Skip to content
Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

Main Street Plaza

A Community for Anyone Interested in Mormonism.

What should I do?: Johnny Townsend’s “Behind the Zion Curtain”

chanson, November 2, 2014

With all big problems in this world, it’s easy to feel small — like there’s nothing you can do to make a dent in any of them — and wonder whether your life has any value. Religion to the rescue, right? Well, not exactly. The CoJCoL-dS can provide answers to these problems, but can’t really promise they’ll be satisfying.

That’s where Johnny Townsend’s new book Behind the Zion Curtain comes in. He doesn’t offer easy answers, but he understands. In his signature style, with humanity and humor, Johnny Townsend offers portraits of a variety of people grappling with questions about who they want to be and what they want to do with their lives. The characters are at different places with respect to their Mormon roots and faith, and while Mormonism influences their perspectives, individuals have to direct their own lives.

If you’re looking for an interesting read that is thought-provoking without getting too heavy, I recommend picking up a copy of Behind the Zion Curtain.

Book Review

Post navigation

Previous post
Next post

Related Posts

Serious Fun: “Singing and Dancing to the Book of Mormon” edited by Holly Welker and Marc Edward Shaw

July 27, 2016August 23, 2016

Since its opening, the Book of Mormon musical has been surrounded by controversy over its degree of vulgarity, its treatment of Mormons, and various other issues. It has also been tremendously popular in the US and abroad, notably sweeping the Tony Awards. It’s natural to ask whether it’s just fluff…

Read More
Book Review

Review of “Filling Empty” by Randy C. Watts

October 5, 2025

Filling Empty, as the title promotes, is a collection of ideas to help those that have lost loved ones and are trying to navigate the rocky waters of grieving. Watts, a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, poignantly and painfully discusses his experience in trying…

Read More

Review of City of Brick and Shadow

December 20, 2014

The novel by Tim Wirkus, City of Brick and Shadow, is a riveting tale of two missionaries in a sweeping Brazilian slum looking for a missing congregant they had recently baptized. All the characters are well-realized, from the unhappy local Mormons to the woman at the lanchonete to the mysterious…

Read More

Comment

  1. Donna Banta says:
    November 2, 2014 at 8:59 am

    Great cover for a great new book! Thanks for posting this review, chanson.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Pam on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 10, 2026

    I have not watched even half of the content providers out there. I will be expanding my viewing now that…

  2. Juanita Hartill on Time to Vote for X-MoOTY and the Brodie Awards 2025!!January 8, 2026

    Was not aware of a lot of these different forums and things. Will be checking them out.

  3. Jeanny Nakaya on 2025 Awards Season ScheduleJanuary 8, 2026

    Awesome work!!!!

  4. chanson on Last Call for Nominations!!January 8, 2026

    Thanks for all of the great nominations, everyone!! Nominations are closed. Vote here.

  5. Tom on Collecting Nominations for William Law X-Mormon of the Year 2025!!!January 7, 2026

    I nominate Rebecca Biblioteca and Mormonish for their coverage of the Fairview Temple debacle.

8: The Mormon Proposition Acceptance of Gays Add new tag Affirmation angry exmormon awards Book Reviews BYU comments Conformity Dallin H. Oaks DAMU disaffected mormon underground Dustin Lance Black Ex-Mormon Exclusion policy Excommunicated exmormon faith Family feminism Gay Gay Love Gay Marriage Gay Relationships General Conference Happiness Homosexual Homosexuality LDS LGBT LGBTQ Link Bomb missionaries Modesty Mormon Mormon Alumni Association Mormonism peace politics Polygamy priesthood ban Secularism Sunstone temple

©2026 Main Street Plaza | WordPress Theme by SuperbThemes