Rating: 
Summary: And you thought we were only 170 years old!
Review: A number of months ago, I was having a conversation with a close friend who is a Catholic. We were talking about religion, as we often do, when she mentioned jokingly that her church has "been around longer" than mine. The thought occurred to me that she was mistaken, but I was at a loss as to how I might explain why this was the case. I hadn't read Latter Days at the time; it hadn't even been published.Having now read it, and thinking back on that conversation, it strikes me how marvelously Coke Newell has expressed what I wanted to say that day. Mormonism, to most people, came into existence just over 170 years ago. But to those of us who accept its doctrines, "the Church" has been around for some 6 billion years or so (as the subtitle of the book implies). I have always been impressed by the concept that, regardless of the name by which God's great plan is known, truth is still truth. And if, by chance, we Latter-day Saints have "got it right," the rest of the world should be no less willing to accept "Mormon" doctrines than if they were known by another name. This book offers some exceptional insights into LDS unique doctrines (such as the pre-mortal existence of spirits, vicarious work for the dead, and a heaven comprised of three "degrees of glory"). As Newell explains in the preface to his book, "books written by the faithful are, almost without exception, written to the faithful, using language that only the faithful understand..." Latter Days is one of the very few exceptions. And a big plus, in my opinion as a fellow-believer, is that never in the book does he proselytize. Actually, close to half of the book (the middle section) deals with Mormon history from 1830 (when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was formally organized) to the present. You'll read the real story behind the "infamous" Danites, Joseph Smith's trial for treason, and other fascinating events in our past. The first quarter of the book concerns the period of "Church" history dating back to the "real" beginning, billions of years ago. The final quarter addresses what the future holds, specifically in terms of the Latter-day Saint concept of Heaven and Hell, etc. Latter Days is extremely well-documented, with footnotes on virtually every page. And Coke Newell is a very talented writer! Although I seldom read histories and couldn't manage to get through even the first book of The Work and the Glory series (English-speaking Latter-day Saints will recognize the title), I had a hard time putting this book down. If you're interested in taking an objective look at Mormon history, I can assure you that you'll find Latter Days to be well worth your time.
Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: As a convert and a media spokesman for the Church, Coke Newell has both a unique perspective and a talent for expressing it. In this book he explains the beliefs of the Church accurately and in terms easily understood by those not of the faith. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Coke Classic - Excellent review of Mormons and Mormonism
Review: Coke Newell's "Latter Days" has all the makings of a good book: it is interesting, accurate, amazingly thorough for its length, and eminently readable. The book flows quickly (he does not get off on tangents--has no time to), and covers a lot of territory. I notice one other review that takes the author to task for working in the PR department of the LDS Church. Well. Every author writes from their personal perspective. I'm at least impressed when an author is upfront and revealing regarding where they are coming from. There are things Mr. Newell can tell us from and with his background that are unique and interesting. Mr. Newell notes at the outset that he hopes to provide an accurate and helpful "insider's view" but one which he intends to be insightful and reasonably objective to anyone (non-member or member alike) with an interest in understanding Mormons or Mormonism. He simply never comes across to me as being in any kind of proselytizing mode. Mr. Newell is primarily factual in presenting Mormon doctrine and history, but he does occasionally provide some "spice" in the form of brief commentary as well as some personal feelings and anecdotes from his own experience. I welcome that, as it makes the book that much more interesting and readable. In the end, I felt I came away from the book with a rather complete view of Newell's topic. Yes, it is from his perspective, but he's upfront regarding himself and his purposes which are explicitly to tell a story, not to convert. I think this is as it should be. Bottom line: I loved the book.
Rating:
Summary: Coke Classic - Excellent review of Mormons and Mormonism
Review: Coke Newell's "Latter Days" has all the makings of a good book: it is interesting, accurate, amazingly thorough for its length, and eminently readable. The book flows quickly (he does not get off on tangents--has no time to), and covers a lot of territory. I notice one other review that takes the author to task for working in the PR department of the LDS Church. Well. Every author writes from their personal perspective. I'm at least impressed when an author is upfront and revealing regarding where they are coming from. There are things Mr. Newell can tell us from and with his background that are unique and interesting. Mr. Newell notes at the outset that he hopes to provide an accurate and helpful "insider's view" but one which he intends to be insightful and reasonably objective to anyone (non-member or member alike) with an interest in understanding Mormons or Mormonism. He simply never comes across to me as being in any kind of proselytizing mode. Mr. Newell is primarily factual in presenting Mormon doctrine and history, but he does occasionally provide some "spice" in the form of brief commentary as well as some personal feelings and anecdotes from his own experience. I welcome that, as it makes the book that much more interesting and readable. In the end, I felt I came away from the book with a rather complete view of Newell's topic. Yes, it is from his perspective, but he's upfront regarding himself and his purposes which are explicitly to tell a story, not to convert. I think this is as it should be. Bottom line: I loved the book.
