The Book of Mormon Reference Companion
In my work as an editor, I often need to consult a Bible dictionary to refresh my memory about a point of doctrine, the meaning of an obscure term, or some other bit of information. I've often wished over the years that we had such a book about the Book of Mormon--a volume I could go to that would have information on just about everything I could possibly want to know about that book of scripture, all in one place.I didn't think it was really possible, of course--what a monumental undertaking that would be. But it has been done! Never, in more than twenty- five years of working in LDS publishing, have I encountered a book like the Book of Mormon Reference Companion. This astonishing project, the work of 111 respected scholars, has hundreds and hundreds of entries on topics from "Israel, Historical Background of" to "Archeantus" (do you know who he is?) to "Priesthood among the Nephites" to "Tree of Life" to "Samuel the Lamanite" to "Zarahemla, Land of and City of." It discusses people, places, doctrines, definitions of terms, and other items of interest such as a four- page chart showing Hebraisms in the Book of Mormon. There are outlines of each of the books in the Book of Mormon, and a full discussion of each of the Isaiah chapters. There are even nearly 30 entries just about the Book of Mormon itself, from "Book of Mormon, ancient Near Eastern roots of" to "Book of Mormon, what it says about the Bible."Besides all this, the book boasts color photographs and illustrations throughout! This is so neat! For example, imagine how it enhances our understanding of Jacob's allegory of the olive tree to see photographs of several different olive trees, some with grafted branches. I love this attention to detail that can make our experience with the Book of Mormon so much more rich.Just as you don't have to be a scholar to use a dictionary, you don't need to be a Book of Mormon "expert" to appreciate and enjoy this great reference book. It is an absolute staple for anyone who wants to study and understand the Book of Mormon better than ever before!Emily WattsDeseret Book Company