From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #313 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Thursday, May 3 2001 Volume 01 : Number 313 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 15:05:09 -0600 From: Barbara Hume Subject: [AML] Women Lawyers (was: THAYER) > > Law school!? Why are we losing all our best women writers to law school? > > you're well paid and there is no editor looking over your shoulder! > >Just twelve editors in the jury box--and you only get one shot to make >them happy: no rewrites. I have read, though, that many women are leaving the law field. They develop a strong distaste for the adversarial nature of what we call the justice system. It isn't really a search for truth--it's a contest to see which lawyer wins. A male lawyer I know agreed with that assessement--said he loves getting in there for the fight and destroying the other guy if possible. Who was right and who was wrong was not an issue with him. barbara hume - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 11:24:41 +0900 From: "Andrew Hall" Subject: Re: [AML] Favorite Moments in LDS Lit. Just picking out a single scene for me shifts the focus to more of the big pay-off scene, rather than something more subtle. And of those kind of scenes, my favorites are the climaxes of two of my favorite Card novels, Red Prophet (where the Indians allow themselves to be massacred a la the Anti-Nephi-Lehis in the Book of Mormon) and Pastwatch (where a new past is created, in which one of the central American cultures is given a leg up a century before Columbus arrives, and Columbus is subsequently forced to examine some of his deeply held ideas). Those are both very emotional, big pay-off type moments, which aren't forgotten easily. A little more subtly, one of my favorite dialouge sections, or relationships, is that in Michael Fillerup's Beyond the River, in the first quarter of the book, between the Mormon high school jock protagonist and narrator, and Nancy, the enigmatic girl who shocks him out of his complacency. Their dialogue was crisp and fascinating. The book definately began to drag after Nancy left the stage, but that first quarter alone puts Beyond the River high up on my Mormon lit list of favorites. Andrew Hall Pittsburgh, PA - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 19:41:16 -0500 From: Kent Larsen (by way of Ronn Blankenship ) Subject: [AML] MN News Briefs: Kent Larsen 1May01 X1 From Mormon-News: See footer for instructions on joining and leaving this list. Do you have an opinion on this news item? Send your comment to letters.to.editor@MormonsToday.com BYU Family Expo Panel Says Arts are Shield Against Evil PROVO, UTAH -- A panel at BYU's recent Family Expo discussed the importance of the arts in the family, telling parents and those attending that the arts fortify children against evil and violence. The panel, chaired by Kenneth Crossley, director of Brigham Young University's Performing Arts Series, gave parents four suggestions for involving children in the arts; start early, create an artistic climate in the family, look for a variety of arts options, bring arts to the child's level, and do it together. Arts fortify children against evil, violence, BYU panelists says Deseret News 26Apr01 A6 By Carma Wadley: Deseret News senior writer From Mormon-News: Mormon News and Events Forwarding is permitted as long as this footer is included Mormon News items may not be posted to the World Wide Web sites without permission. Please link to our pages instead. For more information see http://www.MormonsToday.com/ Send join and remove commands to: majordomo@MormonsToday.com Put appropriate commands in body of the message: To join: subscribe mormon-news To leave: unsubscribe mormon-news To join digest: subscribe mormon-news-digest - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 12:00:29 +0900 From: "Andrew Hall" Subject: [AML] Darius Gray on Meridian Here is some indication that the stories Margaret is talking about are starting to be heard at least in the Mormon community. Two excellent articles featuring Darius Gray appeared recently on the LDS web magazine Meridian Magazine. First: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/turninghearts/010418freedman.html This is a much more detailed description of the effort involved in producing the Freedman Band records than I have seen before. Brother Gray featured prominantly in that effort. The detalis about the role the inmates in the Utah State Prison played are especially interesting. Next: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/books/010419bw.html This is an article by Margaret Young giving in more detail than I have seen before the background on how she met Brother Gray, and how they went about writing Standing on the Promises. Also on Meridian, Marvin Payne continues his series on writing journals: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/backstagegraffiti/010420mac.html There is a reprint of the Irreantum interview of Dean Hughes, and articles by Anne Perry, Richard Cracoft, and Truman Madsen, and reviews of Brigham City. For all that I have criticized Meridian, it is becoming a significant outlet for discussion of Mormon literature and culture. On a personal note, I lent my copy of Standing on the Promises to a bright