From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #599 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Friday, February 1 2002 Volume 01 : Number 599 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 15:37:29 -0700 From: "Bill Willson" Subject: Re: [AML] New Yorker article After reading the articles in the New Yorker, and NewsWeek I'm glad to see our beliefs and culture exposed to the rest of the world. Even with the inaccuracies. This exposure is what will draw the inquisitive truth seekers to investigate more reliable sources and hold the doctrines of the church up to more rigorous scrutiny. The truth can stand up to investigation and close examination. What these gentile reporters have done is merely draw the attention of the rest of the world to a religion which has been considered a cult in the past, but for those who are earnestly seeking, I would anticipate some more growth for the true church of Jesus Christ upon the earth. For those who merely accept the gentile reporters errors as truth and bolster their already biased negative opinions of the church, I pity them for they will lose out in the end, unless they change their ways. In all places and in all organizations there is error, and evil. Our church is no different. Thank God for justice, repentance, forgiveness, and mercy. It is our job as writers to hold what truth we posses up to the light of day along with the error and evil and let our readers see the rewards and punishments meted out in God's eternal plan of salvation. The church stood up to and benefited from the lies and deliberate misrepresentations perpetrated in "The God Makers," so the few errors and misrepresentations generated by ignorance and poor research, in these two articles are really nothing to fret about. We should be thankful the world is looking our way, and be the very best examples we can possibly be. [Bill Willson] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 15:44:34 -0700 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: RE: [AML] Life in Mormon Culture <<>> Well, I just start saying things to myself like, "First we need a Mormon Beatles, and then a Mormon John Updike, and [plug in your own favorite 'worldly' artists]." Is it possible to keep all the style and creativity and entertainment value of the best worldly artists and not be afraid to reflect reality, yet stop short of espousing drugs or sex and instead allow gospel principles to creep in, well disguised of course . . . (You can probably find gospel principles in lots of worldly art, too--but not quite enough to make it Mormon, somehow.) If we had Beatles and Updikes speaking to us within the Mormon culture, I wouldn't need to go outside our culture as much (or almost completely, as I do now) for cultural food. Probably a really good music group would have a bigger impact on the culture than a good novelist (especially if you look at the Beatles model). (But novelists are needed too.) Chris Bigelow - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 15:47:30 -0700 From: "Peter E. Chamberlain" Subject: RE: [AML] Life in Mormon Culture Just as an aside we took the Young Men and Young Women out on shooting campouts within a two month period. We found that the Young Women were, as a rule, better shots than the Young Men. We figured the Young Women were more patient and listened better than the YM. Peter Chamberlain Senior Estimator Westcon Microtunneling 800 South Main Pleasant Grove, UT 84062 Pchamberlain@westcon.net - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 16:13:16 -0700 From: Gideon Burton Subject: [AML] Re: Play at BYU-Idaho I encourage anyone in the Ricks area to go see Together Again for the First Time. I saw this years ago at BYU and was very impressed. McColm is also a fiction writer (a short story of his appeared in the AML issue of Dialogue in Fall 1999), and he's received an Emmy for some TV writing he's done. I don't know about this particular production, but he's a multi-talented writer and the prior production was superior. Gideon Burton > -----Original Message----- > REXBURG, IDAHO -- "Together Again for the First Time: A Family in Two > Acts" opened Wednesday evening. The play will be performed in the > Kirkham Arena Theater Jan. 23-26 and Jan. 29-31 and Feb. 1-2 at 7:30 > p.m. Tickets may be purchased for $6 for the public by calling the > Ticket Office at (208) 496-2230. