Mormon Mentions: Lisa Beazley

If you're not sure what a Mormon is, let alone a Mormon Mention, allow me to explain:  My name is Susan and I'm a Mormon (you've seen the commercials, right?).  As a member of  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly known as the Mormon or LDS Church), I'm naturally concerned with how my religion is portrayed in the media.  Because this blog is about books, every time I see a reference to Mormonism in a book written by someone who is not a member of my church, I highlight it here.  Then, I offer my opinion—my insider's view—of what the author is saying.  It's my chance to correct misconceptions, expound on principles of the Gospel, and even to laugh at my (sometimes) crazy Mormon culture.

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In Keep Me Posted by Lisa Beazley, 34-year-old Cassie Sunday is composing a letter to her sister.  An exhausted stay-at-home mom, she writes:

"I just remembered something.  When the boys were about four months old and I had been back at work for a month, I used to watch TV during their two a.m. feed.  I got into that show on Showtime with Chloë Sevigny about the Mormon polygamists, and I remember thinking, these people are genius!  A few extra wives really come in handy with a house full of kids.  It's just good sense.  We could have used an extra wife right about then (still could, actually).  I would have gladly let her sleep with Leo.  God knows I wasn't.  I fantasized about it for weeks—not the sex part, but the wife part, the extra set of hands to take care of the babies, cook, clean, all that" (36).  

--  All I can say is ha ha.  And members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints haven't practiced polygamy in more than 125 years.  The practice is continued by some fundamentalist sects, but these groups are not associated with the mainstream LDS Church.  If you want to read more about plural marriage and the history of the Church, click here.