From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #872 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, October 24 2002 Volume 01 : Number 872 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 02:46:05 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Starship Mormons Barbara Hume wrote: > Heinlein apparently had warm feelings about Mormons; there are many > favorable references to Mormons in his novels. However, I'm not sure how to > feel about that, since the worldview he espouses more and more openly > throughout his canon is basically disgusting. Wonderful storyteller, > though. I used to pick up his novels vowing to analyze his techniques, only > to find myself a few hours later at the end, having been carried along by > the story. (After Stranger in a Strange Land, though, the ick factor > becomes just too strong.) I read "Stranger" about a zillion years ago. (By the way, in it the main character dismisses the Book of Mormon along with a pile of other religious books as being irrelevant, so not all his references to Mormonism are friendly.) "Stranger" started out great, but halfway through abandoned all the elements that made it great. I think somewhere in the middle of writing it, the real Heinlein was devoured and replicated by an extraterrestial pod creature, because his writing was never the same after that. - -- 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 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 19:01:57 -0500 From: "webmaster" Subject: [AML] Box Office Report Oct. 18 02 Feature Films by LDS/Mormon Filmmakers and Actors Weekend Box Office Report (U.S. Domestic Box Office Gross) Weekend of October 18, 2002 Report compiled by: LDSFilm.com [If table below doesn't line up properly, try looking at them with a mono-spaced font, such as Courier - Ed.] Natl Film Title Weekend Gross Rank LDS/Mormon Filmmaker/Actor Total Gross Theaters Days - --- ----------------------------- ----------- ----- ---- 15 Punch-Drunk Love 1,480,932 78 10 Actors: David Stevens, 2,045,863 Nathan Stevens, Jim Smooth Stevens, Michael D. Stevens (brothers) 53 Jack Weyland's Charly 43,285 30 24 Adam Anderegg (director) 331,651 Jack Weyland (book author) Janine Gilbert (screenwriter) Lance Williams, Micah Merrill (producers) Tip Boxell (co-producer) Bengt Jan Jonsson (cinematographer) Aaron Merrill (composer) Actors: Heather Beers, Jeremy Elliott, Adam Johnson, Jackie Winterrose Fullmer, Diana Dunkley, Gary Neilson, Lisa McCammon, Randy King, Bernie Diamond, etc. 57 Master of Disguise 36,973 104 80 Perry Andelin Blake (director) 39,867,996 58 Minority Report 36,771 60 122 Gerald Molen (producer) 131,976,147 60 City by the Sea 30,439 54 45 Eliza Dushku (actress) 22,271,212 62 Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man 29,650 6 899 Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 14,154,226 103 China: The Panda Adventure 4,487 4 451 Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 2,883,008 108 Mark Twain's America 3D 2,808 2 1571 Alan Williams (composer) 2,277,684 110 ESPN's Ultimate X - The Movie 2,577 8 164 Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 4,187,736 115 Galapagos 2,170 4 1088 Reed Smoot (cinematographer) 13,747,594 123 The Other Side of Heaven 547 1 311 Mitch Davis (writer/director) 4,718,431 John H. Groberg (author/character) Gerald Molen, John Garbett (producers) YOU WILL HEAR IT HERE FIRST - Next week there will be a MAJOR announcement about an upcoming LDS Cinema film, and we've got the scoop on it. LDSfilm.com co-webmaster Thomas C. Baggaley (a film composer) sat down for an exclusive three-hour interview with the producer of this exciting new film today, and we have been given permission to release the results of this interview and, in fact, all of the information on this upcoming multi-million-dollar production a full 24 hours before the press conference where the production will be announced to the rest of the world. (No, Baggaley will not be scoring this particular film, so that means if you hurry you'll probably still be able to afford his services for your own project.) Anyway, stay tuned for the exclusive scoop! BE CAREFUL! HANDCART'S IN WYOMING AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME - "Handcart", the eagerly anticipated feature film directed by Kels Goodman about the Martin Handcart company, is opening in Wyoming at Evanston, Wyoming. The Strand (1028 Main) - (307) 789-7040. OPENS WEDNESDAY OCT 23. NUMBERS - In addition to not having numbers for "Out of Step" or "Handcart" - - which we have never been able to report beyond an approximate estimate - "The Singles Ward" also did not report any box office totals this weekend. When this has happened in the past, it is just because the numbers have come in slowly, and we imagine that numbers will soon be available, although "The Singles Ward" is now only playing in a few theaters and the video/DVD has already been released. 