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 14:44:24 -0900 From: Stephen Carter Subject: RE: [AML] Life in Mormon Culture Kristy Thomas wrote: But I >also think it's a matter of perspective. It's the classic "half empty vs. >half full" or like the beauty/hag picture in Steven Covey's 7 >Habits...people can look at the same basic stuff and see something >completely different. When looking at Mormon culture, Kellene and I see the >elegant woman in the picture, because that's what we CHOOSE to see (not >necessarily because we don't see the hag), and Chris (and others in this >thread) see the hag, because that's what you CHOOSE to see. > This reminds me of something Neil Postman wrote in his book Conscientious Objections. He says he's glad he lives in America because so many things are done wrong - there's so much to complain about. If he lived in Switzerland, he says, he would be bored. They do everything right. But the other half of the picture is he loves America and deeply believes in the values that it was founded on (even if most of them have been ignored by most of us). Therefore, his criticisms are done in a spirit of patriotism. He wants change for the better, which is why he puts so much work into finding out what is wrong and opening it up for discussion. Change is what his criticisms have been directed toward. That's the room the critic has, and it's a very important one, I think. In one of the essays in that book, Postman (who is infamous for his suspicion of television) offers some ideas on how television can be used constructively. It is quite a useful and interesting essay. Anyway, I think the criticism has to be there as an agent of change. Otherwise we're stuck. The fact is, we haven't been translated yet as a Church. That means we need some change. And if we leave it all up to the Salt Lake guys to tell us what to do ... 'nuff said. Stephen Carter Fairbanks, Alaska - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 19:00:48 -0700 From: "Clark Goble" Subject: RE: [AML] Box Office Report Jan. 25 ___ Kumiko ___ | This marks the first time in months that a movie with | Latter-day Saint characters or made by Latter-day | Saint filmmakers was not among the nation's top at the | box office. ___ I just rejoined, so I presumably missed some discussion. But what exactly did Oceans 11 have to do with Mormons? There was that scene in Provo when gathering the thieves, but they weren't Mormon were they? I don't recall any dialog suggesting they were. There are lots of non-Mormons here in Provo, and quite a few basically "left the church" folks as well. ___ Kumiko ___ | Mulholland Drive Joyce Eliason (producer/writer) ___ Wow - I didn't know that! Fantastic movie (although definitely R-rated material) I suspect that it must be very popular here in Utah as it has been playing non-stop since November. Last I checked it was still playing at Brewvies. (Now if only they'll get _The Man Who Wasn't There_, since I didn't really want to watch it at the Tower) - -- Clark Goble --- clark@lextek.com ----------------------------- - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 18:22:25 -0600 From: "Kumiko" Subject: Re: [AML-Mag] [AML] Last Call for AML Award Nominations >On behalf of the AML I want to thank you all for your ongoing discussion of >Mormon literature on this list, and for your efforts to keep me alerted of >notable titles. I have one last favor to ask of you for this past year. These are the films I know about that were released during 2001 and were directed and/or written by Latter-day Saints. I know the category is "Film", but I would urge AML to consider a separate award for documentaries, as there are a large number to consider, and they're all very good. These are also available on video (from stores or the filmmakers). I don't think it would be an unreasonably difficult to task to consider the 13 documentaries listed here. Best Actor nomination: Did you guys like Paul Walker in "The Fast and the Furious"? (just kidding -- I know there's no AML Award for Best Actor. Besides, if there WAS such an award, I'd nominate Richard Dutcher for his performance in "Brigham City.") - ---------- ** FEATURE FILMS in Wide Theatrical Release ** Mitch Davis, writer/director: The Other Side of Heaven Richard Dutcher, writer/director: Brigham City Richard Rich, director: The Trumpet of the Swan (animated) Mark Andrus, writer: Life as a House David Veloz, writer: Behind Enemy Lines ** FEATURE FILMS Screened at Festivals/Released to Video/Premiering