Blood of the Prophets facts for kids
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| Author | Will Bagley |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Mountain Meadows massacre |
| Genre | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | University of Oklahoma Press |
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Publication date
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September 2002 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 544 |
| ISBN | 0-8061-3426-7 |
Blood of the Prophets: Brigham Young and the Massacre at Mountain Meadows (2002) is a history book by Will Bagley. It tells the story of the Mountain Meadows massacre. This book updated an earlier important history by Juanita Brooks. Many people consider it one of the most important books on this event.
Awards and Recognition
This book received several important awards for historical writing. These awards show that experts recognized its quality and research.
- Spur Award, from the Western Writers of America.
- Caughey Book Prize, from the Western History Association.
- Caroline Bancroft History Prize, from the Denver Public Library.
- Co-Founders Best Book Award, from Westerners International.
- 2003 Best Book Award, from the John Whitmer Historical Association.
A fellow historian from Utah, Brigham D. Madsen, called the book "definitive." He said it was a "Mormon historical classic." The New York Review of Books also praised the book. They said it was "detailed" and "easy to read." They noted it carefully explained the events leading to the massacre. It also covered what happened long after.
Different Viewpoints and Discussions
Like many history books, Blood of the Prophets led to some discussions. Some groups, especially Mormon historians, had different ideas about the book's findings.
For example, The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies at Brigham Young University disagreed with Bagley's idea. Bagley concluded that Brigham Young ordered the massacre. FARMS said that Bagley might have used a quote incorrectly. They claimed he changed the word "grain" to "allies" in a quote. This change would make the quote mean something different.
Some historians also felt that Bagley's conclusions came from looking at events in a different order. This could change how one understands the history.
Another point of discussion was about how the book was written. Some Mormon historians wondered if Bagley's work was influenced. This was because a businessman hired him to "rewrite the story." Bagley, however, said that this was not true.
Editions
- 2002: Norman, University of Oklahoma Press.
