The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance
A Memoir
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4.4 • 61 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
"A wickedly funny debut. Baker is both self-absorbed and generous, whip-smart and naïve; she apologizes for none of it."—People
It's lonely being a Mormon in New York City. Every year, Elna Baker attends the New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance. This year, her Queen Bee costume (which involves a funnel stinger stuck to her butt) isn't attracting the attention she'd anticipated. So once again, Elna finds herself alone, standing at the punch bowl, stocking up on Oreos, a virgin in a room full of thirty-year-old virgins doing the Funky Chicken. But loneliness is nothing compared to what Elna feels when she loses eighty pounds, finds herself suddenly beautiful... and in love with an atheist.
Brazenly honest, The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance is Elna Baker's hilarious and heartfelt chronicle of her attempt to find love in a city full of strangers and see if she can steer clear of temptation and just get by on God.
Customer Reviews
Loved It!
I absolutely loved this book. I got the sample from iBooks and then I bought the paperback. I started it last night and finished it tonight. This was one of the best reads! Being a convert to the church and a active Mormon I know of the struggles too.. I was there- a lot of times before my conversion. It was like Mormon girl meets Sex and the City. I'm sad that I finished it- but I am sure I will read it over again. I recommend this book to, well.. Anyone. Mormon or not. :)
Elna Baker breathes new life into Mormonism
Elna Baker has given a sigh of relief to every thoughtful Mormon in the world. Here is a light-hearted, non-threatening place to go to find a fellow Mormon who has voiced the thoughts, concerns, anguish, joy, and doubt that every Mormon (and member of any other faith) has felt about themselves and their religion. Many people will find themselves privately saying to themselves saying, "Wow, there really is someone else out there who feels like I do."
To call Baker a "Sell-Out Mormon" is just unfair. She should be praised for having the courage to take a step back and look at herself, her religion, and the world objectively without taking everything so seriously. To me, it doesn't matter how Baker currently feels about the Mormon faith. What is most important is that she defines herself as being "Elna," and her experience through Mormonism is only one piece of who she is. We should all do the same.
The book is very, very funny. Especially to those who are familiar with Mormonism. The humor is only secondary to the book's bigger objective. We could use more Mormons like Elna in the Church. People who are unafraid to voice their feelings in a confident and sincere way, without all the fluff.
I discovered Elna Baker while listening to her being interviewed on NPR. I haven't laughed so hard during an interview in a long time. Thank you Elna Baker for the insight and fun.
Loved it! - and I'm a guy
I laughed out loud through the entire book. Her perspective about being Mormon was very unexpected, and refreshing. In fact she is kind of a sell-out for a Mormon. But I can relate (as a fellow Mormon).
Dead honest through-out. I loved that she is very open and descriptive about her struggle with weight and plastic surgery, and misgivings about being mormon.