on TV ** Blair Treu, director: Secret Keeper (Crystal Heart Award winner) T.C. Christensen, director; Timothy J. Nelson and Dave Trottier, writers: The Penny Promise T.C. Christensen, writer/director: Bug Off! Eric Hendershot, writer/director: Horse Crazy Craig L. Clyde, writer/director: Dumb Luck Craig L. Clyde, writer/director: No Place Like Home Dave Skousen, director: The Legend of Pretty Boy John Lyde, writer/director: Missionary: Impossible Brent Jones: Missionary Position Mikal Gilmore, book author: Shot in the Heart (HBO) Julie Jensen, playwright: Stray Dogs James C. Christensen, author/illustrator: Voyage of the Unicorn (TV) ** DOCUMENTARIES ** Chris Triffo, director: Men of Valour: Heroes of the Victoria Cross Chris Triffo, director: Disasters of the Century Sterling Van Wagenen, writer/director; Jane Wilson, co-writer: The Haunted Desert: Archaelogy and the Dead Sea Scrolls Dennis Lyman, writer/director: A Temple Dressed in White Michael Mills, writer/director: Bear River Massacre Matt Whitaker, director; Robert C. Freeman and Dennis A. Wright, authors: Saints at War Kelly Loosli, writer/director: Realm of Redheads Vernice Wineera, director: Haka He Langi Kuo Tau: We Dance in the Ecstasy of Singing Michael McNulty, writer/director: The F.L.I.R Project Jason deVilliers, et al: The Mountain Meadows Massacre Pete Deschamps, Justin Deschamps, Mick Deschamps, Dave Deschamps: Higher Ground Carole Mikita, writer/producer: Sea Voyage of the Saints Glenn L. Anderson: "LaVell Edwards: Spirit of Cougar Football" David Scheerer, writer/director: The Mirror and the Hammer ** SHORT FILMS ** Brian A. Brough: Road to Riches: A Journey to Financial Freedom Gary Christensen, director; Kevin Harris, screenwriter/animator: Because Sunday is Special (animated) John Lyde, director; Richard A. Dove, story author: Turn Here Michael Mills: He Took My Licking Chris Bowman: The Wrong Brother Ryan Little: Auteur John Lyde: Fade to Black Ethan Vincent: Sublimating Arthur Christian Vuissa: Daybreak Christian Vuissa: Bill's Christmas Christian Vuissa: A Given Matthew Fackrell: Tiffany Brad Barber: Inspire or Damage Brad Barber: Very Reason for Living Brad Barber: Weevel Men Brian Petersen: Closure Krisi Church: Shattered Brandon Arnold: Loie Brandon Arnold: Jip Brandon Arnold: Arm for an Arm Ryan Arvay: Still Lifes Lynleigh Chamberlain: There's No Place Like Home Erik Christensen: When the Wind Blows Brandon Dayton: The Garden Of Hesperides Brandon Dayton: Andy Karen Dixon: Textures and Temperaments Danny Drysdale, Britte Sappington: Shoes Carter Durham: Woodwork Darrin Fletcher: A Kiss Remembered Chad Gooch: Untitled Ben Gourley: Andy Lincoln Hoppe: The Funky Chicken Project Lincoln Hoppe: The Second Chance Cafe Ryan James: The Bottle Mark E. Johnson: Hold the Door Martin Patch: 4:53 Steven Slovacek: Clarity Will Taylor: News Values Susan Teh: Of Shoes and Souls Megan Wolfley: Jean Massieu School Tyler Measom: Call Me Lou - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 23:23:09 -0700 From: "Eric D. Snider" Subject: Re: [AML] Responding to Critics Thom Duncan: >When my play _A Sceptre, A Sword, A Scented Rose_ was produced at >BYU in 1973, Michael Flynn had a line: "There is that black part in >all of us." The DN reviewer at the time heard this as "Black Pot" >and, in his review, went on a multi-sentence rif about how that >theme of the black pot seemed to exemplify the play. It was a good >review, but what if he had been unimpressed and his "black pot" rif >denigrated the play. We would have been the victim of a mis-heard >line. > >I remember another critic taking BYU to task for modernizing the >lines in a Shakespeare play. She was bothered by the use of the >word "cuz," in her mind clearly a modernization of what Shakespeare >had surely written: "cousin." > >Critics? A necessary evil at best. Well, yeah, if you base the whole thing on those two examples. By the same logic, we could conclude that since "Patch Adams" and "Scary Movie 2" had bad screenplays, screenwriters are a necessary evil at best. Or maybe they're generally an OK thing, and there happen to be some bad apples in the lot. Eric D. Snider - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 07:41:21 -0500 From: "Debra Brown" Subject: [AML] Fw: MN News Briefs: Kent Larsen 29Jan02 US NY NYC X1 LaBute's "Bash" Back in California SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA -- LDS playwright Neil Labute's trio of plays