Since The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on April 6, 1830, thirteen men have been sustained by the Saints as the prophet, seer, Revelator, and president of the Church. From the Prophet Joseph Smith to Ezra Taft Benson, each man has been uniquely qualified for his particular period of service, and each has made unique contributions to the kingdom of God on earth.

The Presidents of the Church is a collection of biographical essays on these spiritual leaders, written by eleven authors who have studied the presidents' lives and writings and who themselves have deep commitment to and testimonies of the Church and its mission. Leonard J. Arrington, a former director of the Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Church History at Brigham Young University and the former Church Historian, served as general editor and also authored three of the chapters.

In his preface, Dr. Arrington explains the intent of the book: "This book is intended for general Latter-day Saint readers, young and old, who wish an introduction to each of the presidents of their church. . . . The writers have enormous respect and admiration for the men they have written about, and we have not attempted to submerge that feeling. I am sure that the reading of these lives will be as faith-promoting for those who read it as it has been for those of us who have written it."

The Presidents of the Church presents a panorama of over 160 years of Church history, told through the lives and experiences of the men who have had such direct and lasting influence on it. From the glorious visions of the young Joseph Smith to the building of a new civilization in the Rocky Mountains, the explosive growth in membership and activity is chronicled as the church becomes a widely respected international force. Each chapter tells a story of devotion to duty, of testimony, of courage, of conviction, of love and honor, of faith in pursuit of righteousness and truth.

Contributions from: James B. Allen, Leonard J. Arrington, William G. Hartley, Dean C. Jessee, Scott Kenney, Edward L. Kimball, Joseph Fielding Mcconkie, Merlo J. Pusey, Paul Thomas Smith, Heidi S. Swinton, Ronald W. Walker