Mormonism: A Very Short Introduction by Richard L. Bushman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well-written and helpful. I learned a lot. Three things stand out to me:

1. Stories (true or false) are powerful. Stories are the main factor in any type of community--ethnic, religious, national, family, neighborhood, and so forth. Shared stories are what binds us together to those we commune with.

2. The formational power of habit. The Mormons immerse themselves in ritual, both "high church," "low church," and within the family. These habits, followed week after week and year after year, form them into a certain kind of people. Habits are powerful.

3. Mormonism has a dark past, and although the author is sympathetic, I appreciate his willingness to deal with the issues head on.

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