about Mormons turned bad, "Bash: Latter-day Plays," is being presented by Santa Ana's Hunger Artists Theatre Company. Reviewer Eric Marchese admits that LaBute's work is "not the kind of material mainstream venues would be comfortable with," but says its just right for a small, edgy, storefront troupe. But he adds that while the plays could be seen as an indictment of Mormons, " 'Bash' also rings, though, of the unsettling, unwittingly self-revealing monologue poems of Robert Browning, which places LaBute in the company of literary greatness." Source: 'Bash' is a striking look at tragedy Orange co CA Register 18Jan02 A2 http://www.ocregister.com/show/bash00118cci.shtml By Eric Marchese Hunger Artists has the right troupe and venue to deliver the goods on Neil LaBute's chilling set of dramatic monologues. 2. Mormon Columnist Jack Anderson Starts Comic Strip SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH -- LDS Church member Jack Anderson, a long-time syndicated columnist sometimes called "The Mormon Muckraker," is starting a comic strip exclusively in the Salt Lake Tribune. The strip, called "Kilroy-Go-Round" after the fabled World War II American icon "Kilroy" and Anderson's own column, "Washington Merry-Go-Round," will bring Anderson's view of Washington to the comics. Source: Letter From the Editor Salt Lake Tribune 13Jan02 A2 http://www.sltrib.com/2002/jan/01132002/utah/167028.htm By James E. Shelledy >From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 07:41:48 -0500 From: "Debra Brown" Subject: [AML] Fw: MN Robert Marshall to discuss value of art in Jan. 31 lecture: BYU Press Release 26Jan02 US UT Prov D3 [MOD: Again, apologies that this did not get out soon enough for those who would doubtless have enjoyed going. Can anyone report on what was said?] Robert Marshall to discuss value of art in Jan. 31 lecture PROVO, UTAH -- A lecture- presentation titled "What Good Is It Anyway?" by artist-professor Robert Marshall will be Thursday (Jan. 31) at 11 a.m. in the Pardoe Theatre at the Harris Fine Arts Center at Brigham Young University. Marshall, a professor of visual arts at BYU, has been honored by the College of Fine Arts and Communications and the Department of Visual Arts as the 2002 College Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. His lecture title refers to the value of art, said Marshall, who will also take the audience through a brief journey into the creation of the Nauvoo Temple murals. "I have always been interested in landscape art and the intimate views of the world around us," Marshall said. "I am the father of six and grandfather of nine. I observe the responses of my grandchildren to art." Through the eyes of his grandchildren, Marshall has witnessed how art and the value of art blesses lives. Marshall has been a faculty member in visual arts since 1969 and was chair of the department for 12 years. He teaches painting and drawing at BYU. -###- Source: Robert Marshall to discuss value of art in Jan. 31 lecture BYU Press Release 23Jan02 D3 http://www.byu.edu/news/releases/Jan/marshall.htm >From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 07:23:04 -0700 From: kathy_f@juno.com Subject: Re: [AML] Dynamic Relationships with God On Wed, 30 Jan 2002 00:52:36 -0900 Stephen Carter writes: > The moment it strikes you (as it may any day) that Christ is not the > lifeless, > harmless image he has hitherto been to you, but a rallying center > for > revolutionary influences which all established States and Churches > fight, you > must look to yourselves; for you have brought the image to life; and > the mob > may not be able to bear that horror. > George Bernard Shaw: On the Prospects of Christianity. I grew up Catholic, and my family still is. Catholicism is a culture in which the majority of the portrayals of Christ (that I remember) show him to be a skinny, wimpy, effeminate weakling physically. When my mother and two of my siblings visited me last year and walked into my house the first time, they were stopped short by the portrait of Christ that hangs in my entryway. It was literally the first time they'd ever seen a picture depicting the Savior as a large, strong *man*, and all three of them just stood there in shock for literally seconds, then looked at me almost in horror, but also in wonder. Chris, my sister, pointed to it as she looked at me with a stunned look on her face, "Is that....? Is that....?" "Yes," I said. "That's my favorite portrayal