Naturalistic Explanations of the Origin of the Book of Mormon

Authors

Brian C. Hales

Keywords

BYU Studies, Book of Mormon

Abstract

In early 1830, an unknown farmer in upstate New York burst upon the world’s book-publishing scene. The Book of Mormon rolled off the Grandin Press in Palmyra, New York, with Joseph Smith listed as “author and proprietor” on the title page. That same year, a few other authors produced new titles, including The Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck by Mary Shelley, Letters and Journals of Lord Byron by Thomas Moore, and Six Sermons on the Study of the Holy Scriptures by Samuel Lee. If grouped with books classified as “fiction” in 1830, the Book of Mormon may have been the longest, with approximately 269,320 words.

Recommended Citation

Hales, Brian C. (2019) "Naturalistic Explanations of the Origin of the Book of Mormon," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 58: Iss. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol58/iss3/5