5 LDS FILMS IN THEATERS: It was interesting to note that last weekend there were 5 LDS-themed films playing in commercial theaters. "Charly" was still going strong; in 28 theaters in Utah and Idaho, it was the top LDS-themed feature film in its 3rd week of release. In second place was "Handcart" in 18 theaters (in Utah and Cardston, Alberta) during its debut week. Then there was "The Singles Ward," still playing in 9 theaters (Brea, California; Mesa, Arizona; Idaho Falls and Rexburg, Idaho; Utah; Othello, Washington), even though the DVD had been on sale for 2 weeks. It is unusual for movies to continue their initial theatrical runs after being released on DVD/video, but they were doing it, taking in $3,633 over the weekend at the box office. DVD and video sales were strong as well. The LDS bookstore in Dallas twice sold out a standalone display case full of "The Singles Ward" videos and DVDs. "Out of Step" was STILL showing in at least one theater (the Carmike 12 in West Jordan, Utah), now over a month after its SECOND theatrical release. And "The Other Side of Heaven," now ten months after its initial release, was STILL playing in 2 theaters, one of them in Payson, Utah. This means that out of the 7 Latter-day Saint-themed feature films released thus far, only the earlist two -- Richard Dutcher's "God's Army" and "Brigham City" -- were not being shown in commercial theaters. At least four of the five were still in theaters this weekend. While "Out of Step" was no longer playing at the Carmike and we are unaware of it playing anywhere else, "The Other Side of Heaven" was still playing in a single theater and "The Singles Ward" was also still in theaters including the Showcase Cinemas 6 in Salt Lake City. CHARLY SOUNDTRACK REVIEW - The Deseret News reviewer gave "Charly" soundtrack CD 3.5 out of 4 stars. The review noted that the music was "composed for the film primarily by newcomer Aaron Merrill (with some help from Cherie Call, Jeremy Elliott, Brett Raymond, Cassey Golie, Alex Boye and Alexander E. Jenkins), features a mix of styles and genres from pop to jazz, with a bit of rap thrown in." Also: Jenny Jordan sings on the "Charly" CD. AML CONFERENCE - This Friday, Oct. 25, is the deadline for preregistration to this year's Mormon writers conference, sponsored by the Association for Mormon Letters. (Note: You can register at the door, but the price will be $10 higher and you will not be guaranteed a luncheon.) For complete details about the conference, including an updated schedule of events, visit http://www.wwno.com/aml.htm GOOD THINGS UTAH - The Salt Lake Tribune featured an article about "Good Things Utah", a new show on KTVX casting a spotlight on local celebrities and even regular people. THE BEST TWO YEARS FILM - We have received additional confirmation that Scott S. Anderson is developing a feature film version of his play "The Best Two Years of My Life." The movie is currently scheduled for a Fall 2003 theatrical release. LDS FILM FESTIVAL 2002 - The 2ND LDS FILM FESTIVAL 2002 is on its way. Get ready for a weekend of new films, filmmakers and discussions. The festival will be held NOVEMBER 13-16, 2002, at the PROVO CITY LIBRARY at Academy Square. On invitation of the theatre department, the LDS Film Festival will also visit BYU-Idaho November 8 and 9 to present finalists of this year's and last year's festival program. Two 2-hour screenings are scheduled. Additionally, workshops and filmmakers' presentations are planned for Saturday, November 9. Several filmmakers including Bryan Lefler, Andrew Black and Christian Vuissa will answer audience questions and prepare workshops and presentations for those interested in the filmmaking process. The 2ND LDS FILM FESTIVAL 2002 had an astonishing 50% increase in submissions compared to last year's entries, totaling more than a hundred entries for the film and screenplay competition. 62 films have been submitted for the festival competition, compared to 41 last year, totaling more than 14 hours of programming. Only a third will be selected for festival screening. Due to demand the festival accepted feature length screenplays for the first time. With 25 feature scripts and a total of over 40 screenplays, this year's screenplay competition is the biggest of its kind. The festival is planning on establishing a script library that can be accessed by filmmakers looking for original material. First 24-hour-instant-filmmaking marathon - The LDS FILM FESTIVAL will launch its first 24-HOUR-INSTANT-FILMMAKING MARATHON. Get together with a group of friends and be part of this exhilarating competition. On November 14 at 9.30 a.m. you'll receive a theme for a short film, and on November 15, no later than 9.30 a.m. you hand in your finished film. That same evening your film will be screened and judged at the 2ND LDS FILM FESTIVAL. The entry fee is $ 