Book Description

Book Description: For nearly two centuries, Latter-day Saints have been reading the Book of Mormon through multiple changes in its punctuation, formatting, and versification. The Plates of Mormon: A Book of Mormon Study Edition Based on Textual and Narrative Structures in the English Translation offers a new perspective on this book of scripture by seeking to align its English translation with the inaccessible golden plates from which that translation was made. Originally punctuated and formatted by the 1830 first edition’s compositor, John H. Gilbert, who had to add punctuation and paragraphs to the text to make it more reader-friendly, this study edition meticulously returns to this issue by reexamining punctuation and paragraphs to enhance readability while maintaining faithfulness to the source material. Utilizing insights explored in his companion volume, Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper: Textual and Narrative Structures of the Book of Mormon, editor Brant A. Gardner also addresses issues of spelling, grammar, alterations, deletions, and paratextual information, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the Book of Mormon's composition and the principles guiding this edition's editorial decisions. Additionally, this edition examines narrative and literary structures in its translation to best represent how Mormon’s ancient writings were recorded on his golden plates. It does so not only by removing modern summaries and versification formatting, but also by returning the text to its original chapters and relocating the small plates section outside of Mormon’s intended record. It also highlights the logic behind punctuation, paragraphing, chapters, and headers, helping readers gain a more profound appreciation for the text's nuances. If you're interested in the Book of Mormon's origins, textual structure, and the thoughtful decisions made in presenting it, this edition provides valuable insights and a fresh perspective on this sacred text. It is a must-read for those seeking to explore the Book of Mormon anew. Praise for The Plates of Mormon: "Brant Gardner’s The Plates of Mormon: A Book of Mormon Study Edition is highly recommended to any and all readers who want to more deeply engage the text of the Book of Mormon. In this book, Gardner takes readers back to the early stages of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. He expertly works through the book’s transmission, bringing to life the words of Mormon, Nephi, and others. Gardner skillfully integrates the earliest manuscripts of the Book of Mormon while also highlighting the hundreds of places where the Book of Mormon interacts with the Bible. A remarkable achievement." — Nicholas J. Frederick, Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University, and author of The Bible, Mormon Scripture, and the “Rhetoric of Allusivity” "This volume is a welcome addition to other recent study editions of the Book of Mormon. Relying upon the Printer’s Manuscript, Gardner succeeds in making the text more intelligible and accessible to readers through a careful restructuring of punctuation, sentences, paragraphs, and narrative blocks, as well as by beginning with the large plates followed by the small. Readers will engage anew with the text of the Book of Mormon in this logically and creatively reformatted presentation, supported by highly insightful footnotes. There is much to be gained from this innovative contribution to Book of Mormon studies." — Kerry Hull, co-editor, A Hundredth Part: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Book of Mormon "Brant Gardner’s The Plates of Mormon: A Book of Mormon Study Edition is an excellent addition to the small but growing number of scholarly editions of the Nephite record. Working from the Printer’s Manuscript, Gardner has undertaken the labor of its first compositor, John H. Gilbert, by punctuating and paragraphing the Book of Mormon text afresh and providing a new and enjoyable experience, one which rewards its readers with new insights as the familiar chapter-and-verse structure is shaken up. Most notable is the re-arrangement by order of translation, allowing readers to experience the Book of Mormon as its original authors intended. Footnotes throughout provide interesting history and insights from the Original and Printers’ Manuscripts, as well as noting quotations, allusions, and echoes to the language of the King James Bible, enriching the reader’s experience. Having published and presented on the Book of Mormon in academic settings for over two decades, Brant Gardner has here produced a study edition of the Book of Mormon worthy of inclusion on the shelves of every serious student of the keystone scripture." — Jared Riddick, librarian and archivist at Scripture Central