of Christ." "I've never seen that one before," she said. I'll never forget the look on their faces. Kathy Fowkes ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 09:22:10 -0700 From: "Brown" Subject: Re: [AML] Responding to Critics Good post, Annette. I find it is a great blessing that anyone will read your work and give comments. It ALWAYS HELPS! I just wrote some overflowing exclamations to Jeff Needle, who wrote a probing review of HOUSE ON THE SOUND. It was a review to die for! He not only got something out of the book, but MORE than I dreamed. I guess I can die now(!) Because that was the KIND of review (intellectual, insightful, energetic) that I wanted to experience at least once in my life. HOUSE is the kind of literature I WANTED to write, and 25 years ago decided to START with Mormon history. (HOUSE is 16 years old!) However, I'm still not quite ready to die. I guess I'll take another 25 years to complete the projects I have in mind, since I've just barely begun. Anyway, may every writer in some future day read a review like Jeff's--about their own work. It's mind boggling. Marilyn Brown - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 09:05:05 -0700 From: Thom Duncan Subject: Re: [AML] Responding to Critics Eric D. Snider wrote: > Eric Samuelsen: > > >> With all due apologies to Eric Snider, but as for me and my house, we >> assume the critic is wrong. > > > I assume this does not extend to times when the critic lavishly praises > a show, but maybe it does. I automatically discount any lavish praise as well as any blatant negativism. Why? Because I know it's not possible to produce a perfect show, at the same time that I know however bad a show may be, there is always some redeeming quality. However, that would not stop me from quoting the lavish praise in press releases. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 08:48:38 -0700 From: "Brown" Subject: Re: [AML] Marilyn BROWN, _House on the Sound_ [MOD: I'm including two posts here from Marilyn, one a response to Jeff, the other a response to Levi.] Amazing, Jeff Needle. Your review of HOUSE on the SOUND. This is what GREAT Reviewers do, find the echoes. (SO glad you exercised no restraint!) This was a review to die for. SO FUN for me to publish a 16 year old book and find that it still communicates on several levels to someone! May every writer in some future day have the experience of reading such a probing, energetic review about his own work! Cheers! Marilyn Brown Levi, bless you! I didn't know this. Thank you so much! Actually, it was probably a blessing to be refused (I want all of you Mormon writers who are getting rejection messages from us at Cedar Fort and from many other presses, to pay close attention to this) because I had 16 more years to mature and polish it even more! The story remained pretty much the same, but I added the court scene, which I think helps a lot. To all of you out there who wonder why you're not an instant success in one year, (or even five or six) please take heart. Keep working! Thank you, Levi! (Our paragon of success--and if I get to join the literary ranks of such as LEVI because I'm an R-rated Mormon author, how fortunate!) Marilyn Brown - ----- Original Message ----- > It's interesting that, having included incest in her novel, Marilyn Brown > now joins the ranks of R-rated Mormon authors. > > I am proud to say that in the late 1980s, the University of Utah Press asked > me to referee the manuscript for House on the Sound. When I returned a > favorable report, David Catron, director of the press, wrote me something > like, "I'm glad you approve of it because I like it too." However, Catron's > superiors were in the process of squeezing the press out of fiction at that > time, and Marilyn had the bad luck to get caught in that. > > I am very happy this excellent novel has been published. So my belated > congratulations, Marilyn. > > Levi Peterson > althlevip@msn.