Mormon's Map

by John L. Sorenson

As the ancient prophet Mormon edited the scriptural texts that would become the Book of Mormon, he must have had a map in his mind of the places and physical features that comprised the setting for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0934893489
• ISBN13: 9780934893480
• Release Date: January 2000
• Publisher: Maxwell Institute
• Length: 154 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Very informative

John Sorenson doesn't make wild speculations in this book - he simply breaks down the information available in the Book of Mormon and, along with common sense, lays out how populations, geography, waterways and people all impacted on the events in the Book of Mormon. This book has definitely increased my understanding of and appreciation for the Book of Mormon - it's well worth a look.

The geography of the Book of Mormon

John L Sorenson is one of the best Book of Mormon scholars, having written seveal excellent texts, such as "An ancient American setting for the Book of Mormon" and "Images of Ancient America." In this text, Sorenson re-constructs the internal geography of the Book of Mormon. He shows clearly that the Book of Mormon occured in a rather limited geographical scope, in the order of a few hundred miles or so, and that the LDS Church has no official position on the Book of Mormon's geography. This text is one any seroius Book of Mormon student should purchase, as it presents, with little bias (Sorenson is a staunch defender of a Limited Geographical Model for Book of Mormon events), revealing the geography based on internal details in the volume. As an aside, one reviewer wrote the following - "This is so typical of the Mormons, that when there is no evidence then invent them. So true in the spirit of the Anti-Christ Joseph Smith is to be as imaginative as possible and when proven wrong; deny it, blatantly lie and distort true fact." This reveals that anti-Mormons do not actually read texts by Mormon scholars, but just dismiss them out of hand. After all, had Mr. Sutinen *read* "Mormon's Map," he would have realised that no evidence is presented in favour of the Book of Mormon. Just a presentation of the internal grography of the volume. Furthermore, where and how did Sorenson "blantantly lie and distort true fact"? Notwithstanding the inanity of those who know nothing about "Mormonism" and the Book of Mormon, "Mormon's Map" is a must-read for those interested in the geography of Book of Mormon events. I welcome feedback at Robert.S.Boylan@nuim.ie

Good summary -- exactly what it claims to be

The book is exactly what it claims to be--a detailed construction of a map which is consistent with the internal geography presented in the Book of Mormon. The author states his bias and assumptions up front, then explores relevant textual references from the Book of Mormon, and then draws conclusions. Since the process is all spelled out plainly, the reader is free to agree or draw their own conclusions. The book includes several smaller black-and-white maps within the text that highlight probable paths taken by various groups, etc. Also the front and back inside covers present the overall map in color. There is no attempt to place the geography in any particular area--it is simply a reconstruction based on the statements in the Book of Mormon. Because of this we can dispense with all of the tortured logic so commonly encountered when a researcher attempts to "fit" the Book of Mormon account to a particular archaeological area. Primary considerations in the text include a) major physical features, b) relative elevations, and c) distances and directions. Putting it all together makes for a fairly compelling case that the author has it more or less right.

X Marks the Spot

This is the most important book to appear on the Book of Mormon in several years, one that I enjoyed reading tremendously. Sorenson, as an apologist for the historicity of the Book of Mormon, has worked for years attempting to place the events reported in the Book of Mormon in an ancient American setting. This new and attractive book, however, goes beyond polemics.Sorenson recreates from the Book of Mormon itself, virtually without regard to any real world setting, the "internal" geography of the Book of Mormon in a reader-friendly style. He demonstrates that the internal geography of the Book of Mormon is remarkably complex and consistent. Reading his book was similar to being handed a map of Yoknapatapha County, Middle Earth, or Narnia with the resultant clarity it brings to the works of Faulkner, Tolkein and Lewis. Sorenson's new book illustrates (literally!) from an unusual angle the literary sophistication of the Book of Mormon. Regardless of your belief in the Book of Mormon as history, scripture or 19th Century American fiction, this is necessary reading for any student of the Book of Mormon. I highly recommend it.