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Understanding The Book Of Mormon: A Reader's Guide (2010)

by Grant Hardy(Favorite Author)

4.44 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0199731705 (ISBN13: 9780199731701)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Oxford University Press, USA

review 1: Engrossing narrative analysis of the Book of Mormon. I really liked this book, partly b/c it confirmed some of my own slightly heterodox readings of the BoM (such simple things as noticing that Nephi doesn't record his account until decades after the events he narrates actually happened, so maybe things didn't happen precisely as he claims . . .), and partly for the genuinely original insights into the larger narrative structure of the BoM.I tend to agree with Hardy's basic premise that the BoM resists close reading for both LDS and non-LDS, and that the result has been a basic neglect of the text. This might come as a surprise to LDS readers, who have probably read the BoM dozens of times, but there is a difference between the kind of devotional reading that we generally ... moredo in the church and engaged close reading that Hardy does here. (Furthermore, there's a big difference between Hardy's close reading and the parallelomania FARMS scholars inherited from Hugh Nibley.)The one thing I would say is that although Hardy has an ostensibly ecumenical approach to the text, his book is not for BoM neophytes. It assumes some familiarity with the text. That said, you (whoever you are) should read it.
review 2: A well thought out exploration of a book that so many know about but that few (Mormons included) really understand. Hardy's writing is full of unique insights into the personalities of the main narrators while identifying the important broad themes and patterns that make the Book of Mormon a much richer book than many people realize. I did feel like he came back, too often, to one of his initial premises (whether it is a historical record or written by Joseph Smith it is still compelling literature). He could have stated it once without disrupting subsequent passages. As much as he covers aspects of the entire Book of Mormon, a lot of the text goes unexplored. As a Mormon I'd add one more point, because of his particular approach I felt that I learned a great deal about the key authors, however, this book doesn't really seek to expand the understanding of the Book of Mormons main character, Jesus Christ. less

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