20.00. All participants contribute to the prize money that will be awarded to the winner of the competition. The best film will also be part of the "BEST OF 2002" program and tour around the world. This is your chance to become an accomplished filmmaker in 24-hours... Finalists and program TBA soon - We are in the final stages of selecting the finalists and putting together the program for this year's festival. This is a difficult task, considering the number of entries and quality of work. We look forward to an exciting festival schedule that includes great films, filmmakers and film lovers. For more information visit http://www.ldsbox.com OPEN INVITATION AND CALL FOR FILMS - LDSFilm.com is passing along this note/press release from Dan Harville: "Many LDS filmmakers have good films but can't seem to find a distributor or market for them. One of the largest video merchants online has opened its doors to the indie filmmaker, giving anyone who owns a film, a place to sell that film. LifeIsAMovie.Com (www.lifeisamovie.com) - specializes in rare, hard-to-find, and niche films, TV shows, and documentaries. LDS filmmakers constitute a niche. says site owner and LDS filmmaker Dan Harville. Any LDS filmmaker who wants to put his feature, short, experimental, student film, or documentary on DVD, VHS, or VCD, do a little jacket insert artwork, and write a description of the film can offer it on the site. Everyone gets exposure. Everyone gains access to the film viewing and buying public. I'm interested in the lesser-known films by movers and shakers as well as up and comers. There's a market for them all." Contact: daniel@lifeisamovie.com for details. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 20:11:26 -0700 From: Jeffrey Needle Subject: [AML] Grant PALMER, _An Insider's View of Mormon Origins_ (Review) Review ====== Title: An Insider's View of Mormon Origins Author: Grant H. Palmer Publisher: Signature Books Year Published: 2002 Number of Pages: 296 Binding: Trade paperback ISBN: 1-56085-157-0 Price: $24.95 Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle It was with some trepidation that I learned that I am nearing my 100th review for the Association for Mormon Letters. I was only marginally aware that I had read, and reviewed, so many books. This produced several real fears - -- among them, the certainty that folks would be tired of reading my reviews, and a suspicion that I was spending altogether too much time reading Mormon books. The real fear, however, is that of repetition. How many reviews can a person write before he starts repeating himself, expressing the same views, sounding a bit like a broken record? And when I received this book from Signature Books, my fears rose to the surface. I have, after all, read and reviewed a few "debunking" books. And thinking back, I can't remember that I had anything original or particularly interesting to say. Palmer's book gives me a genuine opportunity to break out of that mold. I hope this will become evident as you read this review. Palmer devoted 34 years of his life as an Institute Director for the Church Educational System (CES). As such, he has been responsible for the teaching of Church history and doctrine to the youth of the Church. Now retired, he has had a chance to look back at his vocation, his mission, and has come to question some of the things he formerly taught as truth. But Palmer's book is different from others that I've read. Typical of such books is a spirit of triumphalism, the feeling that the writer has gotten the better of the Church. "Aha! I found you out!" Such works have their merits, but such a spirit tends to diminish the value of the work as an objective effort to distill truth from the massive volume of evidence. Instead, Palmer expresses the view of one who has put so much time and effort into teaching the history and doctrine of the Church, and then discovered that these needed some clarification. There is a profound sadness that undergirds the entire book. And Palmer, I think, wants to ensure that his readers are ready to grow beyond what they learned, perhaps, in his own Institute classes: First, this book is not intended for children or investigators. So much of our attention is directed toward children and potential converts that long- standing adult members rarely have an opportunity to speak freely to each other. We worry that tender ears may overhear. I am a fourth-generation Mormon, and I want to addresses this discussion to other second-, third-, and fourth-generation Mormons who will better understand where I am coming from. Lest there be any question, let me say that my intent is to increase faith, not to diminish it. Still, faith needs to be built on truth -- what is, in fact, true and believable. (p. ix) This introductory statement is a bit perplexing. Palmer is certain that some of the founding stories are, in fact, not accurate, and yet he seems to be willing to allow children and investigators to be taught these stories. How can this make any sense? I'll say more about this later. But it occurs to me that, despite his hopes, he is a realist, and understands that the Church will continue to teach the stories of Mormon origins, as they constitute the corpus of knowledge as it has been passed from generation to generation. Is Palmer saying to children and investigators, in the finest Jack Nicholson style, "You can't handle the truth!"