Levi Savage Peterson (born 1933) is a Mormon biographer, essayist and fictionist whose best-known works include a seminal biography of Juanita Brooks,[1] his own autobiography, and his novel The Backslider, a "standard for the contemporary Mormon novel."[2] He was born and reared in the Mormon community of Snowflake, Arizona and is an emeritus professor of English at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.[3] He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France and Belgium from 1954 to 1957. He edited Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought from 2004 to 2008.
Peterson's work as a writer centers in "the possibility of wrong behavior"; his works "variously examine the tension between Sainthood as fact and Sainthood as aspiration, between belief and doubt, and between expected blessings and the traumas of reality."[4] Similarly, he taught his writing students to "write from the other side of your inhibitions."[5] In an essay entitled "In Defense of a Mormon Erotica," Peterson stated that "prudery reinforces pornography" by hiding sexual feelings.[6]: 124 He encouraged Mormon authors to include sexual content and obscenities (in an appropriate amounts) in their work, writing that "there is a vitality in sexual imagery and obscenities."[6]: 124, 127
Peterson has been the recipient of several AML Awards: Short Fiction (1978) for "The Confessions of Augustine", Short Fiction (1982–1983) for "The Canyons of Grace", Special Award for Short Story Anthology (1982–1983) for Greening Wheat: Fifteen Mormon Short Stories, Novel (1986) for The Backslider, Special Recognition in Biography (1988) for Juanita Brooks: Mormon Woman Historian, Honorary Lifetime Membership (1988), Smith-Pettit Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Mormon Letters (2009), and Short Fiction (2016) for "Kid Kirby". Additionally, his work has been a finalist in the short fiction category twice: 2014 ("Jesus Enough") and 2019 ("Bode and Iris").
Partial bibliographyEdit
Peterson, Levi S. (1982), The Canyons of Grace, University of Illinois Press (Later republished by Signature Books), ISBN0-941214-26-5, OCLC 8306271
Peterson, Levi S., ed. (1983), Greening Wheat: Fifteen Mormon Short Stories, Orion Books/Signature Books, ISBN0941214125, OCLC 10118168
—— (1986), The Backslider, Signature Books, ISBN0941214451, OCLC 14378627
—— (1988), Juanita Brooks: Mormon Woman Historian, Utah Centennial Series, University of Utah Press, ISBN978-1-60781-151-0, OCLC 18106573
—— (1990), Night Soil: New Stories, Signature Books, ISBN1560850035, OCLC 21873653
^Peterson, Levi S. (2011). Juanita Brooks: The Life Story of a Courageous Historian of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. University of Utah Press. ISBN978-1-60781-151-0. OCLC 730412375.
^Givens, Terryl (2007-08-23). People of Paradox: A History of Mormon Culture. Oxford University Press, USA. p. 313. ISBN978-0-19-516711-5.
^"Levi S. Peterson | Mormon Literature & Creative Arts Database | HBLL". mormonarts.lib.byu.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-17.
levi, peterson, levi, savage, peterson, born, 1933, mormon, biographer, essayist, fictionist, whose, best, known, works, include, seminal, biography, juanita, brooks, autobiography, novel, backslider, standard, contemporary, mormon, novel, born, reared, mormon. Levi Savage Peterson born 1933 is a Mormon biographer essayist and fictionist whose best known works include a seminal biography of Juanita Brooks 1 his own autobiography and his novel The Backslider a standard for the contemporary Mormon novel 2 He was born and reared in the Mormon community of Snowflake Arizona and is an emeritus professor of English at Weber State University in Ogden Utah 3 He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints in France and Belgium from 1954 to 1957 He edited Dialogue A Journal of Mormon Thought from 2004 to 2008 Peterson s work as a writer centers in the possibility of wrong behavior his works variously examine the tension between Sainthood as fact and Sainthood as aspiration between belief and doubt and between expected blessings and the traumas of reality 4 Similarly he taught his writing students to write from the other side of your inhibitions 5 In an essay entitled In Defense of a Mormon Erotica Peterson stated that prudery reinforces pornography by hiding sexual feelings 6 124 He encouraged Mormon authors to include sexual content and obscenities in an appropriate amounts in their work writing that there is a vitality in sexual imagery and obscenities 6 124 127 Peterson has been the recipient of several AML Awards Short Fiction 1978 for The Confessions of Augustine Short Fiction 1982 1983 for The Canyons of Grace Special Award for Short Story Anthology 1982 1983 for Greening Wheat Fifteen Mormon Short Stories Novel 1986 for The Backslider Special Recognition in Biography 1988 for Juanita Brooks Mormon Woman Historian Honorary Lifetime Membership 1988 Smith Pettit Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution to Mormon Letters 2009 and Short Fiction 2016 for Kid Kirby Additionally his work has been a finalist in the short fiction category twice 2014 Jesus Enough and 2019 Bode and Iris Partial bibliography EditPeterson Levi S 1982 The Canyons of Grace University of Illinois Press Later republished by Signature Books ISBN 0 941214 26 5 OCLC 8306271 Peterson Levi S ed 1983 Greening Wheat Fifteen Mormon Short Stories Orion Books Signature Books ISBN 0941214125 OCLC 10118168 1986 The Backslider Signature Books ISBN 0941214451 OCLC 14378627 1988 Juanita Brooks Mormon Woman Historian Utah Centennial Series University of Utah Press ISBN 978 1 60781 151 0 OCLC 18106573 1990 Night Soil New Stories Signature Books ISBN 1560850035 OCLC 21873653 1995 Aspen Marooney Signature Books ISBN 1560850787 OCLC 33166649 2006 A Rascal by Nature A Christian by Yearning A Mormon Autobiography University of Utah Press ISBN 978 0 87480 851 3 OCLC 62766043 2021 Losing a Bit of Eden Signature Books ISBN 9781560852926References Edit Peterson Levi S 2011 Juanita Brooks The Life Story of a Courageous Historian of the Mountain Meadows Massacre University of Utah Press ISBN 978 1 60781 151 0 OCLC 730412375 Givens Terryl 2007 08 23 People of Paradox A History of Mormon Culture Oxford University Press USA p 313 ISBN 978 0 19 516711 5 Levi S Peterson Mormon Literature amp Creative Arts Database HBLL mormonarts lib byu edu Retrieved 2021 09 17 1983 AML Award Editing amp Publishing Honorable Mention Association for Mormon Letters Retrieved 2009 11 02 Karamesines Patricia 16 February 2007 The Bright Side of the Dark Side A Motley Vision Retrieved 12 September 2017 a b Peterson Levi S Winter 1987 In Defense of Mormon Erotica Dialogue 20 4 122 127 JSTOR 45228115 External links EditLevi S Peterson at the MLCA Database Mormon Expression interview with Levi Peterson Mormon Stories interview with Levi Peterson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Levi S Peterson amp oldid 1164391442, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
