By the Hand of Mormon: Scenes from the Land of Promise

by Walter Rane

Book by Rane, Walter

Genres: Religion, Art

Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish they had made the book wider so the paintings could fit on one page - I couldn't see the parts closest to the spine of the book. I enjoyed the art, even if it isn't what I'd call beautiful. Walter Rane IS an accomplished artist who successfully illustrates his knowledge of anatomy. In the 1990s he was commissioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to create works of art depicting scenes from the Book of Mormon, the life of Jesus Christ, and the life of Joseph Smith. His art is pretty well recognized by members of the LDS Church, so I enjoyed seeing art from him that I hadn't seen before. I'm not sure, but I think the paintings in this book were created FOR this book.

There is also a music CD by the same name. In the back of the CD pamphlet, it reads:

"Though the musical story told on this CD and the paintings in the book of the same name or intentionally not integrated, it is hoped that each will be magnified by the presence of the other. Both the music and the art are intended to increase appreciation for the Book of Mormon, its people and messages, and help fulfill President Ezra Taft Benson's vision of 'artists putting into film, drama, literature, music, and paintings great themes and great characters from the Book of Mormon' (Ensign, Nov. 1988, 6)."

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful art work but it is somewhat awkwardly displayed at times. Paintings are cut up as part is displayed on one page and the rest on another, with part lost in the spine of the book. Other times the paintings were small and it was difficult to appreciate all of the detail. I wish it had been a little bit easier to see fully but I appreciated the subject matter and loved the art itself. I also enjoyed the quotes and scriptures included.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to have in any home. Following the Book of Mormon it focuses on main stories by having a mixture of beautiful artwork, excerpts from the scriptures, and quotes that give insight into the stories. Short and sweet comments make it a great nighttime devotional as you make your way through the stories.

[Marv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oops ... wrong book. I am actually reading "By the Hand of Mormon : The Scripture That Launched A New World Religion," by Teryl Givens. This is a very good analysis of issues of the day in Mormonism ... albeit somewhat academic. Keep your dictionary within reach.

[Jared Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book as a gift by someone on my mission, and I treasure it. The scriptures of the Book of Mormon mixed with Walter Rane's beautiful artwork work perfectly. This is a great addition to anyone's coffee table or library.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the books I bought for the art write-ups I'm doing for my church building. I appreciated this book because the Walter Ranes we bought were originally a bit rah-rah and manly for my taste. I enjoy those paintings much more now. I really love the ones of Ether and Samuel.

[Bridget]

On the hardcover shelf.