? Or, more likely, does Palmer understand that any good that may be accomplished by exposing children and newbies to these studies will be overcome by the dissonance, and likely disengagement, of these people? One cannot build faith effectively while occupying the mind with the details of the stories. And, in his closing word, Palmer finally clarifies the whole issue by suggesting that the Church needs to re- direct its focus: I cherish Joseph Smith's teachings on many topics, such as the plan of salvation and his view that the marriage covenant extends beyond death. Many others could be enumerated. But when it comes to the founding events, I wonder if they are trustworthy as history. (p. 261) In many sacrament meetings, the tendency remains to simply mention Jesus' name and then talk about other matters rather than to discuss him and his ministry. In our Sunday classes, the Gospels are taught for several months once every four years; the lives and teachings of modern prophets are studied each year. As the apostle Paul, who was capable of speaking on a variety of religious subjects, said of the early church: "I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). I would hope for a greater focus on Jesus Christ in our Sunday meetings. (p. 263) And so, we come to the end of the book and realize where it's all headed -- that the Church needs to change its focus, on a global and local level, from Joseph Smith to Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that the Church as an institution has tried to put forth such an image, emphasizing that it is the Church of "Jesus Christ," but he also suggests that, on the local level, the wards haven't quite caught up. The motivation, then, seems curative, rather than merely critical. It allows for the continuation of the current teaching program of the Church, while also making provision for seasoned students to delve more deeply into the mythos of Mormonism. Let's look at the chapters themselves: 1. Joseph Smith as Translator/Revelator What does the word "translator" really mean? Did Joseph Smith use the word as we use it today? There is abundant evidence that he did not, and that we can only understand the process of revelation vis a vis Joseph Smith as we come to understand how he "translated," not just the plates of the Book of Mormon, but other artifacts. Palmer recounts some of the eyewitness testimony of those present at the creation of the Book of Mormon, the Book of Abraham, and other Mormon scriptures. While a consistent story is difficult to put together, there is some evidence that Joseph "translated" the Book of Mormon without having the plates present at all. This, at the very least, stretches the concept of translation to say that the end product is not reliant on the text. Oddly, Palmer moves on to the translation of the Book of Abraham, showing how a direct translation of the text does not yield "The Book of Abraham," but the Egyptian "Book of Breathings." I wondered why, given his acknowledgement of textual independence in the "translation" process, this mattered. I'm still unsure. 2. Authorship of the Book of Mormon Palmer moves on to the question, "Who wrote the Book of Mormon?" He rehearses much material that will be familiar to the seasoned student, drawing heavily from B.H. Roberts' research. But Palmer moves beyond the standard arguments for and against authorship and zeroes in on intent, drawing a conclusion I found to be very healthy. Rather than condemning Joseph Smith as a visionary fraud, as some have done, he reads into Joseph's history a passion for holiness early on, a sincere religious quest that he sought to satisfy via the narrative of the Book of Mormon. What Joseph perceived as wickedness and spiritual alienation caused him deep distress. The Book of Mormon would help remedy the agnosticism and confusion that people of the day felt over religion. As found on the Book of Mormon's title page, it was intended to convince "Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ." It was to promote piety by enhancing belief in the Bible. Mormon 7:9 states explicitly: "For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe [the Bible]." The Book of Mormon called a hypocritical Christian world to repentance. And perhaps more than any other volume except the Bible, it successfully motivated people to confront their sins and come to Christ. (p. 65) I sense here a distinct voice in the reconstruction of Mormonism. It is a voice that wants the message of Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon to be heard, and taught, and believed. The content of the message is solid; it's the packaging he perceives needs more study. 