The Mission: Inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

With the cooperation of Mormon Church authorities, 50 ``of the world's best'' photojournalists (including three Pulitzer Prize winners) were given unprecedented access to Mormon leaders and Mormon life in order that they might capture both the private moments and the ritual gatherings of Latter-Day Saints around the world. And the resulting, handsome coffee-table volume does indeed open what has previously been for most outsiders the vaguely mysterious world of approximately nine million Latter-Day Saints, only half of whom live in this country. These images portray a committed community that concentrates on family and missionary work but that also likes to go dancing and to the rodeo. With the feel of the A Day in the Life books and with useful text that does not overwhelm, this is a valuable volume that should also be the gift of the year for Mormons. More than 300 color and b&w photos. (Oct.)