Visions in a Seer Stone

“[An] engrossing debut. . . . Readers interested in Mormon studies or mid-19th-century American religions will be enlightened by Davis’s thorough analysis.”—Publishers Weekly

“Davis succeeds in providing and analyzing evidence of his thesis in a scholarly fashion, while composing a readable book that can be appreciated by both believers and non-believers in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. . . . Visions in a Seer Stone is an excellent and important addition to Mormon studies.”—Andrew Hamilton, Association for Mormon Letters

“A provocative work of scholarship that not only stands as a convincing reassessment of the Book of Mormon in its own right, but also invites future investigations into the book, its myriad contexts, and its legacy.”—The Dialogue Journal

“A groundbreaking book on the making of the Book of Mormon — this will be one of the go-to books for anyone seeking to understand how the Book of Mormon was created.”—Erik Champenois, Association for Mormon Letters

“Offers exciting potential for future study of the text. . . . One of the great strengths of the book is Davis' grounding in a nineteenth-century oral culture far distinct from our own; a world of audiences entranced by three-hour sermons delivered by gesticulating preachers holding no notes; a world in which divinity students drilled tirelessly on mnemonic devices to help them capture vast reams of scripture in their minds.”—Nova Religio

“Reconsidering the orality of Smith’s Book of Mormon project treads new ground, and Davis’s work will continue to play a role in the burgeoning field of Book of Mormon studies for years to come.”—Church History

“An astoundingly good book, one of the best works of religious and intellectual history . . . in years.”—Mormon Studies Review

“A significant contribution to the growing field of study surrounding early Mormon texts.”—Early American Literature

“One merit of this book is that Davis does not get stuck on the anachronism as evidence that Joseph invented The Book of Mormon; rather, he allows his mixed audience of skeptics, scholars, and believers to share in the mystery on their own terms.”—Journal of the American Academy of Religion

“[Visions in a Seer Stone] shines new light on an elusive topic. . . . Davis provides persuasive evidence for the centrality of oral cultures in the production and shaping of the Book of Mormon. His book will be useful not only within Mormon studies, but for scholars of religion interested in early American cultures of orality, the relationship between process and text, and the mechanics of religious imagination.”—Reading Religion