Word: mormons
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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Mulder and Mortensen's Among the Mormons is an excellent example of this new objectivity. Although both the editors are Mormon in background, they have written a book whose tone is remarkably detached...
Their anthology contains an invaluable collection of the experiences of largely non-Mormon observers who have come into contact with Mormonism in all stages of its history. The editors have uncovered some extremely worthwhile material...
Mulder and Mortensen have also garnered brief accounts of Mormonism from a lineup of 19th century notables: Horace Greeley, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson (who called Mormonism an "after-clap of Puritanism"), John Greenleaf Whittier, and Mark Twain. The latter's revulsion at the concept of polygamy melted at his first sight of the "poor, ungainly and pathetically 'homely' creatures" that were the Mormon wives. "No," Twain wrote, "--the man that marries one of them has done an act of Christian charity which entitles him to the kindly applause of mankind, not their harsh censure--and the man that marries...
...century commentaries are also included and form some of the most interesting material in the book, especially those of Juanita Brooks, Dale. L. Morgan, Samuel W. Taylor, and Wallace Stegner whose eulogy to Salt Lake City concludes the volume. Indeed, the major complaint one can find with Among the Mormons is that the accounts are concentrated too heavily in the earlier periods of Mormon history, giving the book an overly academic tone...
While not so colorful as the anthology, Thomas O'Dea's The Mormons is the most astute sociological analysis of this society yet written. O'Dea has as much knowledge and sympathy for the Mormons as any non-Mormon could be expected to have; his only fault is that he has not lived long enough among different groups of Mormons. Quite obviously, his perception of Mormonism is that of the "Wasatch Strip"--Salt Lake City and adjoining areas. He does not show sufficient awareness of Mormonism in the cities on the periphery of Mormon Country, in the rural areas...