Skip to main content

Book Suggestions

Image
By Mason

    Here are book recommendations that helped me think critically, ask better questions, and find perspective during and after my faith transition out of Mormonism. Of course I would never claim that a believing member of the church couldn't also find value in some of these books as well.

  • 1830 Book of Mormon Replica by Joseph Smith Jr. - Original unedited edition

    1830 Book of Mormon Replica (Palmyra Collector's Edition)

    This is the original text of the Book of Mormon, without chapters or footnotes. It helped me see the book more clearly as a 19th-century novel, not scripture. The formatting reflects how it was first published in 1830, before later editorial changes.

  • The Destruction of Jerusalem: Illustrated Edition: An Absolute and Irresistible Proof of the Divine Origin of Christianity by George Holford

    The Destruction of Jerusalem: Illustrated Edition: An Absolute and Irresistible Proof of the Divine Origin of Christianity

    Originally published in 1805, Holford portrays the fall of Jerusalem by the hand of the Romans as the ultimate fulfillment of Christ’s prophecies, framing it as historical evidence for divine truth. This work gained traction in early America and heavily influenced Christian thought in Joseph Smith’s time. For readers exploring Mormon origins, Holford’s book highlights a key theological and literary pattern that helped shape early 19th-century American scripture writing. (Note: The version I read wasn't illustrated, but this one on Amazon has good reviews so I'll recommend it)

  • From Mission to Madness: LAST SON OF THE MORMON PROPHET by Valeen Tippetts Avery

    From Mission to Madness: LAST SON OF THE MORMON PROPHET

    This book examines the life of David Hyrum Smith, the youngest son of Joseph and Emma Smith. David grew up in the shadow of his father’s legacy, joining the Reorganized Church and serving as a missionary, writer, and artist. Using David’s letters, poems, and other records, Avery traces David's gradual mental decline and the decades he spent institutionalized. The book offers a clear look at the tension between faith, family loyalty, and the personal struggles of a man born into a prophetic family. (Note: I have the exact copy pictured here. The Amazon page says there is no picture, but when I ordered it, it arrived with a cover matching the image you see here)

  • An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself, by Earl M. Wunderli

    An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself

    Earl M. Wunderli is a critical analysis of the Book of Mormon that focuses on its internal inconsistencies, patterns, and language. Rather than depending on external sources like archaeology or tradition, Wunderli examines the text itself to determine whether it holds up to its own claims. He approaches the book as a literary work and evaluates it through reason and close reading, offering a skeptical yet respectful critique that challenges the idea of its divine origin.

  • Studies of the Book of Mormon by B. H. Roberts - Critical church analysis

    Studies of the Book of Mormon

    Written by B. H. Roberts, a respected LDS general authority, this work presents internal critiques of the Book of Mormon. He raises important historical and literary problems, shared originally with other church leaders. It’s a good-faith, insider analysis that still hits hard.

  • American Zion by Eran Shalev - Old Testament influence on early America

    American Zion

    Shalev shows how early Americans used the Old Testament to shape national identity. Chapter three focuses on the Book of Mormon, placing it into a genre he calls “pseudobiblicia.” This helped me to understand the book as part of a broader cultural trend, not ancient scripture.

  • The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins - Critique of religion and faith

    The God Delusion

    Dawkins argues that religious belief is not only unsupported by evidence, but often harmful. He breaks down common arguments for God and defends science and reason as better tools for understanding the universe. While not directly related to Mormonism, this book is incredibly popular amongst Atheists and promotes being confident in a godless belief system. 

  • The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, By Lucy Smith

    The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother

    Lucy Mack Smith’s 1853 account of Joseph Smith’s early life, family struggles, and spiritual experiences. Unpolished and personal, it includes early versions of key events like the First Vision and Moroni’s visits, as it was originally pulished. I recommend the complete 1853 edition for its raw insight into Mormonism’s origins.

  • No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith bt Fawn M Brodie

    No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith

    Brodie offers a critical yet balanced look at Smith’s charisma, ambition, and the controversies surrounding him, shedding light on the origins of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Celebrated for its scholarly depth and engaging style, the book remains a landmark in American religious history.

  • Early Mormonism and the Magic World View by D Michael Quinn

    Early Mormonism and the Magic World View

    D. Michael Quinn uncovers the influence of folk magic in early 19th-century New England and its role in shaping Mormon founder Joseph Smith’s worldview. Quinn reveals a world of supernatural beliefs and practices, showing how Smith's family and early Mormons interpreted such elements as part of their spiritual experience.

    This deeply researched book explores occult traditions tied to early Mormonism, including treasure digging, astrology, and the use of protective talismans, offering valuable context for the origins of the faith.

  • Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg M Epstein

    Good Without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe

    Greg Epstein offers a thoughtful and positive response to New Atheist critiques of religion. As the Humanist chaplain at Harvard, Epstein presents a worldview for nonbelievers rooted in tolerance, community, and morality, without relying on a higher power. Challenging books like God Is Not Great and The God Delusion, Epstein advocates for Humanism as a meaningful, ethical alternative to religion, highlighting what nonbelievers do believe rather than what they reject.

