A friend has recommended me this book: "A Separate Identity: Organizational Identity Among Readers of Zion's Watch Tower: 1870-1887. Volume 1". This is the first part of a two-volume study, covering from 1870 to 1879. I haven't read it yet, I just ordered a copy yesterday. These are my friend's comments: It's a work written by two historians (one who is a Witness, and the other who is not). It's not a religious book, nor an attack on Jehovah's Witnesses, neither an apology, just a serious and detailed historical research. The book begins with a detailed description of American history, society and mentality during the last third of the 19th century, as well as a biography with everything that is known of Russell until 1870, including some new details that had never been published before. Besides Russell, this work gives also an unprecedented attention to all the other characters that had an important role in the early development of Bible Students, such as George Storrs and George Stetson. It documents Russell's collaboration with Barbour until their breakup in 1878. The work is completed with an appendix dealing with the alleged link between Russell and freemasonry, and another one including all the articles of the Russell-Barbour controversy. The whole book is enriched with a good number of pictures, many of them unpublished until now, and a huge amount of footnotes. The second volume is in preparation without a publishing date yet. This book can be purchased here.