Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations Facsimile Edition

Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations Facsimile Edition was the second book published in the Joseph Smith Papers project. I have it sitting on my shelf for a few years now, but I finally met the daunting task of reading it. There is not a lot of new material in this book as far as printed word goes; most of the revelations included in this book are also found in the Doctrine and Covenants. What makes this book so unique is that every single page of the original revelation books has been photocopied and a color reproduction has been included in this volume of the Joseph Smith Papers series (hence the term "Facsimile Edition).

This book gives a glimpse into the recording and printing process for many of Joseph Smith's revelations. Although the revelation books from which this volume draws its information were most likely not the original copies of the dictated revelations, a lot can still be gleaned from their pages. The editors were able to identify most of the scribes who made changes/corrections to the manuscripts which gives insight into writing style and also the preparation they underwent to have these revelations published.

I was very impressed with the pain-staking work the editors have gone through to decipher writing that seems entirely illegible. To do this, they not only used special equipment and lighting with the original documents, but they also studied individual writing styles. I can't imagine how many years it must have taken to complete this one volume alone. It really gave me a lot of appreciation, respect, and trust for the work of these scholars. Because of their diligent work, the editors are able to transport me back to the 1800's and gain a new glimpse into the world of Joseph Smith and the revelations he received, dictated, and eventually had published. I am eager to continue reading more books in this project.