This book investigates how nineteenth-century American popular fiction systematically constructed the Mormon identity as a dangerous, subversive 'Other' within the national consciousness. Terryl Givens, a scholar of Mormon studies, utilizes a wide array of literary sources to analyze the cultural mechanisms behind anti-Mormon sentiment. He argues that the portrayal of Mormons as a 'viper on the hearth' served as a narrative device to define the boundaries of mainstream American domesticity and religious orthodoxy. By examining these fictional tropes, the author reveals the intersection of literature, prejudice, and the formation of religious heresy in the United States.

Scholars and historians frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of American literature and religious prejudice. Readers often note the academic rigor of the prose, which provides a clear and compelling analysis of how fictional narratives shaped historical perceptions of a minority faith.