Rating: 
Summary: Mormon 101
Review: Based on a Time magazine article called "Mormon's Inc.", Joan and Richard Ostling have taken that original idea and expanded it into their book "Mormon America", a factual recount of the Mormon church, one of America's most rapidly expanding religions to date.Upfront, the Ostlings claim this book is for non-Mormons as an introductory text to learn about this religion. Thus is covers many topics, some very thoroughly, in a concise, Time magazine sort of way. From Prophet Joseph Smith's visions and his establishment of the Mormon church based on his translated texts, to the current church (current as of 1999), you learn about many church aspects. One of the most intriguing chapters early on is the polygamy chapter, which was handled fairly without judgment. Another chapter explains the complex organizational structure of the church, which comes across as being very totalitarian and a top-down form of leadership. A third chapter explains the development of the Mormon family, and the roles people play in them. The last few chapters discuss the religious beliefs of the church members. All in all, I found while the text is very informative, it also reads very dryly. Perhaps because the authors attempt to present a vision of Mormonism without their own personal beliefs in the way, it reads very matter of fact and not very compelling. I've read other books that account the death of Joseph Smith which have moved me much more than the mere reporting of it in this book. While I appreciate authors leaving it up to the reader to make any decisions based on the material presented, a bit of humanity and a bit of themselves would have made for a slightly more enjoyable read. If you know nothing of the LDS church, and are interested to learn what it's all about, this is the book for you. If you already have a working knowledge of the church, and want more, there are a host of other books out there that might fulfill your needs better.
Rating: 
Summary: A fine introduction to Mormonism
Review: The Ostlings have provided a good, readable introduction to Mormonism, fulfilling the promise of their introduction to give readers a "candid but nonpolemical overview." The historical chapters are especially laudable, and I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of the theological discussion near the end of the book. Mormon America is journalism rather than scholarship, but it is sophisticated journalism nonetheless. While educated readers will probably skim some chapters that have a news-magazine feel about them, on the whole, Mormon America has been carefully and thoughtfully crafted.
Rating:
Summary: The non-Mormon's guide to Mormonism.
Review: "Mormon America" by Ostling and Ostling. Ever since reading "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer I have been reading other books about "America's most successful home grown religion." I am currently reading "The Blood of the Prophets." by Will Bagley, (Review to follow.) The story of Mormonism is indeed a quintessential American story, full of colorful, often larger than life characters, vicious villains and their fair share of heroes. The story of the Mormon migration to Utah ranks as one of the great epic journeys ever recorded. The husband and wife team of Ostling and Ostling, have set out to tell the story in as fair and objective a way as possible for the non-Mormon reader. They achieve their aim admirably. The book reads well, but lacks passion; perhaps passion and objectivity don't go together. The Ostlings lead their readers through all the well-known themes of Mormon history, beliefs and life. They do so in a way that allows the outsider as good an introduction as can be had in any one book. We are given insights into Mormon history, both the good and the bad. The Ostlings describe the once secretive, Masonic-like Temple rituals; we are told of the basic beliefs of Mormonism, their polytheism, the eternal nature of the nuclear family, the now suspended beliefs in polygamy and blood atonement. The unsubstantiated claims of the Book of Mormon regarding the pre-Columbian history of America are opened up to us. No one can appreciate Mormonism without grasping the importance of the family in Mormon life. The Mormon belief that every marriage is sealed for eternity and every family will continue to live together as families in the heaven, results in the high priority placed on the family, marriage, children and family values. Mormons see the American Constitution as divinely given, this belief is oddly out of step with the authoritarian and totalitarian nature of the Mormon hierarchy, a hierarchy that readily squashes dissenting opinions, and stifles academic freedom in its flagship institution of education BYU. The Ostlings discuss the finances of the church, and make some educated guesses as to the wealth that flows into the coffers at Salt Lake City. Shrewd investments of those billions of dollars make the Mormon Church one of the biggest multi-million dollar corporations in history. In an era where more and more religious institutions are becoming more open in regard to the reporting of financial matters, the secretiveness about Mormon money is difficult to understand. One is tempted to ask the question, "Is the Mormon hierarchy's determined efforts to suppress the truth about Mormon history nothing more than a cynical attempt to keep `the faithful Saints' in line so that the money will keep on flowing into the coffers?"
Rating: 
Summary: A Peek Inside "Mormon America"
Review: Non-Mormon America's conceptions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints usually are one of four things: the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, The Osmonds, clean-living and family values. What most outside of the church don't know is that the LDS faith is the most successful religion founded on American soil and, if current growth rates remain stable, will become the first major world religion to come about since Islam. These facts alone should make thoughtful outsiders at least a little curious about what the Latter-Day Saints teach and why. Enter Mormon America: The Power and The Promise by Joan K. and Richard Ostling which provides an excellent resource for those curious outsiders. The book itself is written in an informative, well-documented and journalistic style (some of the chapters appeared as part of a Time magazine cover story). Instead of a skeptic's condescendtion or a fundamentalist's hysterical "hell fire and brimstone" condemnation, the Ostings provide a fair overview of the Mormon's history, doctrine, practice and future. For every instance of an odditiy, contradiction or embarrassing moment in the previously mentioned catergories, the author's provide the standard explanation given by LDS apologists in addition to the criticism given by both non-Mormons and Mormons alike. On a personal level, I found the LDS concept of continuing revelation to be one of the most facinating parts of the book. While it seemingly could provide a way to explain uncomfortable practices from the past (i.e. polygamy, denial of the priesthood to African-Americans etc.), I would think it would undermine any attempt to form a stable basis for morality. As a person who has grown up around Independence, Missouri and been on the fringes of Mormon culture (having several Mormon friends), I can say that this book is accurate (although not always comforting or "faith promoting" to Mormon's themselves). It deals fairly with sore spots between Mormon's and people of other faiths and should help greatly in increasing understanding between the two often antagonistic camps of Mormonism and traditional Christianity.
Rating:
Summary: I can handle the truth, but will you dare to peek.
Review: I love the cover of this book. The salt lake cathedral is loonming liekthe mormon meance appraching us. will we stand? I will not say. But look, then open your eyes to the truth. I love the footnotes on the pages, and find that they prove the arthur's caset I do not mean to be an alamrmist, so I really don't mean danger, just a concern about a gropwinf force in the universe.
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