo
Top Ten Favorite Books on Mormonism I read this year (I realize the year is not over, but next month will be a bit busy for me, so I’m knocking this out now);
10. A Book of Lamentations by James Goldberg:First, the art by Camilla Stark is provocative and compliments the poetry beautifully (you need to check out her burning bush/tree of life, linocut on vellum, she posted to Twitter on October 2, 2020: @camillagluh).
Second, I don’t like poetry but found this book to be a nice break from my everyday reading. The poems aren’t fluffy, or lovey-dovey; they are thoughtful reflections of human nature through the lens of Mormonism. With a focus on the the Book of Mormon, the first entry sets the tone for the rest of the book,
This is the truth
he buried beneath
us: that we are
so very capableof choosing death
and choosing it
and choosing it
and choosing it
until we grow numb
he buried beneath
us: that we are
so very capableof choosing death
and choosing it
and choosing it
and choosing it
until we grow numb
But it is not all doom and gloom. Goldberg has a keen eye for finding the light in the darkness and for embracing pain, not hiding from it. I finished the book with hope and a desire to change and do better, both for myself and others. The last entry concludes with, “Oh Lord, God hear my lament! Grant us a season to repent.”
Third, the book is pretty cheap on Amazon, so… why not? And it’s a quick slow read.
9. Hive Zine #008: First Visions by the ARCH-HIVE:If you like weird things and Mormon culture, the ARCH-HIVE is the place for you. Led by Laz (@mormcore) and The Desert Prophet (@camillagluh), this group embraces art from all persons, in all shapes and sizes. The Hive Zine is a small zine they put out every so often that compiles creations from various artists. The zines are cheap and Laz ships them out really quick. This one, in particular, contains art from untrained artists. The focus of the book is the First Vision, and provides some thoughtful interpretations of that sacred event. This group also puts out some great exhibits and art projects throughout the year. It is definitely worth your time and money to invest in this group. You can order these zines and other art through Etsy at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/theARCHHIVE.
The book does not focus on the apocalyptic last days, but instead focuses on the second coming, but instead discusses the dangers of a justified destruction-focused end of the world. He writes in a circular manner to drive the point home. His social commentary is insightful and has made me view my beloved actions movies in a different light. Inouye’s central lens is Mormonism, but he also relies on other faith traditions to build his argument that we need to build a path to peace here and now. For those who feel anger or angry from social media or other outlets, this book is infinitely better than that movie on Netflix on helping you grow and find rest.
7. Quicksand and Cactus: A Memoir of the Southern Mormon Frontier by Juanita Brooks:Brooks is a gem. I wish I could have met her. For all the Southern Nevada, Utah peeps, this book is a wonderful look into the life of early Mormon settlers in this region. She mentions the spanish flu in passing and how they (the teachers) removed the children’s tonsils during this period to pass the time. There are also wonderful stories about using a mesquite bush for a Christmas tree (she subsequently created a short story about that even which is a fun read). I couldn’t put this book down when I read it earlier this year.
6. Enos, Jarom, Omni: a brief theological introduction by Sharon Harris:Maxwell Institute has put out some excellent books on the Book of Mormon this year. This one is my favorite. Harris mines a small text but pulls out massive gems. While this is probably the most accessible to all levels of readers (compared to the other books in the series), any reader will walk away filled with a greater appreciation for the value of reading scriptural texts more slowly, carefully, and critically. The last two paragraphs from this book have been burned into my mind: “As if bursting suddenly out of him, he forlornly seems to say, “I have a brother. Do you know where he is? In the final, minimal space left on these plates that already have lasted hundreds of years, he wants to at least mention his missing brother. . . With this ending, Amaleki expands his invitation-not just to come to Christ but to take on others’ welfare as our own.” The books are only $10 a pop, so again, no reason not to buy ‘em!
5.Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints & the American Apocalypse by Christopher Blythe:The current pandemic has made everyone end-of-days hungry, so it is fortunate timing that this book was released this past August. The book provides a wonderful history and analysis of early Mormonism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ approach to the Apocalypse. Blyth incorporates a folklore history (the academic type) into his writings, which I think makes it far more accessible to anyone who doesn’t dabble in academic books too often. For those who want to know more about the oft cited “constitution hanging by a thread” and its genesis, this book is for you. This is the best overview of the last days that I’ve read (Gerald Lund’s, The Second Coming of the Lord is pretty fun too, but that is more of a doctrinal approach, not historical).
4. Future Day Saints: Welcome to New Zion by Matt Page:Everything about this book is great: the creator did everything on his own; the art is the best (I’m particularly fond of the various depictions of “the Celestial Son”); the stories are light and inspiring; the physical quality of the book is sturdy, and the art is the best! You can order this book from his Etsy page: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EPluribusMormon.
3. Joseph Smith’s Translation: The Words and Worlds of Early Mormonism by Samuel Morris Brown:I won’t lie, this book was SUUUUUUPER difficult for me to read. The intellect level of Brown and how this is written is above my paygrade. However, I loved this book. Brown is a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to approaches in Mormonism. He doesn’t subscribe to the Seer Stones usage in the translation of the BofM, or the Clarke commentary in the JST (though none of that is discussed here). He has a scientifically critical mind, but is still a believer (after a couple of faith crises in his earlier years). He writes from a foundation of charity. This book expands the concept of translation, and what/how Joseph Smith was translating various texts (BofM, Abraham, Moses, etc). What I loved most about this book was that it brought out a heavy focus on Joseph’s vision of Zion, restoration, or bringing all things together in one. His translation was bridging the chasm of space and time. The read is wonderful but will require a lot of focus and energy.
2. Mercy Without End: Toward a More Inclusive Church by Lavina Fielding Anderson:Anderson’s life has always been a point of interest to me. She was one of the September six who was excommunicated back in the early 90’s. Unlike a majority of that group (I think it was 9 in total that month), Anderson went to church every Sunday. I always found this to be inspiring. She was rejected by the church for her writings/protests but still loved it all the same. This book provides you to the inner workings of her mind as she lived and processed these personal events. One would think that the book would be cynical towards the church, but it is not. Anderson is filled with hope and mercy, which she extends to the institution and those that participated in her excommunication. Out of all of the books I read this year, this book made me want to be better, try hard, search longer, and expand my heart. It is definitely a book that I will turn to again, and again for passages of hope.
1. Joseph Smith: History, Methods & Memory by Ronald O. Barney:Barney worked on the Joseph Smith Papers and was an archivist and historian for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 34 years. This was my most favorite book I’ve read all year. I’ve already referenced it several times since I last read it. Barney provides a hodgepodge of essays on Joseph Smith history, ranging from the history of the study of Joseph Smith to critiques of oft held beliefs about Joseph (from both friendly and unfriendly writers). This book was a breath of fresh air, and will probably help craft better histories about Joseph Smith going forward. This book is not for the everyday reader (I don’t think). If you enjoy Joseph Smith’s history and are well-versed in the history, you will probably love this book. If you, like most, haven’t dabbled in it too deep, this will probably not be your cup of diet Coke.