Gentile Girl: Living with the Latter-day Saints

Rating:
Summary: Interesting true-life book, although title is misleading.
Review: From the title, you wouldn't guess that this book was written in defense of the author's religion and in a way against the Mormon religion. It is her life in the 60s at BYU. She isn't Mormon when she arrives and she isn't Mormon when she leaves. I give her credit for not being swayed by other people's social pressures, but why go to a school that's not your religion and then write a book complaining about it years later?

Rating:
Summary: A great insight to life among Latter-day Saints
Review: I myself am a Christian living among a vast majority of Mormons. I was very interested in purchasing Carol's book when it was first mentioned to me by a friend. I truly enjoyed reading it because it so closely related to my own experiences in Utah.

I suggest to anyone who is interested in a little knowledge of the Mormon faith and life amongst Mormons, to purchase this book. Carol does a wonderful job of describing the typical experiences of non-mormons. I myself have learned a lot about Mormons while living in Provo. I have grown more spiritually while living in Utah. I personally have had a positive experience overall, but still choose not to follow the Mormon faith. I attend the Baptist church in Provo and enjoy being a minority for a first. I am very strong in my faith and in knowing the "truth" of Jesus Christ.

This is a must read for all who want to know more on life in Utah, living amongst Mormons. Carol gives a brief understanding of the Mormon faith without being degrading.

Rating:
Summary: Finally! A "gentle" book from a "Gentile Girl".
Review: I was born a fourth-generation Mormon, but I have since left and found the Jesus of the Bible. Although I strongly oppose Mormon doctrine, I love the Mormon people. All too often, books that expose Mormonism tend to be brutal, and often they are flat out wrong. This book is neither. It is written in a very gentle yet accurate manner, and it clearly shows the goodness in the Mormon people, while at the same time explaining how their doctrine does not match the Gospel as taught by Jesus Christ. The book is mostly about the two years that the author spent at BYU. During those years, she had the opportunity to observe first hand what living the Mormon life is all about, and this book will help anyone to better understand their Mormon co-workers, neighbors, or friends. Oh... and the title has nothing to do with being Jewish. Mormons refer to non-Mormons as "gentiles".

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, sensitive reading
Review: In this first-hand account of an outsider's life among Mormons, Carol Forseth has provided a non-technical, yet accurate view of Mormon belief. Because of it's biographical nature, the book does not attempt to explain all Mormon doctrine. While she does not agree with much of Mormonism, without being acerbic or derisive the author very sensitively explains those Mormon beliefs to which she was exposed during her two years at BYU. She also writes warmly about the relationships that were developed with her fellow Mormon students, and it is obvious that she respects and loves Mormons as individual persons. At the end of the book are a number of helpful suggestions about relating to Mormons and to their missionaries ("elders") who show up on our doorsteps. For anyone curious about Mormonism, this is a very readable and interesting book. For those interested in ministering among Mormons, this book is a very helpful addition to other, more technical books about Mormonism. Carol Forseth has given us a view of the Mormon people that is compassionate and human. Gentile Girl provides very helpful insight for those of us who view Mormons with jaundiced eyes, especially those who have never had contact with a Mormon. It is a book that can be heartily recommended for all Christians to read.

Rating:
Summary: If you want to know how to cook are you going to ask a cop?
Review: Like my title suggests, I find it interesting when people look for fact about a subject without going directly to a valid source. If you want to learn how to be an incredible cook, the best source to learn from would be from a chef. I am constantly amazed by the amount of people who will avoid this best possible source and instead ask a plummer or a doctor(hypothetically speaking of course)and take their advice as if it were gold. If you are interested in learning about specifically one young girl's experience with what she percieves as, a portion of "mormon culture", then this is the book for you. But it would be ridiculous to devour this book as a guide to "understanding mormon doctrine" etc. when it has nothing to do with such. It is simply an opinion, an experience, a journal entry so-to-speak, about one girl's "social perspective" on her college experience in an LDS based University. I would also keep in mind that when looking for valid sources, there are even "mormons" who are not valid sources for finding out about the religion or the practices because they themselves have never bothered to find out. It is very similar to anything else in this world. You have people that claim they are hundreds of millions of different things. That doesn't mean that they are, or maybe they are "trying to be" but they certainly are not experts on it yet. My advice, if you actually want to learn something about the LDS faith or "mormons" as they are more commonly known, go to a vaild source. A starting point? www.lds.org may have some suggestions. Just be careful about deciding whether or not you accept something as fact about a subject before validating the source and even then, know that it is simply someone else's perspective and nothing else. As with any religion, the teachings or gospel, is the foundation of the religion. The "members" of that religion, are simply people. Most seem to be people who have just come across something that caught their attention enough to want to try and implement or mold their life towards those teachings. This in no way makes the individual members of a religion, the religion itself. Go to the source. Religious teachings are not defined by the people who try to live them or by people who come in contact with someone who tries to live them. Hope this helps :)