Reviews for Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon

The average rating for Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-02-29 00:00:00 Kathy Tracy A book to ruffle feathers, for a variety of reasons. Like Joan of Arc, Joseph Smith is an incredibly fascinating character, especially with respect to his reported visions and to his behavior in response to those visions. Faithful Mormons may find this psychobiography scandalous (after all, it posits that he was pathologically narcissistic with an overlay of so-called "pseudologia fantastica"--the ability to make up stories and then come to believe them himself). Those who wish to avoid a supernatural explanation for Smith's visions will find supportive arguments in this book. But the real fascination is not whether the book proves psychopathology in Smith or not but rather in the evidence and the way that Anderson interprets it. Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith illustrates both the promise and also the pitfalls of trying to arrive at a psychological diagnosis of any historical figure based upon surviving accounts. I myself was a little disappointed that the analysis was mostly restricted to a comparison of Smith's early life to themes in the Book of Mormon, and I question some of the Freudian interpretations, but I enjoyed the process of following Anderson's arguments, whether or not they convinced me. I agree with the amazon.com reviewer who recommended a reading of Mormon America before attacking Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith--it's not a fair introduction to Mormonism. But for anyone interested in a case study of psychobiographical analysis, this is a worthy read, despite its flaws. For a more scholarly introduction to the subject of psychobiography itself, see A Handbook of Psychobiography at .

Review # 2 was written on 2014-12-06 00:00:00 Jeremy Swist The author offers a fascinating look into the mind of Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through a psychobiographical study. Using science and academic history, Anderson hypothesizes that the Book of Mormon can be understood as Joseph's autobiography and offers a diagnosis of Smith's mental state. The perspective he presents is thought-provoking, one based on his study of Joseph's early years, his family and neighbors, his homes, his health, state of mind and the state of the nation including politics of the day, the revivalist and spiritualist movements, folklore, poverty and economics. Whether he's right or not, Anderson's psychobiographical study is what's interesting, for he attempts to give a whole picture of Joseph through what historical evidence remains and includes mental health in that picture. The book is presented in a way I understood, and is a good read, save for repetition which became laboring - I skimmed bits of it - but understandable for a case study. I recommend.