Mormon America: The Power and the Promise

by Richard N. Ostling, Joan K. Ostling, Joan K Ostling

Book Overview

Who Are the Mormons?The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Has over 12.5 million members worldwide and is one of the fastest-growing and most centrally controlled U.S.-based religionsIs by... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060663715
• ISBN13: 9780060663711
• Release Date: October 1999
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.76 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A very fair, well-rounded account of an often misunderstood religion

This book is written by a Protestant couple who have never been Mormon, and I was surprised to see how fair they were. Most accounts of Mormonism are either too negative toward the religion or way too glowing (and usually written by ex-Mormons or current Mormons, respectively). If you are looking for an objective account by knowlegeable outsiders, then this book is for you. You may be surprised like I was to find out just how much financial and political clout this new religion posesses. Love 'em or hate 'em, the Mormons are a force to be recognized, and this book does a great job at it.

Quite Impressive

This is a great book, it is well researched and totally unbiased. It takes a look at this incredible religion from the perspective of an impartial reporter. It is full of great information about this mysterious American religion. I reccomend it to anyone who is interested in learning about the Mormon Faith. If you want to see the big picture, it's all here.

About as Fair as Non-Mormons Could Be

I echo the reviewers remarks in the dust jacket of the book, that the only objective review of Mormonism must be written by someone from outside the Church. Many Mormon reviewers struggle with this book, but I think it is essential that they remember one thing...IT WASN'T WRITTEN FOR YOU! It was written by non-mormons for the rest of the world who look in at the church and ask, "Just what the heck is going on in there, anyway?" Of COURSE the authors are not going to give the same attention to every detail that believers are going to want to see, because this is a single volume book! Latter-Day Saint theology is complex, has been written about extensively, and it takes a serious student of history and religious thought years and years to gain a complete picture of the church. This book is not a substitute for all that, since the vast majority of folks are simply not interested in that level of detail. The Ostlings have written an overview, a glimpse, at this phenomenon called "Mormonism" with a reasonably balanced treatment from those who are faithful believers, those who are neutral, and those who have an axe to grind. But that's okay, since this is not a book that explores the complexities of Latter-Day Saint doctrine, but rather a book that explores the cultural phenomenon called Mormonism. I especially appreciate their treatment of the recognition that this is a quintessential American Church, and that its appeal is broad for those elsewhere in the world who are either Americanized, or who aspire to be. A strong argument could be made for changing the nickname from the "Mormon Church" to the "American Church," (though I'm sure every other church in America would choke on that one!)This book is highly recommended reading for non-mormons living in Utah, Idaho, Arizona, and California, and anywhere else where there are high concentrations of LDS folks. It is good reading for people who seek a general understanding of various religious movements or churches. And if you are LDS, and want to know how you look to someone from the outside, this is a good way to find out. From my personal perspective, if we find there are some things we don't like about how we are perceived by others, then that's a good place for us to begin working to bridge the gaps that still divide us from the rest of the world.

excellent general work on LDS faith

Mormon America is a well-written, broad description of the LDS Church, its history, its doctrines, and its members. It is also the first quality work on this subject I have seen from non-Mormons that is written for a general audience (Jan Shipps is also good, but writes at a different level). I am myself an active member of the LDS Church, returned missionary, and BYU graduate. I enjoyed the accounts of the elders at work in New York, of the LDS families working to live their religion, and of the new converts embracing the Church, finding in these accounts much that matches my own experiences in the Church.There are a number of minor errors, but overall I was pleasantly surprised at the accuracy of this work. The Ostlings have obviously dedicated countless hours to research and interviews, and constructed their book with meticulous care. I would recommend it to anyone unacquainted with the LDS faith that wishes to know more about us.Naturally, the Ostlings do not shy away from controversial topics, the inclusion of which in this book will no doubt upset some Church members. They also seem to feel an obligation to present both the positive and negative aspects of the faith as they see them. They are, after all, both non-LDS and journalists. I am convinced that their book represents their honest attempt at a neutral assesment of the Latter-day Saint religion and its importance in the modern world. There is much here for readers to appreciate, whether or not they share the authors' attitudes toward the Church.In any work of such broad scope, most readers will question the emphasis given some material and the omission of other pertinent information (for myself, I wonder why S-F writer Orson Scott Card's name does not appear in the chapter on LDS celebrities). Nevertheless, Mormon America is most remarkable, in my opinion, for all that it does cover. Readers from outside the LDS Church, in particular, will find many, if not most, of their basic questions about the faith answered in this volume.A glance at the religion shelves of the local bookstore tends to show a few how-to-witness-to- the-Mormons books, a couple of specialized volumes on Mormon history, and maybe a few by LDS leaders and scholars. A general book on the Church by non-LDS authors, one that neither attempts to promote nor denigrate the faith, has been sorely wanting. Mormon America fills this niche admirably. It is considerably better than I would have expected for the first major work of this kind, and will be welcome reading for those beginning a study of the Mormon religion.

Excellent introduction to a complex subject

Mormon America is a comprehensive overview of Mormon history,culture, religion, economics and politics. It is well written and easy to read. It is for the general reader, but the more serious reader will also appreciate it. Since moving to Salt Lake City, I have invested a lot in reading some of the scholarly source materials upon which this book was based. I wish I'd had this book to begin with. I wish I'd been able to write it. If you are curious about Mormonism, this is the place to start. I felt it was like the Cliff notes (in the best sense of that analogy) of Mormonism, a very fine condensation of a mountain of information and detail. The book is neither "faith promoting" nor "hysterical anti-Mormon". While it is not a heavy scholarly tome, it gives plenty of references for those who want to dig deeper. It also gives one of the most important Mormon theological documents, the King Follet Discourse, in an appendix. This was Joseph Smiths last public sermon, and lays out some of the key beliefs upon which the LDS Church is based.