young black investigator I helped teach a discussion to two hours ago. Usually I wouldn't reccommend much besides the scriptures to investigators at this point, but she has a lot of time this week, likes to read, has been asking about blacks in the Church, and is finding a lot of negative stuff on the internet on the subject anyway, so I figured she could benefit from the experience. I think it will go well. Unfortunately she is spending all day recently on the internet, and it seems to make her very jumpy and unable to concentrate. So the missionaries and I decided to ask her to committ to not getting on the internet for a week, and instead to concentrate on reading the Book of Mormon and finding her own answer. I have her internet phone cord in my backpack now. Her mother, who joined the Church a couple of months ago, was also very excited to read the novel. Andrew Hall _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 00:51:32 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] LA Book Festival Margaret Young wrote: > There were over 100,000 people at the festival both days. As they > approached us and looked at the book, they said things like, "Mormons > and blacks--that's an oxymoron!" "I thought Mormons didn't even let > Blacks join their Church!" "I thought Mormons didn't let Blacks into > Utah!" "Mormons! They're racists!" As I cite these quotes, you need to > understand that they are exact quotes, and were repeated time and time > again. I would say that 90% of the people who talked with us (and there > were many) started the conversation with a comment about Mormons as > racists. I would guess that much of this is pure ignorance--this is what they've heard all their lives, so they repeat it. I would imagine that many of them would change their minds simply with an influx of information. Imagine what a difference you and Darius made in the perception of many people simply by being there and talking, with a book about black Mormon pioneers on display. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 01:37:55 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Church Problems in Lit Scott and Marny Parkin wrote: > Frankly, I doubt > some of the details of all of Joseph's accounts, so the fact that > some of those details change from telling to telling has never > bothered me. Every memory comes in a context, and as we learn more we > tend to recast old memories in light of new knowledge. The human > brain is very capable of reprogramming itself to alter long-held > memories so that they match the new contexts we create for them. > Certainly the contexts that Joseph had for remembering events changed > over the course of his life as he learned more and more about the > true nature of God and his plan. I always prided myself on my great memory. Well, you know what they say: pride precedeth the fall. The mechanism which toppled my pride was completely unexpected: Nick at Night. Nickelodeon cable station runs reruns of old TV shows at night. I remember many of these shows from their first airings. Well, I thought I did. I have very vivid memories of choice scenes from them. But after all these years, finally seeing the real thing again for the first time in ages, I was shocked at how faulty my memory was. I remember a scene from "All in the Family" where Archie Bunker bought some mace for protection (illegal in New York City without a license), then had a crime committed against him. When the cop came over in response to the crime, he found the mace and charged Archie instead. I remember the dialog, the exact look on Archie's face when he said it--everything. I have clear images in my head of how that scene went down. Then I saw it again. I was dead wrong. Not only did Archie never have the expression on his face that I remember, he never said what I remember him saying. Furthermore, months later, I still see the faulty image and can't remember how the scene really played out. But there is one thing I can say with absolute assurity. That episode did air and I did watch it. So I don't get terribly riled up about discrepencies in reports about events in church history. Differences in different tellings of the First Vision? Whoop-de-doo! You should hear the differences in stories from my past when I retell them. But that doesn't mean the events I tell stories about never happened. Nor does any of this mean that a First Vision never happened to Joseph Smith. Just like my faulty memory doesn't prove that an "All in the Family" episode about mace never aired. