From the politics of Glenn Beck to reality television's Big Love and the hit Broadway show The Book of Mormon, Mormons have become a recognizable staple of mainstream popular culture. And while most Americans are well aware of the existence of Mormonism--and some of the often exaggerated myths about Mormonism--the religion's public influence has been sorely understudied.

Lee Trepanier and Lynita K. Newswander move beyond cliched and stereotypical portrayals of Mormonism to unpack the significant and sometimes surprising roles Mormons have played in the building of...