3. The Bible in the Book of Mormon In a largely evidentiary chapter, "The Bible in the Book of Mormon" documents the astounding parallels between the Bible narratives and motifs, and those of the Book of Mormon. In exquisite detail, Palmer compares and contrasts portions of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. An example: the exodus story compared to the story of Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem and travelling to the Promised Land. By Palmer's count, there are twenty points of convergence in the story, and he cites these, with scriptural references. Other parallels are mentioned, most of them familiar and discussed at length by critics for many years. 4. Evangelical Protestantism in the Book of Mormon To what degree did the religious situation of Joseph Smith's time influence the content of the Book of Mormon? Palmer does a fine job of researching statements made by the evangelical preachers of Joseph's time, along with accounts of camp meetings and revivals. He demonstrates similarities in the Book of Mormon, making a case for Joseph's use, in the narrative, of surroundings and situations with which he would be familiar. Much like chapter 3, this chapter is largely documentation. I found myself tiring of the reading about the middle of the chapter, and soon realized that this material, much like an encyclopedia, is more palatable taken in small bites. There is no question that the research is good, though. And his explorations of the relationship of the Book of Mormon's theology and Christology to that of the evangelicals of his time are fascinating. Of particular interest to me was the final part of this chapter, "Religious Feeling and Truth," in which he finds some basis for "Moroni's promise," and which presents a challenge to Mormons: Most of us have felt this spiritual feeling when reading the Book of Mormon or hearing about Joseph Smith's epiphanies. What we interpret this to mean is that we have therefore encountered the truth, and we then base subsequent religious commitments on these feelings. The question I will pose is whether this is an unfailing guide to truth. Is something true because I and others find it edifying? Hundreds of thousands of people believe in the truthfulness of their own religion because of similar confirming experiences. As one example, many people, including myself, felt this confirming spirit when we heard the World War II stories of Utah Congressman Douglas R. Stringfellow. Stringfellow's experiences were later revealed to be a complete hoax. (p. 132-133) The reader is quick to note that Palmer does *not* deny experiencing the feelings promised in the Book of Mormon. He does, however, question whether these "feelings" are a basis for establishing objective truth. His example demonstrates the obvious answer. 5. Moroni and "The Golden Pot" What, pray tell, is the "Golden Pot"? People believed that forest and dale held spirits and hidden treasures that the spirits guarded. A pick and shovel would be insufficient to find and exhume such wonders. An example is found in a popular short story published in Germany in 1824, introduced to America in 1827. The author, E.T.A. Hoffmann...is best known today for "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" and "The Sandman." In his day, one of the most influential stories was "The Golden Pot," notable for the fact that although it involved gold and money, the principle [sic] attraction was esoteric knowledge. For our purposes, its parallels to Joseph Smith's experiences are of interest. (p. 136-7) Palmer then narrates the various stages, "or vigils," of the Hoffmann story, demonstrating the parallels to Joseph Smith's own story. It is fascinating reading. 6. Witnesses to the Golden Plates I will say little here, since the material in this chapter is mostly a rehash of information widely available. It calls into question the validity of the testimonies of the witnesses, and shows how other, non-canonical works, were likewise accompanied by such testimonies. 