Q&A With John G. Turner author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet

The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America

The Good Book Club are joined by the wonderful Matthew Harris to discuss his book "The Founding Fathers and the Debate over Religion in Revolutionary America" co-authored with Thomas S. Kidd.) Our discussion explores whether America was built as a secular republic or a Christian nation. Matt's book shows the Founders' beliefs varied widely. Some were skeptics like Thomas Paine, while others were traditional Christians like Patrick Henry. Despite these differences, most rallied around core religious principles such as: Human Equality: The belief that people were created equal.Religious Liberty: The separation of church and state, requiring the disestablishment of state-backed religions. And Public Virtue: The necessity of strong moral character for a republic to survive. This is a fascinating and timely discussion as Matt shares many stories and insights into the founding of America and what the lens of Mormonism does to the narrative.

TGBC: The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements

In this The Good Book Club episode we dive into the psychology of fanaticism with Eric Hoffer's 1951 classic, The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements. This highly influential book explores the common denominator behind religious, social, and political fanaticisms, offering a timeless look at why ordinary people are drawn to extreme mass movements. Key themes we discussed included: The Appeal of Mass Movements: Hoffer argues that mass movements offer an escape from a broken or burdensome individual self, providing a sense of purpose and community.The Mindset of the Fanatic: Explores why frustration, a lack of self-worth, and a desire for unity drive individuals to embrace rigid belief systems.The Role of the Leader: We discussed how charismatic figures and propagandists harness the energy of the dissatisfied to mobilize movements.Interchangeability of Movements: We analyzed Hoffer’s controversial claim that religious, nationalist, and radical political movements are fundamentally similar in structure and psychology.This The Good Book Club Meeting was originally held on June 14, 2026.

Mythos and Cosmos: Mind and Meaning in the Oral Age

Mythos and Cosmos: Mind and Meaning in the Oral Age by Dr. John Knight Lundwall is a groundbreaking exploration of ancient mythology, recasting myths as a highly rational and complex oral cosmology. It offers a fascinating, eye-opening look at how pre-literate peoples perceived and interacted with the universe. Key Highlights from the Book * Myth as an Imprinting Press: It defines myth not as mere fiction, but as a robust method of information transmission for oral cultures. * Reimagining the Universe: Reveals that ancient oral cosmology was vastly more complex than the "flat-earth" models often assumed. * Ancient Wonders in a New Light: Offers fresh perspectives on myth cycles like the Epic of Gilgamesh, megalithic structures like Stonehenge, and the roots of Greek theater.

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by social psychologists Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson is a compelling dive into the hidden mental machinery that causes us to deflect blame and justify our actions. Rather than simply admitting fault, the human brain unconsciously creates stories that protect our self-image, convincing us that we are always smart, moral, and right.Core Concepts ExploredCognitive Dissonance: The psychological discomfort we feel when our actions contradict our beliefs. The book explains how our brains resolve this jarring feeling by changing our beliefs rather than our behavior.Self-Justification: The automatic, unconscious process that allows us to justify bad decisions, hold on to outdated attitudes, or hurt others instead of admitting we were wrong.Memory Distortion: How our brains unconsciously reconstruct the past to support our present self-image and edit out our own errors.Real-World Impact: How these psychological mechanisms play out everywhere—from everyday romantic arguments and medical errors to the highly polarized political landscape.This The Good Book Club meeting was originally held on April 12, 2026.

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution

Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution by Cat Bohannon is a popular science book that reexamines human evolution by placing the female body at the center of the story rather than treating it as secondary. The book traces key traits—such as lactation, pregnancy, brain development, language, and menopause—back through millions of years of mammalian and human evolution, showing how female biology has fundamentally shaped our species. By following a series of “Eves” (representing different evolutionary stages), Bohannon argues that many scientific narratives have historically overlooked or misunderstood women’s bodies, leading to gaps in knowledge in fields like medicine and anthropology. Overall, the book challenges male-centric assumptions about evolution and demonstrates that understanding the female body is essential to understanding human history, health, and behavior today. This The Good Book Club Meeting was held on March 8th, 2026.