Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia
Gr 7 Up-This encyclopedia opens with six lengthy essays covering the history of the church from before its founding in 1830 to the present. The essays are followed by more than 100 shorter articles under the separate headings of "Events," "People," and "Issues." Both the essays and articles are well researched and fully referenced and, on the whole, either favorable or neutral in their opinions of the church. (They are also signed, and most of the contributors are prominent Mormon historians.) Controversial issues, such as polygamy, are handled objectively and explored more extensively than other topics. "Non-Mormon Views of Mormonism" and "Mormonism and Other Faiths" are also considered. Occasional use of church-specific jargon occurs without explanation. The volume concludes with a detailed chronology; a lengthy, "selected" bibliography; a list of contributors; and a thorough index. A few photocopy-quality black-and-white photographs and captioned maps illustrate the volume. A useful resource.-Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT (c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.