How The Book of Mormon Came to Pass: The Second Greatest Show on Earth

Several explanations for the seemingly sudden appearance of The Book of Mormon in 1829 (first published in 1830) have been put forth by both historians and apologists alike. Each holds some value to its advocates while displaying obvious inconsistencies and unexplained features. However, significant new evidence necessitates the revision of all such authorship theories, including and especially the sole-authorship hypothesis—that Joseph Smith, Jr. (between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-...