EVENING WITH AN AUTHOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Philip L. Barlow, author of the recently-published Mormons and the Bible: The Place of the Latter-day Saints in American Religion (updated ed.), will be at our store on Wednesday, May 29, to speak about the book and sign copies. He will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 pm to sign and will begin speaking at 6:00.  He will be available to sign and answer questions after his presentation.

Mormons and the Bible offers an in-depth analysis of the approaches taken to the Bible by major Mormon leaders, from its beginnings to the present. Barlow shows that Mormon attitudes toward the Bible comprise an extraordinary mix of conservative, liberal, and radical ingredients: an almost fundamentalist adherence to the King James Version co-exists with belief in the possibility of new revelation and surprising ideas about the limits of human language. A particularly interesting chapter discusses Mormon responses to “higher criticism” and places figures such as Joseph Fielding Smith, B. H. Roberts and William Chamberlin along a spectrum according to their responses to this scholarship. Barlow’s exploration takes important steps toward unraveling the mystery of this quintessential American religious phenomenon. This updated edition of Mormons and the Bible (the book was originally published in 1991) includes an extended bibliography (the 1991 bibliography and a separate, updated bibliography) and a new 23-page preface, casting Joseph Smith’s mission into a new frame and treating evolutions in Mormonism’s biblical usage in recent decades.

Philip L. Barlow is Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University. His books include The Oxford Handbook to Mormonism (co-edited with Terryl Givens, forthcoming, 2013), The New Historical Atlas of Religion in America (OUP 2000, co-authored with Edwin Scott Gaustad), Religion and Public Life in the Midwest: America’s Common Denominator? (2004, co-edited with Mark Silk). A Thoughtful Faith (1986, editor). He is past president of the Mormon History Association.

 

Mormons and the Bible (updated ed.). Oxford University Press, 2013. 282 pp. Paperback. $19.99 (20% off as part of our Spring Sale)

A Thoughtful Faith. Canon Press, 1986. 310 pp. Various used copies (both hb and pb) ranging from $12-$30 (these would be 25% off as part of the Spring Sale)

Shipping: Media Mail: $4.50 for the first book, $1.00 for each additional

Priority/FedEx/UPS options available—inquire for details

Utah residents—please add 7.05% tax

To welcome the good weather, we are having a spring sale through the end of May.  New books are 20% off, used and out-of-print books are 25% off (some exceptions apply such as sale books, consignments, selected rare books and collectibles).  Remember that you can browse our inventory at www.benchmarkbooks.com/shop/.  We have added a clearance section (unfortunately, we can’t list all these items online)–nothing over $10–so come by the store and check it out. Also, we have added video of our latest signing (Karen Lynn Davidson–Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow) to our Events section–view this and past events at http://www.benchmarkbooks.com/events/)

For orders over $75 (after discounts), we are offering a free copy of Matthew Grow’s award-winning Liberty to the Downtrodden: Thomas L. Kane, Romantic Reformer (retail $40).

For orders over $100 (after discounts), in addition to the Kane biography, we are offering free shipping and your choice of five issues of Dialogue (any issues from 19:4 through 33:1 with the exception of 26:1-3 and 27:2-4–to see the contents of these issues, visit https://www.dialoguejournal.com/archive/).

Please direct orders and questions to info@benchmarkbooks.com

To welcome the good weather, we are having a spring sale through the end of May.  New books are 20% off, used books are 25% off (some exceptions apply such as sale books, consignments, selected rare books and collectibles).

We will post more details on Monday so keep your eyes peeled!

Reminder about the signing–this Wednesday (May 8th).  Karen will be here to sign at 5:30 and then begin speaking at 6. To RSVP and see who’s coming, visit the event page on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/YqJ5H0.

EVENING WITH AN AUTHOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Karen Lynn Davidson, one of the authors (her co-author, Jill Derr, is currently serving a mission) of the recently-published Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow, will be at our store on Wednesday, May 8, to speak about the book and sign copies. She will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 pm to sign and will begin speaking at 6:00.  She will be available to sign and ask questions after her presentation.

Eliza R. Snow is one of the most revered women in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We hear stories of her faith and strength, and we sing her beloved hymns. She was fondly known as “Zion’s Poetess” and also as “Presidentess,” because of her leadership of Relief Society and her role in forming and directing organizations for young women and children. She has remained a legend for generations of Latter-day Saints, but we know less about her “variegated life,” as she described it—the personal joys and sorrows brought about by unfolding events in the young Church of which she was a part.