Rating:
Summary: This is a very good book
Review: Coke Newell's "Latter Days" is a lively and wonderfully-written account, not just of the institutional Mormon Church, but of the entirety of the metaphysics of Mormonism. Newell presents, with no apology, the Mormon cosmology that sets Mormonism apart from the rest of Christianity. No attempt is made to harmonize Latter-day Saint theology with larger evangelical thought, and this, I believe, is right. Mormonism either stands or falls on its own, finding its foundations in continuing revelation, sometimes independent of known written sources. This is a very good book. St. Martin's Press is to be commended for bringing this book to the market. And Mr. Newell is to be congratulated for doing such a fine job. Review by Jeffrey Needle, Association for Mormon Letters jeff.needle@general.com
Rating: 
Summary: Well-written and easy-going, but hollow
Review: Coke Newell's preface highlights a theme familiar to anyone who has had the often-frustrating experience of discussing religion with Mormons: when looking into Mormonism, one can only trust books written by faithful Mormons. Anything else (particularly anything critical) is "dirty water." Newell is perfectly right, however, in saying that one should learn about Judaism from a rabbi and about Mormonism from a Mormon, which is why I read this book. I've read other books not so flattering to Mormonism, so why not go to the source and see what the faithful say about it? Some might be amazed at the assertions made by Newell, perhaps the most brazen found in the book's subtitle (any Christian can make the case that their faith ultimately predates Jesus -- this is not the shattering novelty Newell would like it to be). Astonishingly, Newell seems to believe that only Mormonism can answer (or at least is by far the best-qualified to answer) the questions long answered in various ways by all the world's religions: "Where did I come from? Why am I here on earth? What will become of me after this life is over?" That kind of bold confidence, however, has been a core part of the Mormon spirit since its birth in the midst of New York's feverish revivalism in the early 19th-century -- a climate that produced a dizzying variety of religions and "prophets" (of which Joseph Smith was arguably the most gifted). Newell's first seven chapters are for me the "meat" of the book and the most interesting part. In this first section he charts the basic outline of Mormon beliefs, fantastic as they are. The suspension of disbelief required here is formidable, but it's a good yarn despite the glaring historical and theological errors. The bulk of the book follows the Mormons on their dreary Westward trek in great and purple-prosed detail (Mormons good, U.S. government BAD, etc.); Newell so overdoes this story that I had to scan through whole sections to get through it. The last chapter and the Epilogue reveal much about the Mormon mindset. Newell is fond of commenting on the rapid international growth of Mormonism and quoting conversion statistics as proof of its truth (the world's religions are running scared, etc.). He also touts the high level of education and dedication of the average Mormon (smart people become Mormon and really love God, etc.). My favorite of his many dubious assertions is his notion that Mormonism is intellectually viable because Mormon scholars have possibly written as much as scholars of other religions (apparently, 98 miles of books in BYU's library = intellectual strength). Newell happily criticizes Thomas Cahill's "religious assumptions," which is ironic since Mormonism is built on some of the wildest and most outrageous assumptions I've ever come across. Mormonism, based as it is on the subjective "intuition" of the individual (you'll "feel the truth" of it, and if you don't, you're not open to God...) and what Newell calls a "generous plan of salvation" (i.e., easy), is a remarkably irrational non-Christian religion born of a remarkable man in 19th-century New York. Coke Newell offers here a well-written and often interesting read, and to his credit he is, on the surface, more objective and forthright than any other Mormon author I've read. What he gives, however, is only a partial picture (as is the case with Mormon missionaries and their pre-packaged evangelization program). What he offers may indeed be "clean water," but it needs to be taken with more substantial food. I recommend Fawn Brodie's classic, balanced, sober and exhaustively researched biography of Joseph Smith: "No Man Knows My History.". Stay away from the really emotional and vehemently anti-Mormon stuff out there. A Mormon friend of mine criticized me for reading Brodie and Isaiah Bennett (without reading them himself), but I found in Newell's book everything they assert about Mormon beliefs. More importantly, I found much that Newell does NOT say about them, and when looking at Mormonism this makes all the difference. Straight answers are hard to come by.
