Corry Cropper

These are the first English translations of four popular French musical comedies about Mormons: Mormons in Paris (1874), Berthelier Meets the Mormons (1875), Japheth’s Twelve Wives (1890), and Stephana’s Jewel (1892). The book’s introduction and notes contextualize the plays, examining how Mormons were depicted by French playwrights, and connecting France’s shifting social landscape to representations of this new and controversial American religion.

The immediate forerunner of the bicycle, the velocipede inspired a cultural craze in late 1860s France that reflected changing cultural attitudes and challenged gender norms. Velocipedomania is the first in-depth study of this fad and the popular culture it inspired, including translations and illustrations from rare texts. 

These are the first English translations of four popular French musical comedies about Mormons: Mormons in Paris (1874), Berthelier Meets the Mormons (1875), Japheth’s Twelve Wives (1890), and Stephana’s Jewel (1892). The book’s introduction and notes contextualize the plays, examining how Mormons were depicted by French playwrights, and connecting France’s shifting social landscape to representations of this new and controversial American religion.