This intimate look at Eliza R. Snow reveals a more private side of this extraordinary woman. She emerges as a bright young poet in Ohio, a new convert to the restored Church, a seamstress, and a sharer in the persecutions and hardships of the early Saints. We see a member of the households of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, a dedicated temple worker, and a traveling Relief Society president with a zeal for teaching the gospel.

Her delight in nature, her love for family and friends, and her outlook of hope for the cause of Zion are reflected here through selections from some of her best poems. Photographs, artifacts, and personal letters add visual beauty to this inspiring introduction to her fascinating life.

KAREN LYNN DAVIDSON earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. At Brigham Young University she was a member of the English faculty and director of the Honors Program. She has served on the General Music Committee of the Church and plays violin with the Orchestra at Temple Square.

Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow. Deseret Book, 2013. Hardback. 224 pp. $27.99

Also available: Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry. BYU Studies, 2009. Hardback. 1333 pp. $44.95

The Joseph Smith Papers: Histories, vols. 1 & 2. Church Historian’s Press, 2012. Hardback. $54.95/ea. (or become a JS Papers subscriber and save 10% on each volume!)

Our Latter-day Hymns (rev. ed.). Deseret Book, 2009. Paperback. 542 pp. $29.99

 

Shipping: Media Mail: $4.50 for the first book, $1.00 for each additional

Priority/FedEx/UPS options available—inquire for details

Utah residents—please add 7.05% tax

We’ve just received some very interesting and very welcome new titles–they are published by a brand new imprint: Community of Christ Seminary Press.

The Journey of a People: The Era of Restoration, 1820 to 1844/The Journey of a People: The Era of Reorganization, 1844 to 1946 (2 vols. )

by Mark A. Scherer. 2013. Hardcover. 535 pp/585 pp. $69.95/set. The first volume of Journey presents a new telling of the history of the early period of the Latter Day Saint-Community of Christ movement. Beginning with a survey of the early nineteenth-century context in which founding prophet Joseph Smith Jr. lived, the book treats the major themes and elements of the journey of this people up to the time of Smith’s death in 1844.  The second volume covers a century-long search for an identity that honored the rich heritage of the Reorganized Church of Jesus  Christ of Latter Day Saints while separation from those who followed Brigham Young to Utah after 1844.  A third volume (forthcoming) will bring the narrative up to the present. The author, Mark A. Scherer, has served as Community of Christ World Church historian since 1995.

Millions Call It Scripture: The Book of Mormon in the 21st Century

by Alan D. Tyree. 2013. Paperback. 157 pp. This book is designed to stimulate interest in and a discussion of the Book of Mormons place in religious life and history. Perhaps of most interest is chapter three where the author (a former apostle and member of the First Presidency in the Community of Christ) offers four theories to further understanding of its provenance. He explores its Christian witness and what kind of scriptural values it holds that are relevant today.

 

 

 

 

Arriving soon: 

 

The Book of Mormon’s Witness to Its First Readers

by Dale E. Luffman. 2013 Paperback. $19.95. The Book of Mormon’s Witness to Its First Readers is an attempt to take the Book of Mormon seriously; to hear how it spoke to its first audience of seekers, who found in this work a witness that changed their lives, and to hear how its witness may be heard and understood today.  The author, Dale Luffman, currently serves as an apostle in the Community of Christ.

 

 

 

 

To order (or with any questions), please call us at 800-486-3112/801-486-3111.

At long last, video from the event with Brian Hales and Don Bradley for Joseph Smith’s Polygamy is available here or in our Events tab above. If you haven’t picked up a set, the first printing is going quickly!

Also, an upcoming event:

EVENING WITH AN AUTHOR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are pleased to announce that Karen Lynn Davidson, one of the authors (her co-author, Jill Derr, is currently serving a mission) of the recently-published Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow, will be at our store on Wednesday, May 8, to speak about the book and sign copies. She will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 pm to sign and will begin speaking at 6:00.  She will be available to sign and ask questions after her presentation.

Eliza R. Snow is one of the most revered women in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We hear stories of her faith and strength, and we sing her beloved hymns. She was fondly known as “Zion’s Poetess” and also as “Presidentess,” because of her leadership of Relief Society and her role in forming and directing organizations for young women and children. She has remained a legend for generations of Latter-day Saints, but we know less about her “variegated life,” as she described it—the personal joys and sorrows brought about by unfolding events in the young Church of which she was a part.