7. Priesthood Restoration Central to the concept of the Restoration is the return of the priesthood keys to the earth with the advent of the prophetic ministry of Joseph Smith, Jr. Angelic visitations, the laying on of hands, etc., are all familiar accounts to Latter-day Saints. Palmer, however, speculates on how much of the standard story is derivative, and how much is based in history. Citing widely from diaries and other contemporary accounts, Palmer shows how the accounts evolved over the years, finally coalescing into a faith-promoting narrative as it is taught today. As in his accounts of an angel and the gold plates, Joseph was willing to expand on another foundational narrative. The events surrounding priesthood restoration were reinterpreted, one detail emphasized over another. A spiritually charged moment when participants felt that the veil between heaven and earth was thin became, in the retelling, an event with no veil at all. The first stories about how Joseph received his authority show that, like other prophets and religious founders throughout history, he and Oliver first received their callings in a metaphysical way. Within a few years, their accounts became more impressive, unique, and physical. (p. 232) I must say that this explanation manifestly does *not* deny the reality of the restoration of the priesthood. And this is critical in understanding Palmer's approach and deep beliefs. One may quarrel with his methodology, or with the conclusions he reaches, but he does not allow these to distance him from what he perceives is the heart of his faith, his Mormonism. 8. The First Vision Finally, this chapter, much like Chapter 6, covers familiar territory. That there were several versions of the First Vision account is no secret. And it isn't particularly scandalous. After all, Bookcraft published an entire volume on the subject some years ago. What sets Palmer's account apart, in my opinion, is his belief that Joseph was motivated by a sincere desire for spiritual enlightenment, open to the moving of the Holy Spirit. So many critics are quick to attribute carnal motives to Joseph's religious story, but Palmer will have none of it. And so, this book is something of an enigma. It is written by a self-styled "insider," and as a retired Institute Director, I suppose he qualifies. He has spent 34 years teaching things that he now confesses are not accurate. Or does he? His approach is cautionary. He supposes that it's fine to teach the distilled versions of the stories to children. In that sense, he at once stifles critics who would accuse him of radical deconstruction, and at the same time provides some justification for the work of his lifetime. Much of the material is familiar; some of it was new to me and was welcome. This book will serve the new student of these new views of Mormon history very nicely. It is written on a popular level, and gives readers enough background material to enable them to decide the issues for themselves. And, let it be known that Palmer remains a Latter-day Saint, honors and finds valuable the core values of his faith, and wants to dig ever deeper into the history and lore of his Church. Much as a treasure hunter seeks gold in the ore, Palmer has set out to mine and explore the mountain of materials available to the Mormon historian. And in so doing, while he has journeyed from the simplicity of his CES teaching, he may be heading toward the Promised Land of clarity and truth. This book will be a good addition to your library. - ------------------ Jeffrey Needle jeff.needle@general.com or jeffneedle@tns.net - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 08:19:24 -0600 (MDT) From: Ivan Angus Wolfe Subject: Re: [AML] Single Bishops > I've known Branch Presidents who were single. > > Jacob Proffitt I;ve know Brach Presidents that were 20 year old missionaries assigned to that Branch - so they were definetely single. - --ivan wolfe - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 04:42:26 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: [AML] Marvin PAYNE, _One Man_ (Review) ONE MAN Marvin Payne, composer and performer 1972 Available on CD for $15.00 "The Best Kept Secret in LDS Music" It was in Bowling Green, Ohio, the most easterly place I'd ever been. Why a Minnesota stake chose that local for a youth conference, I'll never know. The visiting General Authority was Paul Dunn, back in the days when he was cool and his stories were true. My buddies and I, whose soul purpose for attending youth conferences was to check out new LDS babes (an important activity when growing up so far from Utah), were snooping about the college facilities, far away from the legitimate activities of the conference. That's when we came across him. He was all alone as far as we could tell, at one end of the gymnasium, busily plucking away at his guitar and crooning into the microphone. Probably some sound guy was adjusting settings somewhere, but we couldn't see him. That was our introduction to a phenomenon we had never experienced before: somebody who wrote and performed popular songs about being Mormon. That evening we attended his concert. His name was Marvin Payne. We were overwhelmed. We loved his songs. We made complete asses of ourselves afterwards when we had a chance to meet him, as teenage boys are wont to do, but he was a perfect gentleman to us. I've had encounters with him a number of times since then, and he's always been a perfect