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 09:17:21 -0700 From: Thom Duncan Subject: Re: [AML] Responding to Critics Terry L Jeffress wrote: > > I also tend to think, why do you look at the reviewer as an adversary > and not just wonder what you could do to get more consistently higher > reviews. One would hope that a reviewer of a piece of theatre would at least have as much experience in that world as those presenting a piece. For instance, let's suppose a reviewer has never seen or doesn't even know what Theatre of the Absured is all about. You produce a play by Ionesco. Is that reviewer more or less likely to understand the play in its proper milieu or see it as just a bunch of nonsense. In another post, I mentioned a reviewer who trashed a BYU Shakespearean play because it was using what she "thought" were modern phrases. This is the kind of thing we playwrights battle with all the time. Get me a review by someone who actually knows what they are talking about, and I'll pay attention, even its my own work. Chris Hicks was my icon back when I read the DN and he did regular reviews. On virtually every film we agreed. Except for science fiction. He consistenly gave science fiction films one less star than I would have given them. I believe this is because, though he knew film, he didn't know science fiction. You judge science fiction differently than you judge realisitc drama. I came to understand that, if Chris Hicks gave an sf film three starts, it was really a four-star production. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 11:07:20 -0500 From: "Debra Brown" Subject: [AML] Fw: MN Deseret Book's Strong Season Makes Publishers Weekly: Kent Larsen 30Jan02 US NY NYC A3 Deseret Book's Strong Season Makes Publishers Weekly NEW YORK, NEW YORK -- The strong Fall season at Deseret Book, the book publisher and retail bookstore chain owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, caught the attention of Publishers Weekly, a book publishing trade magazine. In a story published in its weekly Religion Bookline update, reporter Jana Riess interviewed Sheri Dew, executive vice-president of publishing for Deseret Book's Shadow Mountain imprint, about the publisher's four best selling titles for the Fall, including President Hinckley's "Stand a Little Taller," which has sold about 360,000 copies. The same issue of Religion Bookline also gave short reviews of four titles published by mainstream and religious publishers on Mormonism. The success of "Stand a Little Taller" has been seen throughout the market for LDS products, and Religion Bookline noted that its sales work out to about 3,000 copies a day since its debut in late September. "Stand a Little Taller" is a small gift book containing thoughts from LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley for each day of the year. Dew told PW that this is Deseret Book's first real 'devotional' book -- providing readers with daily inspirational help. She says that the book is just the right combination for its audience, "Its bite-sized, with a very attractive design and a daily Scripture verse. It's a perfect combination of the author, the format and the content, plus a low price point." According to Dew, three other Deseret Book titles are also selling very strongly. Gerald Lund's novel "Come unto Me," and Sheri Dew's own "memoir-cum-spirituality book" (as PW calls it) have both sold more than 100,000 copies, while Dean Hughes' Hearts of the Children series has reached about 65,000 copies. The coffee-table book "Beloved Savior," featuring the artwork of Simon Dewey, has sold 50,000 copies. [See below for links to more information about these titles.] All this adds to a very successful season for the publisher, making the publisher's decision earlier this month to layoff 14 from its headquarters staff less understandable. Those cuts included reductions in the company's marketing and public relations staff, traditionally areas that helped increase sales. But Dew told PW that she "cannot remember a season where we have sold this kind of volume," and added, "I think the market is growing, and that our marketing is getting stronger and more creative." Meanwhile, elsewhere in the same issue of PW's Religion Bookline, four new books about Mormonism from mainstream and non-LDS religious publishers are given short PW-style informative reviews. Former LDS Bishop W. F. Walker Johanson has written what may be the most favorable of the four, "What is Mormonism All About? Answers to the 150 Most Commonly Asked Questions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Published by St. Martin's Press, the book tries to give non-Mormons an accessible, friendly way to find out about LDS beliefs. PW says "Sometimes his view is too narrowly LDS (such as when he asserts that other churches claim that "miracles are a thing of the past"), but readers looking for the Mormon perspective will find it clearly and competently presented here." PW