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http://www.westernwriters.org/spur_awar ... y.htm#2012

Congratulations to David Bigler and Will Bagley for winning the Spur Award from Western Writers of America for Mormon Rebellion. Here is a list of the three top books in the nonfiction-historical category. These are amazing writers and subjects they were up against and won with Mormon Rebellion! This is a huge win for these two gifted historians and writers.

This also shows that the John Whitmer Book Award Committee is on the cutting edge. They gave the award last September for best book.

BEST WESTERN NONFICTION - HISTORICAL (TO 1900)
Winner:
Bigler, David L. & Will Bagley. The Mormon Rebellion, University of Oklahoma Press

Finalists:
Hedren, Paul L. After Custer, University of Oklahoma Press
White, Richard. Railroaded, W.W. Norton & Company

Awesome. I would like to read that one. I can't wait for the blistering review Bob Crockett will give it. Doubtless it will entirely invalidate that award.

I believe it was Bob and my conversing about Mormon Rebellion that he left M-L, calling me Will's sycophant.

The book is now in kindle for those with a tablet. It is an engaging read. I was surprised that a scholarly book could be so much fun to read. The use of the huge Brigham Young collection and other primary sources is another reason the book is outstanding. The analysis is top notch.

One historian friend commented that winning this award and topping Richard White's "Railroaded" shows what an amazing book we have with "Mormon Rebellion."

Most interesting is the reception it has received from the faithful Mormon historian community. For the most part, they have either ignored it or condemned it.

Joe Geisner wrote:I believe it was Bob and my conversing about Mormon Rebellion that he left M-L, calling me Will's sycophant.

The book is now in kindle for those with a tablet. It is an engaging read. I was surprised that a scholarly book could be so much fun to read. The use of the huge Brigham Young collection and other primary sources is another reason the book is outstanding. The analysis is top notch.

One historian friend commented that winning this award and topping Richard White's "Railroaded" shows what an amazing book we have with "Mormon Rebellion."

Most interesting is the reception it has received from the faithful Mormon historian community. For the most part, they have either ignored it or condemned it.

Of course they have! Because historians cannot extrapolate from the evidence in matters as delicate as Brigham Young, eh? Academics are simply not about educated guessing based on the expertise and evidence the historian possesses. Guffaw. No, it would be entirely improper to argue that Brigham Young did "x" unless one had ironclad proof that he did "x." The fact that various pieces of evidence line up in such a way that one might make a case for it does not entitle anyone to make that case. If they dare to do so, they are bad historians. Bad.

Only when one can indulge in half-baked and shallow applications of a theory and then present a highly edited (not too mention selectively edited) collection of cherry-picked evidence that buttresses the assumption that Brigham Young could have by no means ever done "x" (but please don't read the footnotes where we back up our naked assertions with such goodies like "the paper I presented at the little conference you didn't attend") is one a "good" historian. Oh, and it is published by a distinguished press with a stuffy sounding name. *That* is crucial. That way, you can always say, in the words of our friend Huffingpuff McMeridian III, "yeah, but it was published by Oxbridge!"

Kishkumen wrote:
Of course they have! Because historians cannot extrapolate from the evidence in matters as delicate as Brigham Young, eh? Academics are simply not about educated guessing based on the expertise and evidence the historian possesses. Guffaw. No, it would be entirely improper to argue that Brigham Young did "x" unless one had ironclad proof that he did "x." The fact that various pieces of evidence line up in such a way that one might make a case for it does not entitle anyone to make that case. If they dare to do so, they are bad historians. Bad.

Only when one can indulge in half-baked and shallow applications of a theory and then present a highly edited (not too mention selectively edited) collection of cherry-picked evidence that buttresses the assumption that Brigham Young could have by no means ever done "x" (but please don't read the footnotes where we back up our naked assertions with such goodies like "the paper I presented at the little conference you didn't attend") is one a "good" historian. Oh, and it is published by a distinguished press with a stuffy sounding name. *That* is crucial. That way, you can always say, in the words of our friend Huffingpuff McMeridian III, "yeah, but it was published by Oxbridge!"

Talk about the hammer hitting the nail on the head. You are absolutely correct Kish. I suppose what this continues to show, is that faithful Mormon Historians continue to put their faith first and their academic training second. What they don't get is the rest of the academic world can see through this and when a book like Mormon Rebellion is written, it will be used by teachers and students. Who looks at the three witnesses book? Only the incestuous group of the faithful.

Joe Geisner wrote:Talk about the hammer hitting the nail on the head. You are absolutely correct Kish. I suppose what this continues to show, is that faithful Mormon Historians continue to put their faith first and their academic training second. What they don't get is the rest of the academic world can see through this and when a book like Mormon Rebellion is written, it will be used by teachers and students. Who looks at the three witnesses book? Only the incestuous group of the faithful.

Some do better than others, but I was not impressed with the MMM book.

Picked this up on Kindle over the weekend.. Good read as you would expect from two good writers.

Kishkumen wrote:Awesome. I would like to read that one. I can't wait for the blistering review Bob Crockett will give it. Doubtless it will entirely invalidate that award.

I bought it the first week it came out. So far so good. I don't think the two have a very smooth style but, hey, I haven't authored any books.

Joe Geisner wrote:I believe it was Bob and my conversing about Mormon Rebellion that he left M-L, calling me Will's sycophant.

I am still on the list. I just can't keep up with a list. But I can see you're saying false things about me in my absence, particularly with respect to my critique of LDS Toronto. Nice to know that Bagley still has his hit men to carry his water!