Benchmark Books

06/03/2026

Summertime ... and the reading is easy. Going on vacation? Sounds like you might need a new book. Staying home with the explicit goal of *not* going anywhere? Definitely sounds like you need a new book. Writing a book? Sounds like you might need a distraction book. Whatever the situation, come check out what's new on the shelf here!

https://www.benchmarkbooks.com/searchResults.php?action=catalog&category_id=291

06/01/2026

We are pleased to announce that Thomas Murphy will be here to speak about Unsettling Scripture: Iroquois and the Book of Mormon (published by University of Utah Press) on Tuesday, June 9. He will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will speak at 6:00,and answer questions and sign books before and after that time.

In Unsettling Scripture: Iroquois and the Book of Mormon, anthropologist Thomas W Murphy delves into the visions of Seneca prophet Handsome Lake, the epic narratives of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the origin story of the Book of Mormon, revealing surprising parallels between Indigenous and Mormon traditions.

Through ethnohistorical research and decolonizing methodologies, Murphy reexamines how both communities understand their origins, faith, and prophecy. From Handsome Lake’s revelations to Joseph Smith’s seer stone, from ancient sibling rivalries to the Great Peace, this book unsettles traditional narratives while opening new conversations on scripture, identity, and cultural exchange. Drawing from living Indigenous voices, Unsettling Scripturechallenges readers to rethink sacred texts and the histories they tell.

Thomas W Murphy is president of the Mormon Social Science Association and former chair of the anthropology department at Edmonds College.

Unsettling Scripture: Iroquois and the Book of Mormon. University of Utah Press. Paperback. $34.95.

Also by Thomas Murphy
 
“Lamanite Genesis, Genealogy, and Genetics,” in American Apocrypha: Essays on the Book of Mormon. Signature Books, 2002. Paperback. Reg. $21.95, SALE $4.99

Order through our website in our bio.

Shipping: $7.50 for the first book—inquire for rates on multiple book orders

Priority/FedEx/UPS options available–inquire for details.

Utah residents–add 7.65% sales tax

05/06/2026

05/05/2026

We are so excited to show you a copy of the first edition of The Book of Mormon published in 1830.

04/25/2026

We are celebrating Indie Bookstore Day again today! Saturday, April 25, we will be open from 10 AM to 2 PM. Come join us!
Today only, save 20% on new books and 30% on used books (in-store and web orders)

• Refreshments in store
• Giveaways: we'll have some first-come, first-served giveaways in store and we'll also do drawings for some new books
• Clearance cart in store

The 2026 Utah Indie Bookstore Crawl is officially on the calendar, and we are proud to be a stop on the map.

Kicking off on Independent Bookstore Day (Saturday, April 25th), this is a strictly analog, state-wide road trip designed to support local shops and get good reading material into your hands.

This year, Bookish has built two distinct routes. Choose your mileage:

ROUTE 01: THE SPRINT Built for the locals who treat Indie Bookstore Day like a competitive sport. You have exactly one day—April 25th exclusively—to collect 10 stamps across the state. Haul the evidence to the Crawler Celebration at the Downtown Library from 4:00 - 6:00 PM to claim your prize.

ROUTE 02: THE MARATHON For the overachievers who pack the trunk and require highway playlists. You have until December 31, 2026, to run the entire route from the canyons to the deserts. Claim your marathon prize from the bookseller at your final stop.

The Logistics:

Print the Map: The official map can be found here. You must print & carry a physical copy. No digital versions, no phone screens.

Collect Stamps: Visit participating bookshops—including us!—and ask the clerk to stamp your map to mark your mileage. (Stamps secured during the sprint roll directly into your marathon success)

Claim the Payoff: Pick your final destination wisely. The last shop you visit on the Marathon route is where you'll cash in your map for your reward.

For now: check your tire pressure, rally the crew, and we will see y'all on Saturday, April 25th to secure your first stamp.

04/02/2026

Come join us *today* from 4 to 5 PM for a meet and greet with author Linda Hamilton. She will be here to chat and sign copies of her brand new Gothic (Mormon!) novel, "The Fourth Wife."

The Utah Territory, 1882: Hazel Russon’s eternal salvation depends on her willingness to live meekly and obediently by following the teachings of the church and the men who lead it. But when she is promised to a man she has never met in a plural marriage, Hazel uncovers deadly secrets that threaten to devour her whole.

Who is the biggest threat to Hazel? Her husband? His other wives? Or the house that holds secrets of its own?

Jacob, the charming yet volatile man Hazel has been married to, brings her home to his decaying estate nestled in the Utah wilderness. Shocked, she discovers she is to share the crumbling home with his three other wives whose loyalty Hazel can’t decide. But most sinister of all is the house itself that threatens to burst with the secrets seeping from its walls...

Inspired by author and historian Linda Hamilton’s own Mormon ancestors, two sisters plural married to the same man in 1800s Utah, THE FOURTH WIFE is an evocative reckoning with religion, feminism, and the many voices history has left behind.

The Fourth Wife: A Novel. Kensington Books, 2026. Kensington Books, 2026. Paperback. $18.95

If you can't make it, order a copy online and we'll get it signed!

benchmarkbooks.com/pages/books/41043

03/05/2026

Original Nauvoo Temple Stone - approx. 28 x 8 x 4.5”, this piece of stone has been worked by hand with a Vertical-Striation-Textured Finish - fairly uniform vertical lines or grooves. Groove depth averaged no more than 3/32 of an inch and were generally spaced 3/8 of an inch from ridge to ridge on each side of the grooves. We think this is a piece of one of stones found at the top and bottom of a pilaster of which there were 30 or a window sill of which there were 47 on the Nauvoo Temple. This item is for sale. Please inquire for details.

03/01/2026

This 1837 Book of Mormon filled a hole in an impressive collection. What are you looking for? Please let us know.

02/27/2026

A new record at Benchmark Books. 41 years ago a customer made a request and bought the book this week! We want to find books for you. Please let us know what you’re looking for. What’s been the most elusive thing in your collection? Please share in the comments.

02/10/2026

A reminder that Blair Holmes and Alan Keele will be here to speak about When Truth Was Treason: German Youth Against Hi**er (published by Academic Research Foundation) THIS THURSDAY, February 12. They will be here from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will speak at 6:00, and answer questions and sign books before and after that time. This book served as the basis for the recent movie Truth and Treason (Angel). To watch the movie free, click https://angel.app.link/BS46slKml0b?_p=c11433dc9a0a7af5e2038ffce1