  • An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself, by Earl M. Wunderli

    An Imperfect Book: What the Book of Mormon Tells Us about Itself

    Earl M. Wunderli is a critical analysis of the Book of Mormon that focuses on its internal inconsistencies, patterns, and language. Rather than depending on external sources like archaeology or tradition, Wunderli examines the text itself to determine whether it holds up to its own claims. He approaches the book as a literary work and evaluates it through reason and close reading, offering a skeptical yet respectful critique that challenges the idea of its divine origin.

  • An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Volume 1),by Grant H Palmer

    An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Volume 1)

    Grant H. Palmer offers a careful, research-based look at the beginnings of the LDS Church. Drawing from three decades of study, Palmer examines early church history, Joseph Smith’s prophetic claims, and the development of core doctrines. As a former LDS educator, he presents his findings in a clear, accessible way for readers (especially Latter-day Saints) who may be unfamiliar with how much early narratives have shifted over time. The book argues that many sacred events, originally understood as spiritual experiences, have since been reframed as literal history.

This page is a work in progress. I’ll keep adding more titles as I come across them.

Feel free to reach out with more suggestions using the contact form on the drop-down menu of this site.

– Mason

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Are You Temple Worthy?

By Mason
Temple worthiness isn’t just about "good behavior" in Mormon teaching. It’s a gate that determines who qualifies for the highest blessings the religion offers. The church teaches that only people judged worthy can enter the temple, make covenants, and receive the ordinances that lead to exaltation, which is the belief that humans can become like God and live forever with their families in the celestial kingdom.  This makes worthiness interviews a spiritual checkpoint that can shape someone’s identity, their standing in the community, and even their hope for eternity.    Are You Worthy to Enter a Mormon Temple? Are You Worthy of the Mormon Temple? Yes No Restart Enter the Temple
5 comments
Read

The Smithsonian “Early Horses” Article Does Not Prove the Book of Mormon True

By Mason
     A Smithsonian Magazine article titled “ Native Americans Spread Horses Through the West Earlier Than Thought ” (2023) has been circulating in Mormon spaces as supposed proof that horses existed in the Americas during Book of Mormon times.      The article summarizes a legitimate scientific study published in Science titled “ Early Dispersal of Domestic Horses Into the Great Plains and Northern Rockies .” (2023) But when you read what the researchers actually found, it’s clear this does not support the Book of Mormon’s claims at all.      What the Study Actually Found      The research team, led by William Timothy T. Taylor, analyzed horse remains found across the Great Plains and northern Rockies. Using radiocarbon dating, DNA sequencing, and isotopic analysis, they discovered that the animals were of Spanish origin. In other words, these were not remnants of ancient, native North American horses that somehow...
Post a Comment
Read

Early Mormon Criticisms - 1: Caution Against the Golden Bible

By Mason
This series looks back at how early critics of the church reacted to the rise of Mormonism. Some mocked it, others warned against it, and a few tried to make sense of it. Each post features a real historical excerpt and some quick context to show how critics viewed the new faith as it was unfolding. For this first article, we are going to look at one of the first known in-depth public criticisms of the Book of Mormon, which appeared before the book itself was publicly available.  On February 20, 1830, Cornelius Camden Blatchley, a New York physician and writer known for his skeptical views on organized religion, published an article titled “Caution Against the Golden Bible” in the New-York Telescope . Written only weeks before the Book of Mormon’s official release in March of that year. Most of his arguments are still being used to this day. The Complaints Presented by Blatchley He specifies reading the Title page as well as   pages 353–368 of the original Book of Morm...
Post a Comment
Read

Code Names and Church Finances

By Mason
Members of the Mormon church are expected to give ten percent of their income as tithing. It’s treated as a basic requirement of faithful membership. But even though members contribute a significant portion of their earnings, they aren’t given a clear accounting of how that money is used.  The Utah church does not release detailed budgets, financial reports, or yearly accounting. Members of the church donate fully on trust, without the kind of transparency they would expect from almost any other major charitable organization. Ensign Peak This lack of transparency became harder to overlook during the Ensign Peak investigation. For years the church separated its investment funds into thirteen shell companies and failed to fulfill federal reporting requirements.  The SEC found that this structure used by the church was designed to conceal the true size and unity of Ensign Peak’s holdings.   Per the SEC's 2023 report: " The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced c...
Post a Comment
Read

Are Mormons Christian?

By Mason
People keep asking whether Mormons are Christian, as if that’s the issue that matters. It’s not. Mormons love this question since its probably one of the tamest aspects of the faith to question. The other day I was reading some comments on an online post that was debating the issue of whether or not Mormons were Christian, and this interaction caught my eye. One individual declared that the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) “never were and never will be Mormon.”  Now, I can't imagine that many Mormons will share this same sentiment, considering that the FLDS church literally emerged from the exact same roots as the Utah church. But this interaction ironically demonstrates the exact same mindset that other Christians have about Mormons. Some Christians don’t consider Mormons Christian because Latter-day Saint teachings reject key doctrines established by early Christian creeds, like the Trinity, original sin, and the belief that Go...
Post a Comment
Read