Perspective

No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith is written as a biographical history. This was written in the 1940s before the current standard of historical scholarship was introduced by historians in the 1950s and 1960s. They sought to improve the legitimacy and accuracy of history, bringing history and the social sciences more in line with the scientific method. Historians today are required to back up their work with accurate primary resource materials and adequate citations. All statements and conclusions must be backed up with fact and documentation.

Ms. Brodie followed none of today's accepted requirements for a history of any kind. There is little documentation, much of what she uses is hearsay and inaccurate. For example, she used one piece of documentation as a source to prove a point, and later proved that the same source was fraudulent. Her very thesis stated in her preface...