This intimate look at Eliza R. Snow reveals a more private side of this extraordinary woman. She emerges as a bright young poet in Ohio, a new convert to the restored Church, a seamstress, and a sharer in the persecutions and hardships of the early Saints. We see a member of the households of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, a dedicated temple worker, and a traveling Relief Society president with a zeal for teaching the gospel.

Her delight in nature, her love for family and friends, and her outlook of hope for the cause of Zion are reflected here through selections from some of her best poems. Photographs, artifacts, and personal letters add visual beauty to this inspiring introduction to her fascinating life.

KAREN LYNN DAVIDSON earned a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. At Brigham Young University she was a member of the English faculty and director of the Honors Program. She has served on the General Music Committee of the Church and plays violin with the Orchestra at Temple Square.

Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow. Deseret Book, 2013. Hardback. 224 pp. $27.99

Also available: Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry. BYU Studies, 2009. Hardback. 1333 pp. $44.95

The Joseph Smith Papers: Histories, vols. 1 & 2. Church Historian’s Press, 2012. Hardback. $54.95/ea. (or become a JS Papers subscriber and save 10% on each volume!)

Our Latter-day Hymns (rev. ed.). Deseret Book, 2009. Paperback. 542 pp. $29.99

 

Shipping: Media Mail: $4.50 for the first book, $1.00 for each additional

Priority/FedEx/UPS options available—inquire for details

Utah residents—please add 7.05% tax

We have received a few new Margaret Barker titles recently (click on any title for details):

The Hidden Tradition of the Kingdom of God

Creation: A Biblical Vision for the Environment

Christmas: The Original Story

In addition, we have restocked on her other titles–give us a call if any catch your eye!

In the last few weeks, we have received a number of exciting new titles.  To order or with any questions, please call 800-486-3112/801-486-3111

To entice you to get a few more books on your shelf before Tax Day comes, until April 15th we are offering free shipping on any order of $75 or more OR 10% off on in-store orders.

 

NEW BOOKS

All That Was Promised: The St. George Temple and the Unfolding of the Restoration

by Blaine M. Yorgason, Richard A. Schmutz and Douglas D. Alder.  Deseret Book, 2013. 374 pp. Hardcover. $34.99. The authors document details of the temple’s construction, and they recount many previously untold (and unpublished), often miraculous, stories of those who sacrificed greatly and worked diligently to raise a majestic, snow-white house of the Lord in the red-rock wilderness of southern Utah. Equally compelling are accounts of events after the dedication of parts of the temple in January 1877. Brigham Young and other Church leaders sought and received revelation on how the temple ordinances were to be formalized, and Wilford Woodruff was inspired to do the work for the founding fathers of the United States and other prominent men and women who dies before the gospel was restored.

Eliza: The Life and Faith of Eliza R. Snow

by Karen Lynn Davidson and Jill Mulvay Derr. Deseret Book, 2013. 178 pp. Hardcover. $27.99. This intimate look at Eliza R. Snow, by authors Karen Lynn Davidson and Jill Mulvay Derr, reveals a more private side of this extraordinary woman. She emerges as a bright young poet in Ohio, a new convert to the restored Church, a seamstress, and a sharer in the persecutions and hardships of the early Saints. We see a member of the households of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, a dedicated temple worker, and a traveling Relief Society president with a zeal for teaching the gospel. Her delight in nature, her love for family and friends, and her outlook of hope for the cause of Zion are reflected here through selections from some of her best poems. Photographs, artifacts, and personal letters add visual beauty to this inspiring introduction to her fascinating life.

JOSEPH SMITH’S POLYGAMY, 3 VOLS.

by Brian C. Hales. Greg Kofford, 2013. Hardcover. Reg $100.85/set–SALE $89.99.  Among his many novel teachings and practices, none is more controversial than plural marriage, a restoration of the Old Testament practice that he accepted as part of his divinely appointed mission. Joseph Smith taught his polygamy doctrines only in secret and dictated a revelation in July 1843 authorizing its practice (now LDS D&C 132) that was never published during his lifetime. Although rumors and exposés multiplied, it was not until 1852 that Mormons in Brigham Young’s Utah took a public stand. By then, thousands of Mormons were engaged in the practice that was seen as essential to salvation. “Brian Hales wants to face up to every question, every problem, every fear about plural marriage. His answers may not satisfy everyone, but he gives readers the relevant sources where answers, if they exist, are to be found. There has never been a more thorough examination of the polygamy idea.” —Richard L. Bushman

