Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2012
Pages: 217
Rating: Recommend
Synopsis: From her days of feeling like a "root beer among the Cokes" -- Coca-Cola being a forbidden fruit for Mormon girls like her -- Joanne Brooks always understood that being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints set her apart from others. But, in her eyes, that made her special; the devout LDS home she grew up in was filled with love, spirituality, and an emphasis on service. With Marie Osmond as her celebrity role model and plenty of Sunday School teachers to fill in the details, Joanna felt warmly embraced by the community that was such an integral part of her family. But as she grew older, Joanna began to wrestle with some tenets of her religion, including the Church's stance on women's right and homosexuality. In 1993, when the Church excommunicated a group of feminists for speaking out about an LDS controversy, Joanna found herself searching for a way to live by the leadings of her heart and the faith she loved.
The Book of Mormon Girl is a story about leaving behind the innocence of childhood believe and embracing the complications and heartbreaks that come to every adult life of faith. Joanna's journey through her faith explores a side of the religion that is rarely put on display: its humanity, its tenderness, its humor, its internal struggles. In Joanna's hands, the everyday experience of being a Mormon -- without polygamy, without fundamentalism -- unfolds in fascinating detail. With its revelations about a faith so often misunderstood and characterized by secrecy, The Book of Mormon Girl is a welcome advocate and necessary guide.
Review: Understand that my review may be swayed because through my research it became clear that Brooks will be voting for Obama in the 2012. As an American, I cannot see what people like about him so much, particularly after 4 years of misery.
Now that we have that covered. . .the book.
I started this book on my flight to Chicago back in October. However, my nerves don't really allow me to focus on reading when I'm 20,000 miles (and then some) above terra firma. So, it took me over a month to get through this. It's very good and I enjoyed it. I think I stalled because there was a lot of food for thought. While I agree with some basic principles of Mormon faith, a few others leave me scratching my head.
The struggles of this author are not unlike the struggles of many who believe in organized religion. Churches, of every religion, are flawed because the human beings who make the church a church, are flawed.
It was a good read, and I'm sure one that will stay with me in some ways for a long time. Read it with an open mind; I'm sure you'll take something away from it.
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