As a member of the church I think this book was done pretty well for someone that is not a member themselves. It was well put together and well written.

The writing style of this book makes it a surprisingly easy and quick read, not what I expected from a university press. There's less historiographical detail than I expected about how the details of Smith's life interfere with decades of church hagiography. That being said, this book provides a complete look at Smith's life and is a suitable introduction for schools. I would recommend it for those unfamiliar with Smith or Mormonism in general.