Joanna s journey through her faith explores a side of the religion that is rarely put on display. Ask mormon girl author joanna brooks on lds church, mitt. A memoir of an american faith kindle edition by joanna brooks. The book of mormon girl is a story about leaving behind the innocence of childhood belief and embracing the complications and heartbreaks that come to every adult life of faith. Joanna brooks born september 29, 1971 is an american author and professor of english and. I identified with her throughout the story, until a crisis of faith takes us down different paths. A memoir of an american faith, writes about her religion she addresses the mocking and the jokes she has endured headon, without apologies. While at byu, wearing a peace pin, labeled her as an apostate. Born and raised in orange county, california, she attended brigham young university as an ezra taft benson scholar. The book of mormon girl, by joanna brooks star tribune. And since we spoke last year, joanna brooks father, james clayton brooks, passed away earlier this summer. Joanna brooks is a national voice on mormon life and politics and an awardwinning scholar of religion and american culture. The book of mormon girl also has a lot of relevance as it relates to the prevalence of religion in our current political rhetoric for good or for bad. In the book of mormon girl, joanna brooks describes her 1980s southern california mormon childhood in loving and witty detail.
Joanna brooks mormons demystified the on being project. The book of mormon girl is a luminous ode to brooks passion for mormonism, in spite of her churchs rejection. Courtesy joanna brooks joanna brooks center celebrates pioneer day as a child growing up in her parents ranch house in orange county, calif. Joanna brooks book of mormon girl a memoir of an american. While mitt romney is undoubtedly the most highprofile mormon in america right now, many might argue that joanna brooks is the most highprofile mormon woman in america today. Writing the book of mormon girl was an act of courage courage because some nonmormons would likely be put off by joanna brooks descriptions of mormon life.
In early 2012, she selfpublished a memoir called the book of mormon girl. She is the author or editor of nine books including the book of mormon girl and mormon feminism. The book is available at amazon and at the authors website. A memoir of an american faith ebook written by joanna brooks. Joanna brooks ask mormon girl visits utah to participate. Joanna brooks is almost exactly ten years older than me, so i was surprised and delighted to find that her childhood brand of mormonism resonated so strongly with my own.
The book of mormon girl by joanna brooks overdrive. In the book of mormon girl, joanna brooks writes a story about growing up and embracing the complications and heartbreak that come. From her days of feeling like a root beer among the cokescocacola being a forbidden fruit for mormon girls like herjoanna brooks always understood that. In this enchanting memoir, brooks, a san diego religion scholar american lazarus, portrays her pious mormon upbringing in southern california as both deeply grounding and later stiflingly sexist and. Joanna brooks, ralph hancock, and the book of mormon girl author lynnette posted on 2 april 2012 2 april 2012 77 comments if you follow the bloggernacle, by this time, you are likely familiar with ralph hancocks recent twopart article at meridian magazine parts one and two about joanna brooks memoir, the book of mormon girl. Joanna brooks, ralph hancock, and the book of mormon girl. Stories of an american faith, joanna brooks describes a childhood that in some ways could have been my own. Joanna brooks is an associate professor and interim chair of the department of english and comparative literature at san diego state university. Joanna brooks grew up in the world of mormonism, in california, which is different from growing up as a mormon in utah.
The book of mormon girl by joanna brooks is a wonderful read. Its easy to place all people of a religious bent into a single category, missing the fact that intergroup conflicts can be even more fractious and important to understand. A memoir of an american faith by joanna brooks 2012, paperback at the best online prices at. Joannas journey through her faith explores a side of the religion that is rarely put on display. What brooks calls her unorthodox mormon story is a loving yet critical account of her childhood as the daughter of an lds bishop in southern california. After reading joanna brookss memoir the book of mormon girl, i will no longer answer with such alacrity. While joanna loved her growing up experience, she has found that she did not have a conventional mormon experience. In this episode we interview joanna brooks author of the newly released the book of mormon girl. Joanna brooks reads from her book the book of mormon girl to an audience at uvu. Joanna brooks is the chair of the department of english and comparative literature at san diego state university. The book of mormon girl by joanna brooks in her sweet, funny, and impassioned memoir the book of mormon girl, joanna brooks sheds light onto one of americas. Book of mormon girl stories from an american faith. A memoir of an american faith, writes about her religion she addresses the. While my mormon girlhood was far from america, so much of the story joanna shares was deeply familiar to me.
Joanna brooks compellingly recreates the lives of british peasants who came to the new world. From her days of feeling like a root beer among the cokes cocacola being a forbidden fruit for mormon girls like her joanna brooks always. Joanna brooks is a professor of english and comparative literature at san diego state university. Joanna brooks is chair and associate professor of english and comparative literature at san diego state university. Joanna brooks author of the book of mormon girl joanna brooks is a national voice on mormon life and politics and an awardwinning scholar of religion and american culture. The book of mormon girl from her days of feeling like a root beer among the cokescocacola being a forbidden fruit for mormon girls like her joanna brooks always understood that being a member of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints set her apart from others. The book of mormon girl is half hilarious, half heartbreaking. The book of mormon girl book by joanna brooks official.
She traces their collective memories through the folk ballads sung by their descendants and collected diligently by scholars and revivalists. Brooks new book the book of mormon girl explores the dynamics of remaining committed to a faith you love and cherish, even when you cant adhere to all its teachings and practices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the book of mormon girl. She is the author of several books, most recently the book of mormon girl. Brooks was noted as one of religious women to watch in 2012. The book of mormon girl is a story about leaving behind the innocence of childhood belief and embracing the complications and heartbreaks that. Stories from an american faith, which was later picked up by simon. It is a memoir written not just for herself, but for others who continue to pursue their faith in the face of abandonment because no one should be left to feel like she is the only one broken and seeking. She chronicles the beauty as well as the divisiveness of her religion, and how she came to reconcile her differences with the churchs. Photo by robin rodgers the internet and growing interest in the church has brought about many challenges.
In the book of mormon girl, joanna brooks writes a story about growing up and embracing the complications and heartbreak that come to every adult life of faith. Welcome to the world of ask mormon girl, a fouryear archive of columns on the insandouts, upsanddowns of living the its complicated version of faith. Joanna brooks is an author and recognized expert on mormonism and gender and lgbt issues, and associate vice president for faculty affairs at san diego state university. Shes author of the book of mormon girl, she writes often for religion dispatches and blogs and tweets at ask mormon girl.
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