Read early Latter-day Saint history as written by some of those who lived it. Winner of the Award for Best Documentary Editing/Bibliography from the Mormon History Association in 2013. This volume presents four histories written by church historians by assignment from Joseph Smith. The volume includes works by two men, John Whitmer and John Corrill, who both distanced themselves from the church before finishing their histories. The book also includes two histories published in Latter-day Saint newspapers, William W. Phelps's "Rise and Progress of the Church of Christ," and the Times and Seasons series "A History, of the Persecution, of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter Day Saints, in Missouri." Together these histories provide a rich, multifaceted view of the early years of the Latter-day Saint movement, particularly the "Mormon War" of 1838. The opportunity in these volumes to understand Smith and his earliest adherents on their own terms, in their own words, and in their own times is unprecedented and will be of great benefit not only to rank-and-file members of the LDS Church . . . but also to scholars of Mormonism and historians of American religion. --Kenneth P. Minkema, Journal of American History 100 (Sept. 2013): 508-509 The juxtaposition of H2's documents provides a lesson in contrasting perspective, a key for historians, but hopefully also a key for everyone. . . . The divergent perspectives of the authors is Histories 2's greatest strength. Both professional historians and interested observers will benefit from their use. --J. Stapley, "Review: JSPP, Histories, Volume 2: Assigned Histories, 1831-1847," By Common Consent (blog), July 21, 2013 Karen Lynn Davidson is a former member of the English faculty and director of the honors program at Brigham Young University. Richard L. Jensen is a former senior historian for the Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and former president of the Mormon History Association. David J. Whittaker was curator of nineteenth-century western and Mormon manuscripts, L. Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library; and associate professor of history, Brigham Young University.