In the following essay, Whittaker provides an overview of the literature produced during the early years of Mormonism, focusing primarily on “lists of belief” generated by early writers.

In the following excerpt, Eliason examines the role of the “pioneer myth” in Mormon history, recounting the events leading to the emergence of the religion and detailing the vast exodus across the American West made by early members of the church.

In the following essay, Cornwall and Arrington examine how five nineteenth-century novelists treated the theme of the Danites in their fiction.

In the following essay, Harline uses private writings included in the diaries and autobiographies of Mormon women to show how these polygamous wives were torn between their faith in the mandates of God and their emotional struggles with the realities of day-to-day life.

In the following essay, Buice contends that the writings in the Chattanooga, Tennessee Southern Star offer invaluable insight into the expansion of Mormonism into the southern states.

In the following essay, Beecher reflects on the women who contributed poetry to the Woman's Exponent newspaper, arguing that part of their motivation to write stemmed from their intense need to express their feelings of self-identity and self-worth.

In the following essay, Walker claims that the lively wit and satirical humor in the short-lived periodical Keep-A-Pitchinin often contradicted the typical image of the sober, straight-faced Mormon.

In the following excerpt, Lyon discusses the life and work of John Lyon, the unofficial poet laureate of the Mormon religion in Great Britain and the author of The Harp of Zion, the first book of poetry published by a member of the LDS church.