American Zion: The Old Testament as a Political Text from the Revolution to the Civil War

by Eran Shalev. Yale University Press, 2013. 239 pp. Hardcover. $40.00. In this original book, historian Eran Shalev closely examines how this powerful predilection for Old Testament narratives and rhetoric in early America shaped a wide range of debates and cultural discussions—from republican ideology, constitutional interpretation, southern slavery, and more generally the meaning of American nationalism to speculations on the origins of American Indians and to the emergence of Mormonism (there are two chapters dealing with early Mormonism and the Book of Mormon as American scripture).

Mormons in American Politics: From Persecution to Power

by Luke Perry and Christopher Cronin. Praeger, 2012. Hardcover. $37.00. Mormons in American Politics: From Persecution to Powerprovides an intellectual foundation of Mormon development and emergence in politics, comprehensively examining significant issues and developments from historical, theological, cultural, and modern perspectives. The work analyzes diverse, contemporary topics including Mormons in popular culture, Mormon understandings of the Constitution, the Mormon welfare program, Mormon opposition to same-sex marriage, and the global expansion of Mormonism.

 

 

Elijah Abel: The Life and Times of a Black Priesthood Holder

by W. Kesler Jackson. Cedar Fort, 2013. 148 pp. Paperback. $12.99. The first in-depth look at a highly significant LDS figure, Elijah Abel sheds critical light on the real history of blacks, the priesthood, the ban, and the multiplicity of doctrines that grew up to justify it. Elijah Abel’s dedication and religious conviction in the face of enormous adversity are an inspiration to all who have wrestled with questions or issues that challenge their faith. Jackson builds on both classic works (such as Lester Bush’s Dialogue article) and newer analysis like that done by Connell O’Donovan.

 

 

Plain and Precious Things: The Temple Religion of the Book of Mormon’s Visionary Men & The Goodness and the Mysteries: On the Path of the Book of Mormon’s Visionary Men

by D. John Butler. CreateSpace, 2012. 213 pp/235 pp. Paperback. $16.99/$19.99. Nephi’s small plates are a time capsule from the sixth century B.C., containing a “loser’s eye view” of religion that strongly contrasts with the ideology of the Jerusalem establishment of the time. Lehi’s dream and Nephi’s interpretive vision are visionary-literary accounts of the two temple ordinances at the heart of the worship of Lehi’s “visionary men” — the Peace Offerings and the Day of Atonement. Learning to understand those visions opens up the rest of the Book of Mormon, and ancient scripture in general. The follow-up volume, The Goodness and the Mysteries, yields new insights into their worship and ideas, and also into other ancient scripture.

The Best of the Nauvoo Neighbor

ed. by Susan Easton Black. BYU Studies, 2013. 168 pp + DVD. Paperback. $21.95. Published from May 1843 to October 1845, the Nauvoo Neighbor is a significant key to understanding the Latter-day Saint experience at the Mississippi River. Although not an official Church newspaper, the Neighbor was edited by Apostle John Taylor and played a significant role in the national discussion of Mormonism, the presidential election of 1844, and perceptions of the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. The paper printed an unrelenting defense of Mormonism against a backdrop of exaggerated reports and sensational claims that stemmed from Hancock County to newspapers in the East. The book contains excerpts from the newspaper (arranged topically)—the accompanying DVD includes scans of the originals as well as biographical sketches of persons mentioned therein.

Mormon Women Have Their Say: Essays from the Claremont Oral History Collection

ed. by Claudia L. Bushman and Caroline Kline. Greg Kofford, 2013. 313 pp. Paperback. $31.95. The Claremont Women’s Oral History Project has collected hundreds of interviews with Mormon women of various ages, experiences, and levels of activity. These interviews record the experiences of these women in their homes and family life, their church life, and their work life, in their roles as homemakers, students, missionaries, career women, single women, converts, and disaffected members. This volume is the first to explore the riches of the collection in print. A group of young scholars and others have used the interviews to better understand what Mormonism means to these women and what women mean for Mormonism. They explore those interviews through the lenses of history, doctrine, mythology, feminist theory, personal experience, and current events to help us understand what these women have to say about their own faith and lives.