gentleman to me every time, whether I deserved the treatment or not. And those songs, sung in that melodic vibrato-heavy voice, have haunted me all these years. I headed out to BYU as a freshman, and Marvin made an appearance in Minnesota while I was gone. My mother, knowing how much I liked his music, bought an album for me, which I found waiting when I returned home. That album was called _One Man_. It had an ugly cover. Bland white background with a black and white photograph of Marvin walking outdoors. He had autographed it for me: "Dean's album." I listened to it. Mostly just Marvin Payne singing to his own guitar accompaniment. Sometimes a woman joined in. Sometimes he accompanied himself on the piano. Some of the songs had been performed in Bowling Green. All of the songs were a pleasure to listen to. Fast forward to the year 2002. I read on AML-List that Marvin Payne albums are available again on CD after a long hiatus. Marvin has gone through the old master tapes and salvaged all he could. In my capacity as an airport shuttle driver, I am dispatched one day to the home town of Marvin Payne. I know where he lives, thanks to some interaction in the past: that rustic looking home that is the origin of his email address: paynecabin. I pass by it with my passenger, drop her off, then can't resist as I return. I stop and knock on the door. I don't expect a response--he's probably not home. But within seconds he answers, greets me, and invites me in. Always the perfect gentleman, he wouldn't let on if I was intruding, so I immediately go into my reason for dropping by unannounced: I'm interested in his CDs. I ask how much all of them would be. He has twelve of them, two of which I already have a copy of in one form or another, and I'm not ready that day to cough up the cash it would require to purchase the other ten, even at the volume discount he offered. So I order five. I choose the first one because I want to hear what the earliest Marvin Payne sounds like, the one with love songs because I want to hear what Marvin Payne love songs sound like. And, of course, I choose _One Man_. I tell him to select the last two because I have no basis to decide on the rest. I pay him and walk out with three already-made CDs that were available at the moment, and a promise that he will burn and mail the other two. One of the already-made CDs was _One Man_. With a good forty minute drive back to the airport ahead of me, I waste no time sliding _One Man_ into the CD player. Immediately I am transported back in time. I am surprised that, for a thirty-year old recording on a shoestring budget whose master tape has been languishing neglected somewhere, the sounds of the first song come through beautifully, with only the slightest whisper of tape hiss. Marvin's guitar rings crisply; Marvin's voice warbles beautifully. Some of the other tracks don't fare as well, with a touch of distortion on some of the louder moments, and the occasional piano accompaniment sounding tinny in its reverberation as if recorded in the Relief Society Room on the ward piano. But the haunting compositions still retain their power. And I listen with the schizophrenic ear of a teenaged boy discovering a new wonder and a jaded adult who has long ago wearied of the mushy shinola that permeates LDS art. One of the songs brings a tear to my eye. His messages were often simple and sentimental. In the hands of a modern LDS artist, such messages would all too often be presented in a maudlin fashion with a capital M, using that obligatory Macleanesque musical style. Marvin's songs had lilting, catchy melodies that stimulate the mind rather than anesthetize it, and he spoke their messages with refreshing poetic creativity, using lyrics far removed from Sunday School phraseology. Marvin Payne may very well be the only LDS songsmith who has successfully synthesized traditional, inspirational LDS messages with vibrant, innovative musical composition. And he was doing it back when I graduated from high school, decades ago. To compare modern LDS artists to Marvin Payne would be like comparing the Backstreet Boys to classic folksingers like Jim Croce or Woody Guthrie. The modern artists may have advanced technology and comfortable budgets to produce something of technically superior quality. But the music that contains a soul is to be found in the folksingers of yesteryear. My rediscovery of Marvin Payne showed me that's as true of LDS music as of any other. I run into few people who have even heard of Marvin Payne, let alone are familiar with his music. And since those album-cutting days, he has branched out into theater, leaving behind the regular production of Marvin Payne recordings. It's a shame that his compositions receive such little circulation. Marvin Payne is the best kept secret in LDS music. But not in my airport shuttle van. - -- 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 