calls Carol Avery Forseth's "Gentile Girl: Living with the Latter-day Saints" a "refreshingly balanced memoir." Forseth, a Baptist, spent two years as an undergraduate at BYU in the 1970s and says that her experience made her a better Protestant. PW adds, "It is clear that she believes LDS doctrine to be wrong (and she includes three short appendices to hammer that point home), but she also presents the individual Mormons who figure into her narrative as three-dimensional people, not caricatures." Probably the hardest of the four books for Mormons to accept is "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church" by Richard Abanes, who has previously attacked the New Age movement, the occult and Harry Potter. This "heated diatribe" is simply an "agenda-driven expose" says PW. "Abanes's tirade is virtually indistinguishable from the anti-Mormon literature of the past, except that he seems convinced he is revealing "new" information to readers who have been dangerously ignorant of the horrifying dark side of, say, the Osmond family." In marked contrast, Mormon apologists and doctrinal scholars may find the final volume worthwhile, from PW's description. "The New Mormon Challenge: Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing Movement" is, says PW, "One of the most theologically sophisticated evangelical critiques of Mormonism ever to appear in print." Taking an evangelical viewpoint, the essays in this 544-page volume take on specific points of LDS theology, practice and history in a tone that is "critical, but not unfair or overly strident." Source: Deseret Standing Tall After Stunning Fall Season Publishers Weekly Religion Bookline 29Jan02 A3 By Jana Riess Looking at the Mormons: Four Reviews Publishers Weekly Religion Bookline 29Jan02 A3 See also: Deseret Book Lays-off 14 From Headquarters Staff Mormon News 5Jan02 B3 http://www.mormonstoday.com/020104/B3DBLayoffs01.US.UT.SLC.shtml By Kent Larsen >From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 13:00:16 -0700 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: Re: [AML] Pop Culture and Cultural Conservatism I actually thought of an example of a counter-culture piece that attacks = the prevailing construction of sexual morality; a weird example, but one = that works. Seinfeld. Salon recently published a restrospective review of Seinfeld, and I found = myself reflecting on their ideas. Really, the theme of Seinfeld is = "wickedness never was happiness." Seinfeld is a sitcom that sets out to = show how petty jealousies, vanities, selfishnesses lead to human misery. = It's also, of course, very funny, in the best Moliere tradition. But none = of the characters on Seinfeld is happy. Jerry is perpetually discontented,= especially with the various women who he dates and whose imperfections he = is obsessed with. And the show goes out of its way to show, over and = over, how the current sexual morality ("if you really like them, it's = okay") is infinitely manipulable and makes one capable of rationalizing = pretty much anything. And then, if there were any doubt whatever about the show's intentions, = the final episode (which was widely panned and which I consider a work of = breathtaking genius) dispells it. They all get arrested. They get what = they've deserved all along. They're all exposed as the shallow, selfish, = petty creatures they are. It's perfect. =20 Whenever asked about it, Seinfeld's glib answer was 'it's a sitcom about = nothing.' In other words, it's an expose of nihilism; it's literally, = about nothing. So there we are. A hip, with it, funny piece of avant-gard= e theatre arguing for, not against, our view of morality. So could we = write a Mormon Seinfeld? Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 13:38:57 -0700 From: "Nan McCulloch" Subject: Re: [AML] Life in Mormon Culture When Scott Parkin wrote that we need to tell our own stories so that we can *create pockets of belonging* in the greater culture I must refer you to Levi Peterson's excellent piece _My Early College Years_ in the last Dialogue (Fall 2000). What a perfect example to illustrate Scott's premise. When we share our lives in such an honest way a *connection* is established where none would otherwise exist. Sure I was at BYU in '53 and my roommates were from Arizona and I loved the Oquirrh Mountains and Debussy's _Claire de Lune_, but it was Levi's honest search for truth and his desire to know if there was a god that