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

The fine line between inspiration and madness: John Draper’s “A Danger to God Himself”

January 16, 2016

Mormons believe in a god that talks to people — a god that opens the heavens every now and then and picks a prophet to talk to. So, when a wise-cracking young missionary starts having visions, who’s to say whether or not they’re really from the Almighty…? John Draper’s A…

Read More

Family and Death in Mormon Britain: Carys Bray’s “A Song for Issy Bradley”

March 7, 2015

A little girl lies dying in her bed as her family bustles about their individual activities. Once it’s too late, all of the other members of the family are left with reasons to blame themselves — any one of them could have made slightly different choices and prevented the child’s…

Read More

Review of City of Brick and Shadow

December 20, 2014

The novel by Tim Wirkus, City of Brick and Shadow, is a riveting tale of two missionaries in a sweeping Brazilian slum looking for a missing congregant they had recently baptized. All the characters are well-realized, from the unhappy local Mormons to the woman at the lanchonete to the mysterious…

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. Steve Pogue on Collecting Nominations for the 2025 Brodie Awards!!December 16, 2025

    Best new series - Radio Free Mormon’s series addressing the Light and Truth Letter

  2. Steve Pogue on Collecting Nominations for the 2025 Brodie Awards!!December 16, 2025

    For Best LDS-Interest Podcast Episode 2025 “Could Joseph Smith Write a Well-Worded Letter? - LDS Discussions” https://youtu.be/B1vjDGK2qas?si=C4mXeX6vWv1xLhEl

  3. Steve Eliason on Collecting Nominations for the 2025 Brodie Awards!!December 16, 2025

    I nominate Porchtime https://www.youtube.com/live/M4eigiy-Qew?si=nCWzOjbep21szT4L For the LDS Interest Discussion Group/Forum 2025 This is my favorite podcast, which I find most…

  4. Kate on Collecting Nominations for the 2025 Brodie Awards!!December 15, 2025

    Best LDS interest video channel - Generally Unquoteable

  5. Kathryn Class on Collecting Nominations for William Law X-Mormon of the Year 2025!!!December 15, 2025

    Samantha from MormwiththosewhoMormed is someone I always feel says and represents what’s on my mind so my nomination is for…

8: The Mormon Proposition Acceptance of Gays Add new tag Affirmation angry exmormon awards Book Reviews BYU comments Conformity 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 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
©2025 Main Street Plaza | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes