Customer Reviews

Who's at the Door?: A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries

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When Dan met me I was Elder Childs. I loved reading his perspective of our experiences. It took me on a roller coaster of emotions reliving the experience form his perspective. It was so interesting finding out the deepest feelings and frustrations that come along with conversion to another faith and another way of thinking all together. "Who's at the Door" was a fantastic read and I loved every second of it.

Who's at the Door: A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries

"Who's at the Door?" by Dan Harrington isn't your usual conversion story, nor is it a doctrinal thesis, although doctrine does creep in here and there in an unobtrusive yet well-researched manner. For sure, the book is about one man's (Dan's) experience with the missionaries, but told in such a unique and fascinating way that it drew me right in and I found myself eagerly turning the pages with almost the same anxiety I feel when reading a suspense novel! Does Dan eventually join the LDS Church? You'll have to get the book to find out.

In an article by Beth Staples in Maine's Capital Weekly, she writes, "Taboos around discussing religion, said Harrington, and dismissing other faiths out of hand have led to an illiterate society with regard to religion. 'We're not supposed to talk about it except at home where it's safe,' he said."

Dan has now deleted the taboo and opened up the subject of Mormonism for fair an honest review. How refreshing to read a candid man's outspoken appraisal after he's obviously done his homework. I give "Who's at the Door: A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries" ten out of ten and highly recommend it for your reading pleasure--whether you're LDS, contemplating becoming LDS, or neither of these.

The subtitle of the book is "A memoir of me and the missionaries"--and that is what it is. It's more than just a one person's dealings with Mormon (LDS) missionaries, it is also a book where Dan explores his own belief system--and why he believes what he does. This isn't a typical conversion story, but almost a "work in progress" as Dan searches for understanding. He asks questions I'm sure most of us have asked, and then either excepts or struggles when the answers don't fit into his previous beliefs. While this book has highly spiritual overtones, it is also very funny. Dan has an excellent sense of humor and I found myself laughing more than at any recent movie or TV show in recent memory. He certainly is an excellent writer--and knows how to keep a narrative flowing. So, who would enjoy this book? Well, it isn't just for Mormons. In fact, I can think of a dozen or so non-Mormon friends I'm going to whom I'm going to recommend this book. Granted, members of the LDS faith, especially those have served missions, will get an extra kick out of the book. There is so much as Mormons we take for granted, and it was refreshing to see our church through Dan's eyes. I highly recommend this book!

This book is a fair critique of the Mormon religion. The author wrote with passion and honesty. It is an easy read. Our grandson is now in MTC in Provo and I could relate to the author's descriptions of church, some of its procedures, and the fine young men so dedicated to the Lord. I am not a member of the LDS Church, but like the author, if I decided to change my church, the LDS Church would be my choice. I would be interested in reading any other books that Dan Harrington writes.

Who's At The Door? is a classic "Stranger Comes to Town" master plot. In this case the "Stranger" is the full time missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dan is the hero of his own story and as is always the case, the "Stranger" enters the scene and provides a disruption, which is the basis of this page-turning memoir.

To start out, I have a couple of confessions to make. 1- I have never read a memoir before, 2- Because I am such a slow reader, I really don't read all that often. When I say I'm slow, I mean I'm REALLY slow so for me reading is a huge commitment of time. With those two confessions made, I must tell you that I read Who's At the Door? in one afternoon. I stretched out on the couch with the fire roaring in front of me and I lost myself in the story. Since I really didn't know what to expect from this book, I intended to read a chapter or two to get a feel for it, but just as in good fiction, each chapter had a hook that compelled me to keep reading.

As a private person myself, I find it fascinating how Dan is able to open up and share so much of his personal thoughts and feelings with the reader. There are moments of deep thought and doctrinal searching but also many moments of fun and humor as he describes the process of getting to know and become friends with various sets of missionaries. When the missionaries first show up at his door, Dan describes the excitement he feels for having the chance to teach these hay-seed Elders a thing or two about the world. He plans to awe them with the modern contraptions like...the microwave oven and microwave popcorn. He's sure they've never seen anything so wonderful in their lives. Dan quickly learns that he has some misconceptions about the Elders and the entire LDS church.