Polygamy in Primetime: Media, Gender, and Politics in Mormon Fundamentalism

by Janet Bennion. Brandeis University Press, 2012. 361 pp. Paperback–$35.00/Hardcover–$85.00 (please let us know if you want a hardcover as we will have to special order these). Recently, polygamy has become a “primetime” phenomenon. Television shows like Big Love and Sister Wives demonstrate the “progressive” side of polygamy, while horror stories from victims of abusive marriages offer less upbeat experiences among the adherents of the fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church).  Bennion, herself a product of Mormon polygamy, seeks to dispel the myths and misinformation that surround this topic. This study, based on seventeen years of ethnographic research among the Allred Group (Apostolic United Brethren) and on an analysis of recent blog journal entries written by a range of polygamous women, examines the variety and complexity of contemporary Mormon fundamentalist life in the Intermountain West.

Joseph Smith and the Geography of the Book of Mormon

by John L. Lund. The Communications Company, 2012. 209 pp. Paperback. $20.00. Lund begins by establishing Joseph Smith’s actual and verifiable words, which were subject to his review and correction during his lifetime, as a “Supreme Source” for the geography of the Book of Mormon. First- and second-hand accounts of what the Prophet Joseph said are referred to as “lesser sources.” Most of the confusion about the geography of the Book of Mormon results from lesser sources. One of the most undervalued and supreme sources of Joseph Smith’s teachings was an early church newspaper in Nauvoo, Illinois titled the Times and Seasons. A comprehensive Author Identification Study confirmed the Prophet Joseph’s authorship of the Times and Seasons articles in question. Other interesting findings about volcanoes, the Law of Moses and the calendars, and how the Gold Plates arrived in Palmyra, New York are found with the pages of this book.

Images of America: Salt Lake City’s Historic Architecture

by Allen Dale Roberts. Arcadia, 2012. Paperback. $21.99. Settling in an isolated desert valley, Salt Lake City’s Mormon pioneers laid out a city grid and constructed permanent structures to create their version of Zion. They brought with them their architects, builders, tools, and experience gained in the Midwest. Within a decade, the fast-growing community had created religious, business, and residential centers with Greek- and Gothic Revival style structures built of stone and adobe. With the arrival of the railroad, urban architects, and a sizable gentile (non-Mormon) population in the 1860s, the city’s architecture suddenly diversified in scale, style, and material. By the 1890s, virtually every American style was represented and impressive landmarks were found citywide. This trend continued throughout the early 20th century as talented architects designed in a rich variety of architectural expressions. Although several important buildings are lost, many remain and are now restored. In this book, Salt Lake City’s legacy of historic governmental, religious, commercial, industrial, educational, social, and residential architecture from 1850 through 1930 is pictured and described.

Robert Newton Baskin and the Making of Modern Utah

by John Gary Maxwell. Arthur H. Clark, 2013. 392 pp. Hardcover. $45.00. For years Robert Newton Baskin (1837–1918) may have been the most hated man in Utah. Yet his promotion of federal legislation against polygamy in the late 1800s and his work to bring the Mormon territory into a republican form of government were pivotal in Utah’s achievement of statehood. The results of his efforts also contributed to the acceptance of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by the American public. In this engaging biography—the first full-length analysis of the man—author John Gary Maxwell presents Baskin as the unsung father of modern Utah. As Maxwell shows, Baskin’s life was defined by conflict and paradox. For more than a century historians have maligned Baskin or ignored him. Maxwell brings the man to life in this long-overdue exploration of a central figure in the history of Utah and of the LDS church.

Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics

by Bart D. Ehrman. Oxford, 2013. 628 pp. Hardcover. $39.95. Forgery and Counterforgery is the first comprehensive study of early Christian pseudepigrapha ever produced in English. In it, Ehrman argues that ancient critics–pagan, Jewish, and Christian–understood false authorial claims to be a form of literary deceit, and thus forgeries. Ehrman considers the extent of the phenomenon, the “intention” and motivations of ancient Greek, Roman, and Jewish forgers, and reactions to their work once detected. He also assesses the criteria ancient critics applied to expose forgeries and the techniques forgers used to avoid detection. With the wider practices of the ancient world as backdrop, Ehrman then focuses on early Christian polemics, as various Christian authors forged documents in order to lend their ideas a veneer of authority in literary battles waged with pagans, Jews, and, most importantly, with one another in internecine disputes over doctrine and practice. In some instances a forger directed his work against views found in another forgery, creating thereby a “counter-forgery.” Ehrman’s evaluation of polemical forgeries starts with those of the New Testament (nearly half of whose books make a false authorial claim) up through the Pseudo-Ignatian epistles and the Apostolic Constitutions at the end of the fourth century.

