I'm moving cross county to teach in Utah next year but I am unfamiliar with much of Utah's history. Does any one know of any good books that focus on the history of Utah?
My two favorite Utah history books are:
Great Basin Kingdom: An economic history of the Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900 by Leonard J. Arrington ISBN 0-252-07283-9
Utah's History by Richard D. Poll, Thomas G. Alexander, Eugene E. Campbell, David E. Miller ISBN 0-87421-142-5
I also recommend:
Exiles in a Land of Liberty: Mormons in America, 1830-1846 by Kenneth H. Winn ISBN 0-8078-4300-8
It is not about Utah history, but it will give you a background on how the Mormons got to the point where they decided to move to Utah.