Met the author of new Brigham Young bio last night (Harvard Press)
 

non-LDS bourgeois elite takes on Brigham Young?

yup. That's what we want, right? The Church gave him unprecedented access to archives.

One could argue that Jan Shipman has been beneficial to Mormon Studies moving forward.

I sometimes worry that some non-LDS authors will miss the boat and not really understand what Mormonism is about. In other words, they can recite the facts and figures and events, but not get to what is at the heart of Mormonism. Either through ignorance or in some unfortunate cases, malice. Krakauer is an example of the latter.

If it's good history, good. If it's bad history, throw it in the trash.

Jan Shipps is the right parallel. He is sympathetic and careful with facts. No Krakhead.

And he's had Rick Turley review the manuscript.

Looks like he is doing apologetics for us!

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxious...arden-of-eden/

Have either of you read Brigham Young: Pioneer Prophet? Thoughts?