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 09:51:14 -0600 From: "Brown" Subject: Re: [AML] LA Book Festival So good, Margaret! To read your post! You point out the reasons Carol Houck Smith and other national publishers don't accept anything about us to publish on the national market. (Unless it's anti) All of these comments are reverse descrimination in the worst way. It sounds like we're not even PEOPLE to so many, but just crazy western cultists and racists. It will take all of us to help erase the stigmas. Thank you for being such a missionary! Sincerely, Marilyn Brown - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 10:00:08 -0600 From: "Brown" Subject: Re: [AML] Church Problems in Lit Even though it was a long post, Scott, you had some very interesting and pertinent things to say about contexts. That is the interesting truth--that "in the beginning was the word" is the principle that belongs to all of us individually. Every person's context is different. When Christ suggested that we could experience "at One Ment" he tried to give us a set of words we could all understand together--and so discover spiritual harmony--which is also the goal of an author. Harmony cannot possibly be achieved if there is one deceit. Thanks for giving us an insight into your own experiences! Marilyn Brown - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 10:29:28 -0600 From: Thom Duncan Subject: Re: [AML] MN News Briefs: Kent Larsen 1May01 X1 "Kent Larsen (by way of Ronn Blankenship )" wrote: > > From Mormon-News: See footer for instructions on joining and leaving this > list. > Do you have an opinion on this news item? Send your comment to > letters.to.editor@MormonsToday.com > > BYU Family Expo Panel Says Arts are Shield Against Evil > > PROVO, UTAH -- A panel at BYU's recent Family Expo discussed the importance > of the arts in the family, telling parents and those attending that the arts > fortify children against evil and violence. Someone, please tell me I've not died and gone to heaven. Thom Duncan - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 10:37:49 -0700 From: Elizabeth Hatch Subject: [AML] Re: LA Book Festival >Margaret Young wrote: >I wanted Oprah to drop by. (Didn't happen.) Margaret, I'm so fired up after reading your post that I'm tempted to start calling Chicago to get you on the Oprah show myself! Does anyone know how to accomplish this? Does anybody know someone with enough influence to pull this off? I've even wondered about having someone send Oprah a copy of your post. Wouldn't she have to be curious? - -Beth Hatch - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 May 2001 12:38:21 -0700 From: "LauraMaery (Gold) Post" Subject: Re: [AML] Church Problems in Lit Margaret wrote: >Serious question in this vein: One of my good friends is struggling with the >fact that Joseph Smith gave different versions of the First Vision. It fascinates me that the same event can build the testimony of one person, and destroy the testimony of another. I take strength from different versions of the First Vision. It has been my experience that when liars fabricate stories, the details don't change. People who are less "ingenious" live complex lives, and find layers and layers of meaning in signficant events. To me, Joseph's varying accounts testify that the event was meaningful to him on a personal level when it first happened, and took on different meaning and greater public significance as he matured. I've had tremendous experiences in my own life -- and I surely don't tell the stories the same way now as I would have earlier on. Details that seemed meaningless at first -- not worth mentioning -- have taken on DEEP significance as I've seen new connections and learned more about God. Joseph's story -- every telling of it -- happened. I know it happened, because it was hugely significant, multi-faceted, and incredibly profound. And because he doesn't tell it the same way twice. >So the question is, how do y'all deal with struggling friends? I believe most people who are struggling are honestly hoping someone will help them find answers. So yes, so long as I perceive that people are sincere, I do get into the fray. To fail to give answers -- when the answers are there -- is to neglect one's duty to the 100th sheep. >Have you found LITERATURE for or >against Joseph Smith to be valuable, or merely a continuation of a long, >maybe endless dialogue? Has anyone been HELPED by an >explanation someone has of a Church problem? The BUSH book (I've lent mine out, and am having a momentary mental block) called Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism was a tremendous help in resolving some questions I had about controversies surrounding the Prophet. - --lauramaery - --------- WHAT DO WE DO? We homeschool! Here's how: "Homeschool Your Child for Free." Order your copy today, from Amazon.com. - --------- . - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 01 May 2001 22:29:53 -0700 From: "LauraMaery (Gold) Post" Subject: [AML] Women Lawyers (was: THAYER) Sharlee asks: >Law school!? Why are we losing all our best women writers to law >school? First Tessa and now Donlu. Hmmmm . . . . I'm quite certain I don't qualify as anything like a best woman writer, but I did go to law school. You would've, too. It was free! When I was editing PC World, companies that didn't think their bad deeds deserved exposure often threatened to sue me. I persuaded my publisher that it would be in his economic interest to send me to law school. So he did. It was a terrific experience, and I recommend it to anyone who can wrangle tuition. You don't, after all, have to become a lawyer just because you went to law school. Just ask me. I'm a mommy...and a writer. - --lmg - --------- WHAT DO WE DO? We homeschool! Here's how: "Homeschool Your Child for Free." Order your copy today, from Amazon.com. - --------- . - - AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature http://www.xmission.com/~aml/aml-list.htm ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #313 ******************************