One of the foremost American historians of his generation,
Leonard J. Arrington (1913-1999) revolutionized the writing of
Mormon history. Through the publication of his groundbreaking
"Great Basin Kingdom: An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints,
" as well as numerous other publications, he established the
dominant interpretation of the Mormon experience. Yet until now,
there has been little analysis of his contribution to western
history.
Focusing on Arrington's intellectual career, Gary Topping
examines the facets of Arrington's life that influenced his
historical ideas: how his Idaho farm background shaped his values
and interests, and how his nontraditional upbringing differed from
that of other young Mormons. Topping also offers a critical
evaluation and major new interpretation of Arrington's works that
will likely spark controversy in the scholarly community.
Topping re-examines Arrington's role in founding and promoting
what is known as the New Mormon History. Arrington has been
criticized for relying on the assistance of numerous staff members
in the church's History Division, but Topping shows this
collaborative approach to have been in keeping with the cooperative
spirit of Mormonism. Yet, as Topping relates, Arrington's efforts
to make archival material more accessible to the public were
undermined by the more conservative wing of the church hierarchy,
which released him from his position as Church Historian in
1982.
Both an engaging biography and a sharp appraisal of Arrington's
methods and interpretive work, Topping's book expands on
Arrington's own autobiography by offering the first thorough
analysis of his contributions.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!