Skip to content
Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

What should I do?: Johnny Townsend’s “Behind the Zion Curtain”

chanson, November 2, 2014

With all big problems in this world, it’s easy to feel small — like there’s nothing you can do to make a dent in any of them — and wonder whether your life has any value. Religion to the rescue, right? Well, not exactly. The CoJCoL-dS can provide answers to these problems, but can’t really promise they’ll be satisfying.

That’s where Johnny Townsend’s new book Behind the Zion Curtain comes in. He doesn’t offer easy answers, but he understands. In his signature style, with humanity and humor, Johnny Townsend offers portraits of a variety of people grappling with questions about who they want to be and what they want to do with their lives. The characters are at different places with respect to their Mormon roots and faith, and while Mormonism influences their perspectives, individuals have to direct their own lives.

If you’re looking for an interesting read that is thought-provoking without getting too heavy, I recommend picking up a copy of Behind the Zion Curtain.

Book Review

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

Harry Potter, Courage and Liberty

July 28, 2007June 21, 2011

It is my pleasure to congratulate our friend Russell Arben Fox whose review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was so excellent that Ross Douthat picked it up on the Atlantic Monthly. Russell’s review is multifaceted. I will take issue with his observation that the Harry Potter series was…

Read More

“Always Listen to the Ravings of a Mad Woman: A Story of Sex, Porn and Postum in the land of Zion”

March 31, 2007May 17, 2011

I grabbed this book by JulieAnn Henneman late yesterday afternoon. I had every intention of reading only a few chapters before Boston Legal (“Denny Crane!”) came on at 10 pm. However, it didn’t work out that way… At 1 am, I dragged my sorry and very tired butt to bed,…

Read More

New Projects for Main Street Plaza and Mormon Alumni Association Books!

March 27, 2017March 27, 2017

I have some exciting news for the readers of Main Street Plaza, Outer Blogness, and Mormon Alumni Association Books: We’re planning to become a publisher!! Our awesome first book should be appearing… at some date to be announced, hopefully not to far in the future. In anticipation of this new…

Read More

Comment

  1. Donna Banta says:
    November 2, 2014 at 8:59 am

    Great cover for a great new book! Thanks for posting this review, chanson.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Mormon Alumni Association Books

Latest Comments:

  1. Jodi Peterson on Last Call for Nominations!!January 6, 2026

    I nominate Rebecca Bibliotheca for her coverage of LDS Temple building: Best Investigative Reporting I nominate RFM and Koloby (lol)…

  2. Rob Shiveley on Collecting Nominations for William Law X-Mormon of the Year 2025!!!January 6, 2026

    I stumbled across the YouTube channel by Kyson Dana. Really fantastic. https://www.youtube.com/@kysondana

  3. LDS Primary President Charged With Kissing Teen ! - Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 6, 2026

    […] Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!! […]

  4. chanson on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 6, 2026

    Thanks for telling me! I'll fix it when I get home.

  5. Newscast Watcher on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 6, 2026

    Just so you know, the results for Best Overall LDS-Interest Social Media Personality 2025 are visible once you vote!

8: The Mormon Proposition Acceptance of Gays Add new tag Affirmation angry exmormon awards Book Reviews BYU comments Dallin H. Oaks DAMU disaffected mormon underground Dustin Lance Black Ex-Mormon Exclusion policy Excommunicated exmormon faith Family feminism Gay Gay Love Gay Marriage Gay Relationships General Conference Happiness Homosexual Homosexuality LDS LGBT LGBTQ Link Bomb missionaries Modesty Mormon Mormon Alumni Association Mormonism motherhood peace politics Polygamy priesthood ban Secularism Sunstone temple

Awards

William Law X-Mormon of the Year:

  • 2024: Nemo the Mormon
  • 2023: Adam Steed
  • 2022: David Archuleta
  • 2021: Jeff T. Green
  • 2020: Jacinda Ardern
  • 2019: David Nielsen
  • 2018: Sam Young
  • 2017: Savannah
  • 2016: Jeremy Runnells
  • 2015: John Dehlin
  • 2014: Kate Kelly
  • 2013: J. Seth Anderson and Michael Ferguson
  • 2012: David Tweede
  • 2011: Joanna Brooks
  • 2010: Monica Bielanko
  • 2009: Walter Kirn

Other Cool Sites!

WasMormon.org
©2026 Main Street Plaza | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes