Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet.

About Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet

Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet is a biography written by Dan Vogel that depicts the formative years of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. The book covers the period of Smith's life up until 1831. Vogel casts Smith in the role of a magician, who perhaps believes in his own ability to perform magic while using fraud to support his position: a charlatan that came to believe that he was called of God. The author assumes Smith to be the author of the Book of Mormon and takes the position that the book may be used as a "primary source document" that represents a reflection of Smith's own life. Events portrayed in the Book of Mormon are compared to specific events in Smith's life to illustrate similarities and to deduce Smith's thoughts and aspirations during these periods. Making of a Prophet won the Smith–Pettit Best Book Award from the John Whitmer Historical Association and the Best Biography Award from the Mormon History Association.