Latter Days : An Insider's Guide to Mormonism, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book!
Review: I found this book to accurately describe contemporary mormon beliefs (unlike other books that site early mormon sources from the 1850s and then claim that these sources represent what average mormons believe today). I was curious about what mormons thought about such controversial topics as polygamy, for example, and this book addresses the topic. I asked a mormon friend about several points in the book and was pleased that the book seemed to accurately describe my friend's beliefs.

The title of the book is accurate--it is an "insider's" guide in the sense that it is written by a mormon convert. What you get is a concise, clear and accurate representation of mormon beliefs from a sincere mormon believer. It's a good read--I had a hard time putting the book down.

Rating:
Summary: Mormonism made easy
Review: This is a great book written by a long-time member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons). Being a convert, I could appreciate the straightforward way that the history of the Church was presented. Mr. Newell takes us from Joseph Smith's "First Vision," to the death and persecution of early church members, to the pioneer trek led by Brigham Young into the Great Salt Lake Valley and lastly, to the very modern Church of today. The people in these stories were real, and their stories are told to us, very often, in their own words. From a historical standpoint, the book serves as an excellent resource.

Additionally, and more importantly to the eyes of the Church faithful, Mr. Newell makes the events of the past relevant to the Church today by reminding us of prophecies and visions given throughout time. He reminds us that the pioneers struggled across thousands of miles, so that they would have the right to worship their God in what way they chose. He explains clearly and without apology, because there is nothing to apologize for, Mormon beliefs and doctrine.

Finally, Mr. Newell does not seek to convert others to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through this book. Rather, he presents the events of the past, our hopes for the future, and the tenets of the Gospel to which we prescribe, as set forth by various sources of Scripture. It is for the reader, then, to take from the book what he will and let his increased knowledge take him where he will.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent but seriously flawed
Review: This is an excellent presentation of what Mormons are taught to believe and what most do indeed still believe, worded in the sacred tone in which Mormons have learned to appreciate and revere it, but this is accomplished by injuring, skating past and ignoring various historical and scientific discoveries that unhappily disengage from important parts of the official story line. To get the most balanced perspective, the reader may want to read this alongside of that of another insider, Grant H. Palmer, whose more recent book, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins, conducts the reader on a backstage tour, explaining how the current extravaganza was put together over time.