The Viper on the Hearth: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (updated ed.)

by Terryl L. Givens. Oxford, 2013. 228 pp. Paperback. $24.95. Published in 1997, Terryl Givens’s The Viper on the Hearth was widely praised as a landmark work–indeed, The Wall Street Journal hailed it as “one of the five best books on Mormonism.” Now, in the wake of a tidal wave of Mormon-inspired artistic, literary, and political activity–ranging from the Broadway hit The Book of Mormon, to the HBO series Big Love, to the political campaign of Mitt Romney–Givens presents an updated edition that addresses the continuing presence and reception of the Mormon image in contemporary culture.

Mormonism and the Temple: Examining an Ancient Religious Tradition

ed. by Gary N. Anderson. Academy for Temple Studies, 2013. 150 pp. Oversize paperback. $20.00. Contains presentations given at the Academy for Temple Studies conference held in Oct 2012 in Logan, UT.  Margaret Barker was the keynote speaker—other presenters include John Welch, Daniel Peterson and John Hall.

 

New Perspectives in Mormon Studies: Creating and Crossing Boundaries

by Quincy D. Newell and Eric F. Mason. University of Oklahoma, 2013. Paperback. $24.95. One of the main purposes of this volume is to define and cross boundaries. Part 1 addresses internal boundaries—walls that divide some Mormons from others. One chapter examines Joseph Smith’s writings on economic matters and argues that he sought to make social distinctions irrelevant. Another considers Jane James, an African American Latter-day Saint, and her experiences at the intersection of religious and racial identity. In part 2, contributors consider Mormonism’s influence on Pentecostal leader John Alexander Dowie and relationships between Mormonism and other religious movements, including Methodism and Presbyterianism. Other chapters compare Mormonism and Islam and examine the group Ex-Mormons for Jesus/Saints Alive in Jesus. Part 3 deals with Mormonism in the academy and the ongoing evolution of Mormon studies (including an essay by Richard Bushman).

Fort on the Firing Line

by Albert R. Lyman. BYU Print Services, 2012. Paperback. $9.99. A serialized story of the Bluff/San Juan Mission by Albert R. Lyman and published in the Improvement Era between October 1948 and March 1950. Includes current-day photos of many of the locations mentioned in the narrative.

An Uncommon Life: Years of Preparation

by Lee Tom Perry. Deseret Book, 2013. 354 pp. Hardcover. $34.99. This first volume (there will be one more) of Elder L. Tom Perry’s biography extends from his birth on August 5, 1922, through his marriage to Virginia Clare Lee, the births of their children, and his career in the world of retailing to the time of his call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the passing of his beloved Virginia. After spending most of his early years in his hometown of Logan, Utah, and additional years on a mission and in the military, Perry launched a twenty-year professional career that took him from his first job as an internal auditor in Boise, Idaho, to executive positions in retailing on the west and east coasts of the United States. Soon after his fiftieth birthday, he was surprised to be called as an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve. Not long afterward, President Spencer W. Kimball extended to Elder Perry the call to join the Quorum of the Twelve.

The Hero’s Journey of the Gay and Lesbian Mormon

by Carol Lynn Pearson. Pivot Point Books, 2012. 79 pp. Small paperback. $9.95. What if, after all, being gay is not a defect, not a lesser life, but a different calling?– an invitation to travel the road of heroes mapped out by mythologist Joseph Campbell and find the life-giving substance that cures all ills. The Hero’s Journey of the Gay and Lesbian Mormon is offered to LGBT people of all religions, and their families and friends, as a traveling companion that will ease the path and celebrate the various destinations.

Look Upstream: Junius Romney in Mexico and the United States

by Joseph Barnard Romney. AuthorHouse, 2012. Paperback–$23.95/Hardcover–$31.99. This is a Horatio Alger story in two parts. The first part begins in 1884 when Junius Romney with his family moved to Colonia Juarez, Mexico (where he would later serve as stake president). It continues to the summer of 1912 when he abruptly left the Mormon Colonies in Mexico to live in the United States. The second part begins in El Paso, Texas and continues until Junius died in 1971, in Salt Lake City, Utah. In each part he and his family began penniless and rose to a situation where he had a growing family, a comfortable home, and a good living. He made his way principally because he was determined that he would always succeed. He is a model of success in family, friends, church, business, and determination. The title of this book recognizes his determination — his success in swimming upstream in the river of life.

