Book Review

I just finished Elna Baker's The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance. While it's not really an LDS book (I certainly wouldn't want my young teens reading it...and I can't imagine my parents reading it, either!), it's still an LDS book. As in Elna is LDS, lives her religion (mostly) and writes about her stories. However, there's a fair amount of swearing and a whole lot of sex for there not actually being any sex in it and it is, much to LOTS of leaders dismay, I'm assuming, more true to life than anything you can currently pick up at your local church book store.

I don't know what I really expected picking this up. I expected it to be funny, which it was. I expected it to bash the church a lot, which it doesn't. But I never expected it to have so much heart and soul in it. And I didn't expect it to ring as true to my own life as it did. I was reminded of my year after my divorce a lot; dating and trying to explain my divorce to those who would view me as damaged. Trying to find out what I really wanted from life and a partner. And even though her stories are uniquely hers (and mostly uniquely New York), I think her doubts and struggles to find who SHE wants to be while staying true to her religion is a wider story. You don't find many LDS people as honest as she. You don't find many who readily admit they don't have close to any answers and struggle so openly. I found the entire book refreshing, as well as laugh out loud funny.

One of my favorite essays from the book is also part of her stand up. It may be because I enjoy the people who can't say vagina and, well, if that offends you for some crazy reason, you should definitely not watch this clip.


Music for a Monday:

(matt pond PA; sunlight)