Touching Hundreds of Lives & Thousands of Dollars

Book for Sale, Page at a Time

from The Associated Press

PHOENIX - Retired bookstore owner Helen Schlie can see a higher purpose in her decision to sell her 1830 first-edition Book of Mormon one page at a time.

Schlie said she feels it will be more of a "missionary tool" if broken apart rather than going to a single collector since the framed pages - priced at $2,500 to $4,500 each - can be handed down generation to generation.

"This way, it will touch hundreds of lives and span generations of time," said Schlie, who is Mormon. "The book has now started a whole new missionary career."

Her decision has garnered mixed reviews from the church, fellow Mormon book dealers, and librarians who think such a rare piece of church history is better left whole. Some librarians were appalled when they learned of Schlie's intentions.

The Book of Mormon is the story of a Hebrew family who migrated from Jerusalem to the New World and tells of a visit to their descendants by Jesus Christ after his resurrection. It was first published in 1830 by Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after he said an angel named Moroni guided him to gold tablets documenting the teachings and lives of ancient tribes.

The book Schlie owns is one of the first 5,000 printed.


A page for every tooth on every Osmond...

Unexpected Tangeant:
How many words can you make from Mormon?
No
Room
Nor
Mom
On
Moon
Moron
Moor
Norm
Or
Moo