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 13:04:10 -0500 From: "Lisa Olsen Tait" Subject: Re: [AML] Dean HUGHES, _Troubled Water_ (Review) Thanks to Jeff for this review. I read this book, and the previous volume, a couple of weeks ago and I meant to post a review. Jeff's is better than what I would have written anyway, but I want to make a couple of comments. Actually, I've wanted to make a couple of comments about Hughes's books for awhile. Jeff states that he feels this series is more realistic than the original Children of the Promise series; those books were "a bit too rosy in outlook," as he says it. I thought this was especially true of the last volume of Children, which I found to be an unsatisfying conclusion to a series that I had really enjoyed and highly recommended. Several people I know had the same response. On the other hand, I think we could make a case that people's outlook in previous generations was more "rosy" than it is today. I know, I know. I'm grossly over-generalizing, but in my experience, I have seen an optimism and positive attitude in people of my grandparents' generation that seems to be lacking nowadays--a simpler approach to life that looks like rose colored glasses to those of us raised on David Letterman humor and the 24-hour news cycle. Because I didn't like the last book of the Children series as well, I put off reading the books from the new series until recently when I was sufficiently desperate for something to read that I picked them up. I ended up devouring them pretty quickly. Hughes is especially good at characterization. In this series, I am particularly interested in Hans and Kathy. I followed Hans's struggles with interest, as I have a 15 year-old son who is going through some similar thought processes. The crisis of faith and disillusionment rang true with me, and I thought Hughes handled it well without tidying things up too easily. Likewise, Kathy's interests and struggles are well portrayed. I have done some reading by and about people in the various movements of the sixties, and I think Hughes has captured well the feeling of many who did not want to be extremists but who truly believed in the principles and need for change that they were espousing. What I am interested to see, though, is how all of this gets worked out in the end. I have reason to be concerned. In the first series, I thought that one of the most interesting story lines was Bobbi's dilemma in choosing between the non-Mormon professor, whom she seemed to truly love, and the Mormon guy, Richard. For most of the time, her choice didn't seem like a foregone conclusion. In the end, though, the professor got killed and she married the 'right' guy. I felt a little cheated by the way that was resolved. I thought Hughes set up an interesting and realistic situation but then resolved it too neatly, substituting Richard's post-battle trauma for the inner conflict that Bobbi had previously tried to work through. Likewise, in the first series, LaRue, the teenage daughter with a rebellious streak, was a complex and compelling character, and I'm not entirely satisfied with how Hughes has developed her situation. She went away to school back East and has become an economics professor at Smith College, where Kathy goes. LaRue supposedly espouses "liberal" ideas that keep her at odds with the family, and yet in her discussions with Kathy she is quite orthodox. What I'm trying to say, in too many words, is that I think Hughes missed out on the chance to tell a couple of the most interesting stories about his characters. He could have written a whole book on LaRue's experiences instead of skipping over almost 20 years and putting her in the background. How did she come around from being the rebel, so to speak, to being basically an orthodox Mormon? How has she reconciled the "worldly" learning that has become her life with the gospel? Did she _have_ to become reconciled to the church? In both cases, LaRue's and Bobbi's, I felt that it would have been more realistic to have them make the "incorrect" choices and then deal with the fallout. Surely a lot of Mormon girls from good families married non-Mormon guys in the war. Surely a lot of very intelligent young Mormons went off to school in "the world" and found that they could not reconcile the gospel and the church they grew up in with the education they were receiving. Not that either character would have to end up miserable and excommunicated. But I think their stories were heading in one direction and the detour didn't quite ring true to me. That said, I am wondering where Kathy will end up. I hope that by the end of the series her difficulties haven't been too neatly resolved. Whatever the case, I, too, am eagerly anticipating the next book in the series. [Lisa Tait] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #872 ******************************