by Richard Ostling, Joan Ostling

isbn: 0060663723
subject: Religion, Nonfiction
finished: 1/17/2003

After living in Salt Lake City for more than two years and not learning much about the Mormon faith, I decided to pick up this book. Each of its 22 chapters focuses on some aspect of the Latter Day Saints: their history, theology, finances, and missionary program, among others. I found the history and theology to be the most interesting, especially a chapter that answers the questions "Are Mormons Christian? Are non-Mormons Christian?" (The answer, as you might expect, depends on who you ask.)

A book about a religion cannot be unbiased, but it can be balanced, and I think the Ostlings have done well in this respect -- they show both sides of the story and go to pains to cite their sources. I recommend this book.