The Gathering Place: ‘New Moon Week’ Posts

November 21, 2009 in LDS Beliefs in Twilight, Spotlight, Stephenie Meyer | 5 comments

Here’s a list in one place with links embedded for the ‘10 New Moon Notes’ Countdown this week and for the 5 Posts on Mrs. Meyer’s New Moon Q&A with readers:

New Moon Notes #10: Son Of Twilight
New Moon Notes #9: Meet Jacob Black
New Moon Notes #8: Jacob the Patriarch
New Moon Notes #7: Jacob and The Book of Mormon
New Moon Notes #6: Bella’s Hungry Heart
New Moon Notes #5: Bella’s Several Falls
New Moon Notes #4: Volturi Catholics
New Moon Notes #3: Soul-less in Seattle
New Moon Notes #2: Romeo and Juliet
New Moon Notes #1: Alchemical Nigredo

Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: On Names
Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: The Volturi
Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: Imprinting
Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: Native Americans
Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: Why I write

  1. Arabella Figg’s avatar

    Arabella Figg on November 23, 2009 at 5:40 am

    Thanks for this collection, John!

  2. Jettboy’s avatar

    Jettboy on November 23, 2009 at 4:07 pm

    Here is something that I posted at GetReligion.org when discussing your Mormon/Twilight connections:

    As an aside, Granger really needs to talk with real live believing Mormons who have read The Book of Mormon about his conclusions. His views of Mormonism are simplistic without any idea of the inter-religious controversies and discussions of the topics he talks about. Secondly, he is too quick to discount what Stephanie Meyer has to say about her own writing process, even if he does have a few good points. Then again, that goes for pretty much all the non-Mormon journalists who have mentioned the connections of book and religion. If anything that GetReligion should have learned, its that Mormonism is complicated because its not solidly definitive.

    also;

    If you have any questions I would love to answer them. I might go through and make some of my own observations about what I consider mistakes of observation about Mormon beliefs. Probably the biggest mistake is the idea that Stephanie Meyer has read, or even would care to read, John Krauker’s book. Another problem is that, as its critics love to point out even though it can be said about most religious people, the average Mormon doesn’t know a lot about its history. That makes it difficult for LDS history to be used as a literary inspiration beyond generalities.

  3. John’s avatar

    John on November 23, 2009 at 9:02 pm

    You haven’t read my book or all these posts or my Touchstone article if you think I discount Mrs. Meyer’s writing process or that views of Mormonism are simplistic. Your accusation is made without any reference to evidence and without any authority except your supposed knowledge of Mormonism through being one — which authority you undermine by asking us to believe “Mormons don’t know much about their history.”

    I think for all my inevitable shortcomings as a writer treating LDS faith and history, even if only in the context of another subject, as a non-Mormon, that I am more charitable to TBM and to Mrs. Meyer than you are. The idea that she wasn’t aware of the Mountain Meadows (LDS ‘blood atonement’ violence) and genetics controversies the summer she writes stories centered in Mountain Meadows, with Mormon vampires (the title of a Mormon work on her books), that turns ultimately o genetic issues is much les credible than my common sense argument that these topical conflicts are represented in story.

    I’m grateful for your offer of help but I’ll pass on it, thank you.

  4. Arabella Figg’s avatar

    Arabella Figg on November 23, 2009 at 9:10 pm

    Jettboy, who says Meyer read Krakauer’s book? It was just one of several that came out at the same time highlighting present and historic incidents that were bringing pain and embarrassment to Mormons. Moderate people of any faith are going to cringe when things happen that reflect badly on their faith.

    Even if Meyer doesn’t know a lot about Mormon history, that doesn’t mean that that history, and its impact within church practices, hasn’t influenced her. Again, like any other faith.