Rating:
Summary: Give this book to a friend
Review: Coke Newell's sojourn through the Plan of Salvation brings eloquency and intelligence to a subject normally consigned to dogma and hyperbole. Up until now there have been few books which one would happily share with one's friends. I shall continue to order this book for all of my friends who are interested in knowing more about Mormonism. Mr Newell says what many thinking LDS Members have thought for a long time, and we now discover that many of the unspoken explanations for our particles of faith come to life in these pages. A good read for Mormons and Non-Mormons alike. Thank you Coke.
Rating:
Summary: This is going to be a classic!
Review: For the layman, and for those itching to take a glance at Mormonism, this book far more than any other present offer is the one to read. And for those only begining their studies into the religion of the Latter-Day Saint Church, this is where you want to begin (possibly excepting the Book of Mormon itself). Coke Newell brilliantly and swiftly traverses through the wonderful history surrounding this religion. From the humble beginings in Palmyra to their vast empire in Salt Lake City. Every major event in the history of the Mormon people is covered. Not objectively, of course, since the author is a member of and works for the church. Thus, the embarassments of history, as are evident in all peoples, are left out and ignored. Nevertheless, Newell's brief outline of how the Mormons came to be where they are is engaging. Written with those not of the Mormon faith in mind, the work is a captivating introduction into a history which is often overlooked and ignored (perhaps considered an embarassment of America for some). Two things stand out about the work: the prologue and epilogue Newell includes with his history. Other books have been written before, with Latter-Day Saint or 'Gentile' in mind, that do just as worthy a job as this one. This stands alone in the pack, to be noticed and admired, for its treatment of Mormonism as not simply a new creation brought up out of the creative mind of Joseph Smith, but as other religions view their ideology: an eternal, everlasting truth. With this attitude, Newell discusses what Mormons believe happened in the before-life and in the after-life. And it is this attribute which adds to the unique flavor this book presents and gives it the quality to be a worthwhile read (it gets a 5star because of this, too).
Rating:
Summary: This is going to be a classic!
Review: For the layman, and for those itching to take a glance at Mormonism, this book far more than any other present offer is the one to read. And for those only begining their studies into the religion of the Latter-Day Saint Church, this is where you want to begin (possibly excepting the Book of Mormon itself). Coke Newell brilliantly and swiftly traverses through the wonderful history surrounding this religion. From the humble beginings in Palmyra to their vast empire in Salt Lake City. Every major event in the history of the Mormon people is covered. Not objectively, of course, since the author is a member of and works for the church. Thus, the embarassments of history, as are evident in all peoples, are left out and ignored. Nevertheless, Newell's brief outline of how the Mormons came to be where they are is engaging. Written with those not of the Mormon faith in mind, the work is a captivating introduction into a history which is often overlooked and ignored (perhaps considered an embarassment of America for some). Two things stand out about the work: the prologue and epilogue Newell includes with his history. Other books have been written before, with Latter-Day Saint or 'Gentile' in mind, that do just as worthy a job as this one. This stands alone in the pack, to be noticed and admired, for its treatment of Mormonism as not simply a new creation brought up out of the creative mind of Joseph Smith, but as other religions view their ideology: an eternal, everlasting truth. With this attitude, Newell discusses what Mormons believe happened in the before-life and in the after-life. And it is this attribute which adds to the unique flavor this book presents and gives it the quality to be a worthwhile read (it gets a 5star because of this, too).
Rating:
Summary: Karla Brandau
Review: It will make you laugh. It will make you cry. It will make you think and ponder. You will want to know more about a faith that would lead the Mormon people to endure the persecutions that were aimed at them in the early days of their existence. Coke Newell describes the early days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an objective, realistic way. In a very sensitive way, he helps you capture the feeling of "being there" yourself. No other writer covers the history of the Latter-day Saints like Coke Newell. Even if you do not want to learn any more about the doctrine of the LDS people, you will not want to miss this fascinating historical drama.
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