made that connection in me. I too feel compassion for Judas Iscariot and I also feel compassion for those who experience a painful crisis of faith and suffer in their quest for truth. Nan McCulloch - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 17:09:31 -0700 From: "Clark Goble" Subject: RE: [AML] Life in Mormon Culture ___ Thom ___ | I cornered a few of them afterwards and they shared a few | stories about other LDS friends who had sincerely asked | them, "How can you be a Democrat and a good Mormon?" | That is an example of Mormon culture that some people | think is the same as religion. ___ That's an example of Utah culture which is hardly Mormon culture. I expect that the average Mormon in Japan, for example, has no clue what a Democrat or Republican even is. - -- Clark Goble --- clark@lextek.com ----------------------------- - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 17:20:41 -0700 From: "Clark Goble" Subject: RE: [AML] Stephen KING, _On Writing_ ___ Cathy ___ | He's a dang good writer. (I just agree with his high school | English teacher who said, "Why do you waste your talent, | writing that trash?") ___ Just to ask a question, why is it that "speculative fiction" (i.e. science fiction, horror, fantasy, etc.) is always considered trash? Don't get me wrong, I dislike most of the things by King I've read. But he does often have sections or even whole books that are masterful. For instance _Misery_ is an amazing story, not just because of the thriller aspects, but more because of what it says about being an artist. It is probably the book with most of what you call "inner truth." Further some books, like the first _Gunslinger_ novel ring with a kind of archetypal power. Of course for every one of those there are three or four that are little more than pulp fiction. (Albeit relatively well written fiction) Yet it seems that whole genres are cast aside as not being worthy of respect. Even when a book is accepted, such as _Slaughter House 5_, which is basically science fiction, it is because it tends to be written in a less approachable manner. ___ Cathy ___ | If we "emerged" our work in the way King describes, true, we | might come up with some scary stuff, and perhaps that drives | us back into self-consciousness. ___ I actually think that the early Card did this. That "inner truth" contained a lot of Mormonism in it. Further it developed naturally. Unfortunately far too many of his books have taken the "jackhammer" approach which makes them (in my mind) feel forced. His "Book of Mormon" science fiction series is a great example. ___ Cathy ___ | And Scott Card's novels seem like they're almost totally this | way; he jumps into the story and it tumbles over itself being | told. ___ If you mean that Card has idea of how the story ought to develop and forces it to go that way even though it feels like the story wants to develop a different direction, I agree. That is Card's greatest weakness. It is also why I think his short stories tend to be far more successful. On the other hand some stories haven't done this. Still, he has a hard time ending stories because there is this tension between the story and what he wants to say. (The ending of _Enders Game_ is a great example - the story ended but he keeps going) ___ Cathy ___ | Back to Steven King--he says you should at least write 1000 | words a day, every day (I guess we Mormons would skip Sundays). | That's only four pages at 250 words a page. Hey that's | doable, no? ___ Does email count? (Of course then I'd never have any practice in re-writes) - -- Clark Goble --- clark@lextek.com ----------------------------- - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2002 17:38:41 -0700 From: "Christine" Subject: Re: [AML] Box Office Report Jan. 25 ___ Kumiko ___ | This marks the first time in months that a movie with | Latter-day Saint characters or made by Latter-day | Saint filmmakers was not among the nation's top at the | box office. ___ Clark: I just rejoined, so I presumably missed some discussion. But what exactly did Oceans 11 have to do with Mormons? There was that scene in Provo when gathering the thieves, but they weren't Mormon were they? I don't recall any dialog suggesting they were. Me: Actually, they were specifically described as "the Mormon twins" right at the beginning of their little intro. - -Christine Atkinson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #599 ******************************