Joseph Smith, America’s preeminent visionary and prophet, rose from a modest background to found the largest indigenous Christian church in American history. Without the benefit of wealth, education, or social position, he published the 584-page Book of Mormon when he was twenty-three; organized a church when he was twenty-four; and founded cities, built temples, and attracted thousands of followers before his violent death at age thirty-eight. Rather than perishing with him, Mormonism migrated to the Rocky Mountains, flourished there, and now claims millions of followers worldwide.

Richard Lyman Bushman is an American historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University. Dr. Bushman received his AM, AB, and Ph.D. in the history of American civilization from Harvard University. Through the years he has taught at Harvard University, Brigham Young University, Boston University, University of Delaware, and at Columbia University. He is the author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling.