The True History of Joseph Smith

For the millions of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Joseph Smith was an inspired prophet of God. For many other millions, he was a consummate con man, the founder of an authoritarian cult that was discredited even in his own time. This new historical novel gives voice to Joseph Smith's long-forgotten sister, Sophronia, who tells the story of their shared lives from early childhood to his violent death. She was there when he saw God and uncovered the golden plates that became the Book of Mormon. She was a witness to his first experiments with polygamy, and to the persecutions that followed. When Joseph was taken to his death in the Carthage jail, it was Sophronia and two of his wives who rode to his rescue. The book is also a story of family and friendship. Sophronia's reliance on her strong-willed mother Lucy lasted well into adulthood, and her affection for her young brother Don Carlos lasted until his tragically early death. The happiness that she found with two husbands was brief, and often troubled, but her one surviving daughter was the joy of her life. Her circle of female friends was always of vital importance to her. Sophronia Smith was a woman of uncommon independence for her time and did not hesitate to speak the truth to the men around her. Although her brother was idolized by his followers, she loved him without blindness to his faults. In an age dominated by religious controversy, her own faith in the Mormon prophet was contradictory and deeply emotional.