From the beginnings of my involvement in the review process with the Association for Mormon Letters, I have always been conscious of my role as an interested and sympathetic outsider, but an outsider nonetheless. As such, I've felt an obligation to respect the views of the Mormon institution while commenting, with due respect, on its singular teachings.

And so, when I decided to purchase the Ostlings' new book, Mormon America, having read his good work in Time Magazine, I expected to find an honest but sympathetic treatment of Mormonism from an outsider's perspective. I was not disappointed.

Mormon America holds a magnifying glass to a dynamic, growing religious phenomenon. And as happens with such examinations, the results are likely to please neither extreme in the ongoing discussion of Mormonism's place in the mainstream of Christianity. Its supporters will find much to admire, but its detractors will likewise find sympathy for their critical views.

In 22 concise and very readable chapters, the authors give the reader a helpful and accurate view of Mormonism, both past and present. The flow of Mormon thought through the years is described and documented in an honest and open manner. "Mormon America" fills in some of the gaps omitted in what have been called "faith-promoting" histories of the Church.

The Ostlings are not afraid to name names. Some of my own friends -- like Mike Quinn and Lavina Fielding Anderson -- are treated at some length. Their involvement, and subsequent disengagements, are described factually and sympathetically. Other chapters, in particular those involving polygamy and the trend toward neo-Orthodoxy, offer interesting insights and, at least in my own case, anecdotal accounts I'd never heard.

If there is a central theme to the book, it is the Church's struggle to deal with its own success, or, as Armand Mauss calls it, the "predicament of respectability." As Mormonism has grown from a provincial, American-based "new religion" into a major, global religious movement, it has had to learn to deal with that success.

It hasn't been easy. The last thirty years have seen the rise of feminism, intellectualism and anti-authoritarianism that has been, to say it mildly, vexing to the General Authorities. From its volatile beginnings, Mormonism has had to confront opposition from within as well as without. The Ostlings provide some excellent observations on how these conflicts have been handled.

It is safe to say that Mormon America is not the kind of book you'd read to grow faith and confidence in the Church. It raises many questions about methods and attitudes, and makes no effort to cover over some of bumps on the Mormon road to success. And this leads me to wonder why you can buy Mormon America at Deseret Book. I'm a bit puzzled, as this particular chain is not generally known for troubling the ecclesiastical waters.

The new convert will find much in this book to be very disturbing. Missionary discussions do not cover post-Manifesto sealings or the mass excommunications of those titled "feminists," and neither should they be. But, as Mormon America documents, when aspects of the Church's past, such as its attitude toward people of color, are raised, there is a significant decrease in participation by new converts.

The description of the recent Brigham Young manual as "revisionist" rings true to many faithful Mormons. But this presents a real problem for those who produce curriculum -- as new converts comprise a larger segment of the active LDS population, how do you ease them into the Church's culture without inflicting culture shock? The old milk vs. meat argument.

These are all part of history, but as the Ostlings point out in a chapter aptly named "Faithful History," they are parts of Mormonism that are not often examined.

I think Mormon America will have a significant impact on Mormonism's public image in the next few years. There has been some talk of a closer examination of the religion during the coming Olympic games. Reports, bored with marginal event coverage, will surely spend some time exploring this curious faith. Mormon America will give the pundits plenty of questions to ask. It will be interesting to see how the Church handles the challenge.

I enjoyed Mormon America very much. But it should not be recommended as an introduction to the Church. It should be read for what it is -- an honest, candid exploration of Mormonism, a chronicle of the growth and maturing process of a major world faith.