Mormons and Popular Culture: The Global Influence of an American Phenomenon (2 vols.)

ed. by Michael J. Hunter. Praeger. 2013. Hardcover. $131.00. Mormons and Popular Culture: The Global Influence of an American Phenomenon provides an unprecedented, comprehensive treatment of Mormons and popular culture. Authored by a Mormon studies librarian and author of numerous writings regarding Mormon folklore, culture, and history, this book provides students, scholars, and interested readers with an introduction and wide-ranging overview of the topic that can serve as a key reference book on the topic. The work contains fascinating coverage on the most influential Mormon actors, musicians, fashion designers, writers, artists, media personalities, and athletes. Some topics—such as the Mormon influence at Disney, and how Mormon inventors have assisted in transforming American popular culture through the inventions of television, stereophonic sound, video games, and computer-generated animation—represent largely unknown information.

SALE BOOKS

**We are pleased to offer several older titles in as-new condition

Uncle Will Tells His Story by Juanita Brooks. Taggart & Company, 1970. Hardcover. SALE $12.99. There is nothing pretentious about the manner in which “Uncle Will” Brooks recalls many of the adventuresome tales (as told to his wife, Juanita Brooks) of his life in Southern Utah in this book. He relates them simply as he had so many times before in the unconfining presence of those he loved.

 

 

Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History ed. by John Phillip Walker. Signature Books, 1986. Hardcover. SALE $7.99. Includes the first seven draft chapters of his never-finished history of Mormonism as well as fifty letters to his contemporaries.

 

 

 

The Letters of Bernard DeVoto by Wallace Stegner. Doubleday, 1975. Hardcover. SALE $7.99.  After completing a biography of DeVoto, Stegner selected important letters for this collection.  Also includes a short introduction summarizing the compilation.

Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Man who Created Tarzan by Irwin Porges. BYU Press, 1975. Oversize hardcover. SALE $19.99/$9.99 (no dust jacket).  An extensive biography of the author—includes a bibliography of Burroughs’ oeuvre.

George Nickelsburg–we have a few books left from the conference in Logan

As we prepare our next catalog, we have marked down remaining items from our last catalog (#58).  Most have been marked down 20% and some as much as 40%.  Here are the links to Catalog 58 and the online-only addendum with markdown prices:

Catalog 58: http://www.benchmarkbooks.com/catalog-58/

Addendum: http://www.benchmarkbooks.com/catalog-58-addendum/

To order or to ask any questions about the items, please call (800) 486-3112 or (801) 486-3111.

We’ve added some multimedia items to our sale tables:

Presidents and Prophets (DVD). approx. 1 hr. Reg. $16.99, SALE $9.99. Examines the interactions of presidents of the United States and of the LDS Church throughout history.

Boys of Bonneville: Racing on a Ribbon of Salt (DVD).  81 mins. Reg. $19.99, SALE $11.99.  Looks at the amazing story of Ab Jenkins and his “Mormon Meteor” that set numerous land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats.  Narrated by Patrick Dempsey.

An Unlikely Mormon: The Conversion Story of Glenn Beck (DVD). 65 mins. Reg. $19.99, SALE $11.99. Popular radio personality Glenn Beck tells of his conversion to Mormonism.

Bringing Elizabeth Home: A Journey of Faith and Hope (audiobook on 5 CDs). Approx 5 hrs. Reg. $26.95, SALE $5.99.  Elizabeth Smart’s parents tell the horrifying story of her kidnapping and her miraculous return.

Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations (DVD). Reg. $9.95, SALE $5.99.  Features tours to historic sites in LDS history in the Salt Lake City area.

The Lost Civilization of North America (DVD). 63 mins. Reg. $19.99, SALE $11.99.  Explores the many ruins of ancient societies in North America and discusses recent DNA research.

Creation and Evolution: A Witness of Prophets (DVD). Approx. 78 mins.  Reg. $15.95, SALE $9.99.  Part one of a series of videos exploring the theory of evolution as it relates to the gospel.

 

To order, please give us a call at 801/486-3111 or 800-486-3112