David Pace’s American Trinity is a striking collection of twelve short stories tied together by the common thread of Mormonism. The stories were written over the past several decades, and draw from his lifelong experiences with the church. These experiences are not insignificant, and I found myself somewhat dismayed to hear some…
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Book Review
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Mysterious Mormon Magic: Donna Banta’s “Seer Stone”
The modern Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is awash with mainstreaming. Becoming a god of your own planet (or universe), Heavenly Mother, even the name “Mormonism” — anything that might make Mormons look weird to Evangelical Christians — gets ignored out of existence. I’ll admit that a lot…
America’s Greatest Mystery Novel
Once you strip away all the Book of Mormon’s pretenses of scriptural import, what you have is nothing more nor less than a lusty tale of America’s favorite subject: families and murder…. Murder and ruin are written across the breadth of Joseph Smith’s pre-American panorama, and because violence always demands…
A Mormon Liar’s Wild Ride: “Through His Eyes and Lies” by C. L. Jackson
Through His Eyes and Lies is not an ex-Mormon novel or an anti-Mormon novel. It’s kind of a Mormon-adjacent novel. Though the majority of the book’s events take place in Provo, Utah and religion does play a role in the story that unfolds, Mormonism itself is more the setting than…
(Somewhat) New Ex-Mormon Books!
Hey everyone! I love writing book reviews, but I have been so busy with my comic book and my new job that I have really not had time to do it. So I’d like to at least gather up here a list of Mormon-related books that I’ve learned of lately:…
New Projects for Main Street Plaza and Mormon Alumni Association Books!
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…
Powerful Voices: “Baring Witness: 36 Mormon Women Talk Candidly about Love, Sex, and Marriage,” edited by Holly Welker
Ever wonder how those beaming brides posing outside the LDS temple really feel? Are they happy? Are they nervous? Are they resigned? All or none of the above? “Baring Witness: 36 Mormon Women Talk Candidly about Love, Sex, and Marriage” provides some answers to those questions. Elegantly written and meticulously…
Serious Fun: “Singing and Dancing to the Book of Mormon” edited by Holly Welker and Marc Edward Shaw
Since its opening, the Book of Mormon musical has been surrounded by controversy over its degree of vulgarity, its treatment of Mormons, and various other issues. It has also been tremendously popular in the US and abroad, notably sweeping the Tony Awards. It’s natural to ask whether it’s just fluff…
The fine line between inspiration and madness: John Draper’s “A Danger to God Himself”
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…
Mormon Mission Impossible: William Shunn’s “The Accidental Terrorist”
Funny thing about Mormon missions: even though they’re voluntary, you can’t leave. Even though Mormon missionaries are adult volunteers, they can’t just say, “Sorry, this isn’t working, I’m going home now.” Have you ever wondered what happens if you try to leave? It’s rather surprising. In The Accidental Terrorist, William…