Greg Kofford Books

09/26/2025

Neylan McBaine is presenting in a lunchtime session today at the RESTORE 2025 conference. We had her sign copies of her book, “Women at Church,” when she stopped by our table last night. 

(See our profile for a link to her book.)

09/26/2025

Neylan McBaine is presenting in a lunchtime session today at the RESTORE 2025 conference. We had her sign copies of her book, “Women at Church,” when she stopped by our booth last night. 

https://gregkofford.com/products/women-at-church

09/25/2025

We have our table all set up at the RESTORE 2025 Conference at UVU (Orem, Utah). If you are attending the conference, please drop by and say hi. (And we wouldn’t mind it if you bought a book or two while you are here.) ☺️

09/25/2025

Chad Nielsen reviewed "Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition" at the Times and Seasons this week:

"Orson F. Whitney... sought to craft an epic poem for Mormonism in the style of Milton’s 'Paradise Lost.' The result was 'Elias,' a sweeping narrative that blends theology, history, and mythic imagery to recount the Latter-day Saint story.... Whitney’s poem, though flawed by outdated assumptions, remains a remarkable attempt to enshrine Mormonism within the tradition of epic poetry. Neilson’s editorial work ensures that readers not only experience the poem itself but also understand its broader historical and cultural significance. The result is a volume that is both scholarly and accessible, offering lasting value to students of Mormon studies, literature, and theology."

Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition, edited by Reid L. Neilson and published by Greg Kofford Books, is an important effort to preserve and present a landmark text in the literary history of Latter-day Saints. Orson F. Whitney, a Church leader and gifted writer at the turn of the twentiet...

09/23/2025

Now available!

"Orson Whitney was the preeminent Latter-day Saint man of letters at the turn of the twentieth century. Reid Nielson has brought this ambitious writer and poet back to life with a critical edition of Whitney’s vast poem Elias: An Epic of the Ages. Whitney sought to pour everything he knew and experienced as a gospel believer into one grand work. Neilson annotates Elias and embeds it in the sources emanating from Whitney’s work: autobiographical reflections, contemporary reviews, Whitney’s own critical work, and assessments of Whitney’s overall achievement. Anyone interested in Latter-day Saint literature will want this book on their shelves." — Richard Lyman Bushman, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling

"Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition" by Orson F. Whitney, edited by Reid L. Neilson

Order today: https://gregkofford.com/products/elias

Preview: https://gregkofford.com/blogs/news/preview-elias

by Orson Ferguson Whitneyedited by Reid L. Neilson Now available in print and ebook! "Anyone interested in Latter-day Saint literature will want this book on their shelves." — Richard Lyman Bushman "Whitney's Elias is one of the great understudied and unknown works of Latter-day Saint literature."...

09/23/2025

Read our latest newsletter:

Just Released: Elias—An Epic of the Ages: A Critical Edition - https://mailchi.mp/koffordbooks/just-released-elias-an-epic-of-the-ages-a-critical-edition

09/22/2025

Kurt Manwaring just interviewed Richard Bushman about his reflections on writing "Rough Stone Rolling" 20 years after its initial publication at the "From the Desk" blog.

https://www.fromthedesk.org/rough-stone-rolling-richard-bushman-reflects-20-years-later/

(Also check out Richard's personal diary of his year on the road promoting the book: https://gregkofford.com/products/on-the-road-with-joseph-smith)

See how Richard Bushman's views about Joseph Smith have evolved since writing the Rough Stone Rolling book.

09/19/2025

BOOK SIGNING TONIGHT!

Robert A. Rees will be discussing his new book, "Imagining and Reimagining the Restoration" at the Compass Gallery in Provo (250 W. Center St., Suite 101) tonight at 6:00 PM.

Bring your copy of his book—or buy one of limited copies there—and chat with Bob in person while he signs your book.

09/19/2025

The annual conference of the John Whitmer Historical Association is underway now in Independence, Missouri. The JWHA is "an independent scholarly society composed of individuals who share a lively interest in the history of Community of Christ and the Restoration Movement."

While most of the books we publish are focused on the history, theology, and social issues of the "Utah Mormons," we do offer some biographies that would be of interest to those wanting to know more about the history of Community of Christ (formerly The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).

Check out the collection:

Greg Kofford Books recently asked Bob Rees, author of Imagining and Reimagining the Restoration, about his new book. Q: You write about "imagining" and "reimagining" the Restoration, suggesting that a...

09/18/2025

In conjunction with the annual John Whitmer Historical Association Conference (which begins today in Independence, Missouri), the 2025 JWHA book and article awards will be announced.

https://www.jwha.info/events/annual-conference/book-nominations-2025/

Several of our books have been nominated across different categories:

Cheryl L. Bruno and John S. Dinger. Come up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering
https://gregkofford.com/products/come-up-hither-to-zion-william-marks

Alonzo L. Gaskill and Richard G. Moore, The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts
https://gregkofford.com/products/revised-expanded-teachings-joseph-smith

Nathan B. Oman, Law And the Restoration: Law and Latter-day Saint History
https://gregkofford.com/products/law-and-the-restoration-history

Fred E. Woods, Jay H. Buckley, and Hunter T. Hallows, The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill: South African 1820 Settler, Wesleyan Missionary, and Latter-day Saint
https://gregkofford.com/products/life-and-adventures-of-eli-wiggill

Stay tuned and see which ones win!

09/17/2025

The annual conference of the John Whitmer Historical Association begins tomorrow in Independence, Missouri. We aren't able to sponsor a table there since it's being held at a Federal building (the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum), but several GKB authors will be participating:

Current JWHA President Mark Staker, author of the award-winning "Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith’s Ohio Revelations," (https://gregkofford.com/products/hearken-o-ye-people) will be opening the conference on Thursday evening, and will deliver the Keynote Presidential Address on Saturday night.

Nicholas S. Literski, coauthor of "Method Infinite: Freemasonry and the Mormon Restoration, (https://gregkofford.com/products/method-infinite) will give a presentation on Friday entitled "Joseph Smith Jr. and 19th Century Prosecutions of Cunning Folk."

Kyle R. Walker, author of "William B. Smith: In the Shadow of a Prophet," (https://gregkofford.com/products/william-b-smith) will be presenting "James A. Garfield and the Booth Family of Hiram, Ohio: Examining Their Intersections and Peripheral Ties to Mormonism" on Friday.

A pair of presentations on polygamy will be given on Friday afternoon by Newell G. Bringhurst, author of "Saints, Slaves, and Blacks: The Changing Place of Black People Within Mormonism," (https://gregkofford.com/products/saints-slaves-and-blacks) and Craig L. Foster, author of "Penny Tracts and Polemics: A Critical Analysis of Anti-Mormon Pamphleteering in Great Britain, 1837–1860," (https://gregkofford.com/products/penny-tracts-and-polemics).

The theme of the conference is "Politics and Religion: The Impact of Governance and Government on the Restoration Movements from 1830 to the Present."

https://www.jwha.info/events/annual-conference/

Annual Conference John Whitmer Historical Association holds its annual conference in late September. Conferences are held in places that have a connection with Community of Christ history or early Mormon history. Every three years, the conference is held in Independence, Missouri. JWHA practices wea...