Many readers have no doubt heard of Matt Grow’s new book, Liberty to the Downtrodden: Thomas L. Kane, Romantic Reformer, and most have probably seen Matt’s posts over at Big Brown. But, it’s not every year that a book written by a Mormon scholar, that treats Mormon history prominently, gets published by Yale University Press. This is a big deal, folks, so there really is no such thing as too much promotion in this case. We expect to have a full review of the work posted at the JI within the next few weeks. But here’s a “tide over” from Joe Cannon’s review of the work in the Mormon Times:

Who was Thomas L. Kane? Why did he come to the aid of Mormons? What in his background prepared and motivated him to choose this battle?

Happily, Matthew J. Grow, assistant professor at the University of Southern Indiana, has filled in what turns out to be the rich tapestry of Kane’s life.

This exceptional biography locates Kane in his native Philadelphia, as well as gives readers a deeper understanding of the 19th century and the larger canvas on which Mormon history was drawn.

Though Grow is a careful and exacting scholar, he is also a gifted writer, drawing us into Kane’s life such that we feel Kane’s motivations and passion. Grow makes Kane come alive.