The Viper on the Hearth
Subtitle: Mormons, Myths, and the Construction of Heresy (Religion in America)
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: December 31, 1996
Language: eng
Number of pages: 232
ISBN-13: 9780195101836
Description: The Viper on the Hearth is the first full-length study to look at representations of Mormonism in popular fiction, enhancing our understanding of the religion's vexed relationship to American society. The book reconsiders the nature of Mormonism's encounter with mainstream religion, and asks how a category like "heresy" can operate in a pluralistic society.

Examining the ways in which Mormons have been portrayed in popular culture, Givens's study demonstrates how fiction can respond to cultural conflicts and anxieties by refashioning heresy into a more appropriate target for moral and political crusades.