The Refiner's Hire

[frank ryan]

Has anyone read this book: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Refiners-Fire-Making-Cosmology-1644-1844/dp/0521565642/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1302383774&sr=8-1"]Amazon.com: The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844 (9780521565646): John L. Brooke: Books@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41sjlj7q%2BmL.@@AMEPARAM@@41sjlj7q%2BmL[/ame]

[Solon]

Has anyone read this book:

Fantastic book. It can be pretty academic in places, but overall I was really impressed (it is a Cambridge U Press title, after all) - the Hermetic stuff can be a little dry in places, but I'm pretty interested in alchemy and occult practices anyway. IMO, Joseph Smith comes across more as a medieval mystic alchemist than as a bumbling magician.

EDIT: Oh, if you're interested in The Refiner's Hire, I think that book is also pretty good, but definitely not Judy Bloom's finest work.

[frank ryan]

Fantastic book. It can be pretty academic in places, but overall I was really impressed (it is a Cambridge U Press title, after all) - the Hermetic stuff can be a little dry in places, but I'm pretty interested in alchemy and occult practices anyway. IMO, Joseph Smith comes across more as a medieval mystic alchemist than as a bumbling magician.

EDIT: Oh, if you're interested in The Refiner's Hire, I think that book is also pretty good, but definitely not Judy Bloom's finest work.

i'm tempted to give it a go.