Klaus J. Hansen

Perceptive, and hard to find. Hansen, a lapsed Mormon, is perhaps the most insightful "non-Mormon" scholar of things Mormon, although Jan Shipps gives him a run for the money.
I buy and read everything I can find by Hansen on the troublesome topic of Mormonism, knowing I'll find new insights and a few "easter eggs" of value.

Here's a most useful book on a little-known aspect of early Mormonism, the Council of Fifty. This Council was Joseph Smith's creation, intended to pave the way for his intended theocratic Kingdom of God on earth, with Smith at its head.
Long out of print, this book is hard to find and is rather expensive. But for anyone who craves information on Smith's very worldly intentions, Hansen's book has yet to be superseded. Of almost equal value is Mike Quinn's two volume set, "The Mormon show more Hierarchy;" however, Quinn's focus is slightly different and he covers a lot more ground. show less