
American Crucifixion
The Murder of Joseph Smith and the Fate of the Mormon Church
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Narrated by:
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Michael Prichard
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By:
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Alex Beam
On June 27, 1844, a mob stormed the jail in the dusty frontier town of Carthage, Illinois. Clamorous and angry, they were hunting down a man they saw as a grave threat to their otherwise quiet lives: The founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith. They wanted blood.
At thirty-nine years old, Smith had already lived an outsized life. In addition to starting the Church of Latter-Day Saints and creating his own "Golden Bible" - the Book of Mormon - he had worked as a water-dowser and treasure hunter. He'd led his people to Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois, where he founded a city larger than fledgling Chicago. He was running for President. And, secretly, he had married more than thirty women.
In American Crucifixion, Alex Beam tells how Smith went from charismatic leader to public enemy: How his most seismic revelation-the doctrine of polygamy-created a rift among his people; how that schism turned to violence; and how, ultimately, Smith could not escape the consequences of his ambition and pride.
Mormonism is America's largest and most enduring native religion, and the "martyrdom" of Joseph Smith is one of its transformational events. Smith's brutal assassination propelled the Mormons to colonize the American West and claim their place in the mainstream of American history. American Crucifixion is a gripping story of scandal and violence, with deep roots in our national identity.
©2014 Alex Beam (P)2014 TantorListeners also enjoyed...




















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Would you try another book from Alex Beam and/or Michael Prichard?
I don't knowWhat was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
This wasn't a novel so this question doesn't applyWhat did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
Performance was fine, it was the materialIf this book were a movie would you go see it?
This is a history, not a novel, as such likely not the subject matter to be made into a movieAny additional comments?
Beam does not do a very good job describing the development of Mormonism. He does even a weaker job in describing Smith's religious narrative, and religious narrative is what Smith did. Now as the date approached June of 1844, the month when Smith was killed, Beam's book gets much better as he leaves the religious narrative part and plunges into the history around Smith's death. Beam also does a good job in the history describing the aftermath of Smith's death. So the first third or the first half of the book is a one star. The second half is a 3 or 4 star. If you already understand the background to June of 1844 then from this point forward the book is good. If someone doesn't understand the information leading up to June 1844, this is not the book to start with.Weak beginning strong finish
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If you could sum up American Crucifixion in three words, what would they be?
very well done and it leaves the listener feeling as though they were there and more informed.What other book might you compare American Crucifixion to and why?
I would need to say the crucifixion of any great man and his cause is a tragedy, but the closest book that comes close is the crucifixion of ChristWhich scene was your favorite?
my favorite scene would need to be at the very beginning when the author describes the mob that killed the prophet in cold bloodIf you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
How Joseph Smith Legacy Lives and Lives would be in red ink as it drips down the page as blood would.Keeps you wanting more
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Wonderful
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Great information
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American Crucifixion
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I've read better
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I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Unbiased detailed account of Joseph Smith’s assassination.
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The narrator is great, one of the best in the business, and I assume a non-member of the Church. I couldn’t help wondering what he must have thought as he narrated this story. From accounts of heavenly visions to polygamy, there’s a lot to digest, and never a dull moment!
I highly recommend this audiobook for people of all faiths who are interested in the amazing life and tragic death of Joseph Smith, Jr.
Great Book, Great Narration!
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Excellent History of an Critical Event in Mormon History
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