Review
Title: When It Doesn’t Make Sense
Author: John Bytheway
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Mormons – Religious Life
Year Published: 2021
Number of Pages: 120
Binding: Softcover
ISBN-13: 978-1629729725
ISBN-10: 1629729728
Price: $12.99
Reviewed by Christine Tensmeyer for the Association for Mormon Letters
I read John Bytheway books as a teen, and always appreciated his kind, yet direct manner in his writing. Reading his latest book, When It Doesn’t Make Sense, as an adult, I appreciate the same manner as well as the research that he puts into this book. John Bytheway uses scripture, talks from various Church leaders as well as experiences from “regular” members of the church to teach and clarify what some would view as confusing points of the Gospel.
While this is a smaller book in many ways, the topics covered inside of it are big. The topics covered are common questions/ concerns that people may have regarding various gospel subjects. These subjects range from why God doesn’t tell us why things are the way they are, joining the church and still having trials, missions, and assignments, and how everything will work out … eventually. There are nine chapters, and each chapter covers a different Gospel concern or topic.
Since it is a small book, most of these chapters don’t delve too deep into its topics. If you are looking for an analysis of Joseph Smith and polygamy with the various rhetoric that will follow that topic with all the ins and outs, this book is not for you, nor does it ever look to go that far in any of its chapter contents. Having said that, this book is filled with lots of inspirational stories and is peppered with quotes from the scriptures and our current Church leaders, leaving this particular reader feeling uplifted at the end.
When It Doesn’t Make Sense seems to be geared to teenagers and young adults in their twenties. While I appreciated the work that went into its pages, this book isn’t meant to be, nor can it be as inclusive as Sheri Dew’s Women and the Priesthood for example. When It Doesn’t Make Sense is a great read though, and I do appreciate this light, easy-to-read book that may inspire its readers to continue their journey of faith and that will perhaps help make finding answers in a difficult world a little bit less of a challenge