Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
by Richard Lyman Bushman
Published by Vintage Books
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Reviewed by Dara O' Sullivan
Subtitled: A cultural biography of Mormonism's founder
Joseph Smith is without doubt a highly contentious figure. To some he is a prophet; God's voice to this age. To others, he is a charlatan, a deluded visionary, even a demented occultist. For most of us he is associated vaguely with two things: the Book of Mormon and polygamy. As a matter of historical fact, he is responsible for the formation of perhaps the largest religious sect to emerge in modern times.
In a tale richly saturated in the atmosphere and unique culture of American settler life, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling brings the reader from the poverty and hardships of Joseph Smith's childhood in New York state, right through to his violent death at the age of 38, by which time he is head of an international religious movement, founder of a significant American city, and presidential candidate.
The pathway between these two points is marked with visions of angels and 'revelations' that begin in Joseph's life at the age of 14. These lead to the 'translation' of the Book of Mormon from a set of golden plates whose whereabouts are revealed to him by an angel named Moroni. These strange events catapult Joseph into the limelight, and he begins to steadily attract a band of followers. As persecution from the suspicious locals intensifies, the Mormons move on, firstly to Ohio, then Missouri, finally ending up in Illinois where they establish the city of Nauvoo. Along the way, Mormon doctrine and rituals are developed, almost exclusively by means of 'revelation' through the person of Joseph Smith, culminating in the plurality doctrines--plural marriage and plural gods--which alienated Joseph's wife Emma, and ultimately split the movement.
Rough Stone Rolling is an exhaustively researched, compelling tale of an extraordinary life. The author is a believing Mormon, and yet his account reads surprisingly objectively. He clearly has the motivation and insight to explain the intricacies and origins of Mormon belief and practice.
Armchair Interviews says: At 567 pages, this book is not for the faint-hearted, but it is absolutely worth the effort.