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The Book of Mormon: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
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Review
"Taking the Book of Mormon on its own terms, Terryl Givens offers a complex, reverent analysis of a powerful epic history." --Daniel Walker Howe, Pulitzer-Prize Winning author of What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848.
"For all who need to have an accurate account of what Mormons believe-and they are a faith community that now spans the globe-familiarity with the message of the Book of Mormon is the basic starting point. And there is no better guide to that text than Terryl Givens, a marvelous scholar who has now given us this highly readable and insightful introduction." --Richard J. Mouw, Professor of Christian Philosophy and President, Fuller Theological Seminary
"If you have the slightest interest in the Book of Mormon for any reason you should read this book. Those unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon will find an excellent supplement here. If you are already familiar with the Book of Mormon, this re-introduction will make it seem like you're meeting again for the first time." --Association of Mormon Letters
About the Author
Terryl L. Givens is Professor of Literature and Religion and holds the James Bostwick Chair of English at the University of Richmond. Some of his books include Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Oxford, 1997), By the Hand of Mormon: The American Scripture that Launched a New World Religion (Oxford 2002), which the New York Times called "provocative reading," People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture, which was named Best Book of the Year by the Mormon History Association for 2007, and most recently, When Souls Had Wings: Pre-Mortal Existence in Western Thought (Oxford 2009).
28/07/2011
Mr. Givens has a special gift for taking a subject (The Book of Mormon) that has been studied and reviewed for over 150 years and offering new insights in a writing style that is pure pleasure to read.
What makes this book unique is its emphasis on the content of The Book of Mormon itself, something very few books published outside mainstream Mormon presses even attempt. (For the most part books published outside mainstream Mormon presses focus on nineteenth-century authorship questions, while ignoring the content of the Book itself.) Mr. Givens's book is even more unique in that it--unlike commentaries published -is not afraid throughout to honestly acknowledge criticisms of The Book of Mormon, while firmly and persuasively presenting the thesis that The Book of Mormon is a unique theological masterpiece.
Having studied several score books on The Book of Mormon (both apologetic and dismissive), I think there is only one book that is better than this one in explaining--as objectively as possible--the internal beauty and broader significance of The Book of Mormon, and that book is Mr. Givens more extensive study also published by Oxford University Press: "By the Hand of Mormon."
Mr. Givens's small gem of a book is a perfect introduction to one of the greatest religious and theological books ever written.
21/10/2009
), I am humbled but lifted by Givens's achievement. Whether you are a scholar of the Book of Mormon or just someone curious about what it is actually all about, you will find something of interest and edification in this pithy little publication.
07/09/2009
Terryl Givens, a highly regarded English professor at the University of Richmond and one of the finest Book of Mormon scholars, has written this brief introduction to the Book of Mormon for the Oxford University Press very short introduction series. The beauty of this book is that it is accessible at several different levels. It is highly accessible to anyone without any prior knowledge of the Book of Mormon. So it serves its introductory purpose quite well. But it also brings new insights or well-stated insights that might not be quite new to those well-versed in the Book of Mormon. Anyone interested in the Book of Mormon or Mormonism would be well-advised to read this fine, intelligent, beautifully crafted, and well-balanced book.
Also recommended: "The Koran: A Very Short Introduction" by Michael Cook.
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