This is a terrific book and helps as a way of refocusing the view of how you think about the culture described in the Book of Mormon. If you are a believer, ... it helps to make things more specific and yet less cut and dried. Just like real life.

If you aren't a believer, and in fact if you actively disbelieve the Book of Mormon, that is OK too. You will get a more specific look at the vision of things you actively disbelieve.

In either case it is a helpful and valuable book, as are all of Sorenson's works.

The title describes exactly what this book is. Sorenson takes us into his world as a socio-cultural anthropologist, helping us understand what the different archeological and historical remains can tell us about the many aspects of the everyday lives of ancient peoples. The book is intentionally simple, you won't find in depth hypothosis' or commentary, but it is written at a level beneficial for newcomers as well as for those who already know much about ancient American culture. A small section of each topic cites Book of Mormon references that may be relative to the subject matter. Sorenson's intent is not to validate the history in the Book of Mormon through archeological discovery, but rather to help us understand the cultures that were a part of, or influenced, the peoples in that book-much like knowing about ancient Jewish culture helps us better understand the events in the New Testament. This book has added an important aspect to my study of the Book of Mormon, and as a visitor to ruins in Mexico, added life and meaning to what I saw there.

This carefully annotated work from an archaeological perspective complements and well surpasses other work such as that of the historian Fingerhut. The discussion of individual texts is even-handed, and the compilers do not unfairly push their point of view (though it shows through). This two-volume work is well organized and easy to use.

While this relatively specialized book might be a bit pricey for public libraries, it is an important corrective to the fantasy about pre-Columbian contacts that is on most public library's shelves. For the academic library with any pretense to serious coverage of New World archaeology, it is a must.

The thirteen chapters in this book of over 500 pages are dedicated to John Sorensen, one of the foremost LDS scholars dealing with the ancient world. The book comprises three sections: Mormon History and Culture; Elucidating the Book of Mormon, and the Ancient World. My favorite section is the latter, which contains chapters dealing with evidences of transoceanic contact with the Americas or other evidences for authenticity of the Book of Mormon. "Pre-Columbian American Sunflower and Maize Images in Indian Temples: Evidence of Contact between Civilizations in India and America" by Carl L. Johannessen is especially interesting and well documented.

The section on history and culture contains essays on Mormon covenants and religious identity, Mormon funeral sermons in the 19th century, the LDS Indian placement program, and a fascinating account of Tonga's response to "Mormon intruders" earlier in this century.

The book contains a rather unusual mix of articles without a clear focus, other than touching areas of interest to John Sorensen. But there's something for any serious student of Latter-day Saint culture, history, or scriptures. I recommend it as a useful addition to one's personal library of LDS topics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology of essays. I was particularly stimulated by the article on "Nephi and His Asherah," which tries to connect a visionary episode early in the Book of Mormon with ancient Hebrew goddess-veneration. Much to think about.

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 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.