Who's At The Door? challenges members of other faiths to evaluate their misconceptions of the Mormon Church. It also challenges members of the church to look at the culture and doctrines of the church through fresh eyes, viewing it as an investigator or returning member might. If we do this we may find ways to connect with people in a meaningful way and advance our own goals in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When a "Stranger" comes into our life, do we treat them with mistrust and fear, or are we open to learn from their unique perspectives and life history? Dan's book is not a conversion story or even a recommendation that people investigate or join the LDS church. It is simply one man's experience as he broadens his horizons to understand a people and a faith he previously did not know. He sought knowledge directly from the people and scriptures of the LDS faith, which is a good example to all of us. He accepted the "Strangers" into his home and grew from the experience.

In case you couldn't tell, I recommend this book. The writing style is easy and the story is compelling. Great combination.

Although Dan Harrington has written several short stories and articles for local newspapers, this is his first book and, what a way to start! His articles have always proven insightful and well researched and this book follows that path. He seems to take great pleasure in learning about a new subject and his ability in making the reader feel like he is the one doing the discovering and learning is absolutely masterful. He can take a subject you thought you had absolutely no interest in and make you feel like you have always wanted to know more about it. It was for me a one day read. Once I picked it up and started the book, I HAD to finish it. My wife, who seldom reads unless a book gets her attention right from the first page, also read this book in less than two days.

I highly recommend this book and warn you that when you do pick it up, make sure you have a little extra time because once you start it, time just disappears. His sense of humor and descriptive prose will surely engulf you. I look forward to his next book anxiously.

More of Dan Harrington's articles can be found at

Having been a missionary, I know how hard it is to speak to stranger's about your beliefs. I got many doors slammed in my face. In this quick and engaging read, Dan Harrington provides a fascinating look into his experience of meeting with the LDS Missionaries. The writing is light and interesting and the experiences are inspiring without being preachy. An excellent read that supports understanding and open-mindedness.

This books explains a clear story of the experience of Dan meeting the LDS missionaries. From the start of the book how they meet to the end of the book it is a good story. It has the inner monologue of what Dan was thinking and his ups and downs with his time with the missionaries.

I was born and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormons). In fact, my family have been members all the way back to the beginnings of the church. I've known all about our beliefs and doctrines well, forever. It's a part of who I am. So I've always been curious about what it's like to be an investigator of the church--to learn about it as an adult. Conversely, I never had the opportunity to serve a mission as a young adult. Young ladies can serve at age 21, and by the time I turned 21, I was already married and expecting my first baby. So I also don't really know what it's like to be a full-time missionary, either.

Who's At the Door? A Memoir of Me and the Missionaries by Dan Harrington gave me a chance to find out.

I found this book compelling, beautifully written and quite poignant. In fact, I had a hard time putting it down. I read it in one day. Kind of amazing for me!

My favorite quote from the book is this:

People come in, make their mark, and leave. It doesn't matter if they're a missionary or not. In recording these events, I wonder if that's why writing has always meant so much to me. In a changing world where people disappear like smoke in the wind, writing can make a moment last. It offers a time to ponder and reflect and a chance to hold onto things that possess a special meaning for us.

I think that's just what Dan's book does so well. It captures a moment that he experienced and then lets the reader experience it as well. He does an excellent job drawing the reader in. This is a great book for people of any faith, or none at all, who are curious about Mormon missionaries or investigators or who just want to look at life from a different perspective for a while.

Dan Harrington is a professional freelance writer, who has written about everything from LDS missionaries to extreme sports to law enforcement.

This 2010 book covers his experiences with a series of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) missionaries, and how (although raised a Catholic) he was attracted to the LDS Church; he stopped short of conversion, however. (One suspects this is at least as much due to the failure of subsequent missionaries to continue to fellowship with him after the original missionary duo was transferred, as from his theological disagreements with Mormonism.)

Here are some quotations from the book:

"I'd later learn that people did all sorts of rotten things to the missionaries such as giving them the finger in public or throwing garbage from their cars, and these things weren't happening in some far off place. They happened in my hometown." (Pg. 11)
"As with exaltation, I wasn't entirely comfortable with other aspects of their doctrine, especially the temple... (where) nonmembers are not allowed to participate. The elders said they could not reveal specifics of temple rituals, but they could talk about them in general terms. 'Sacred not secret' was the mantra they repeated. Again, this made sense." (Pg. 37)
"It felt like a balloon had popped. Transfers happened the next day. I'd probably never see Elder Childs again." (Pg. 58)
"I stayed in touch with Elder Allred and continued going to church for another month or so. Allred never sat with me like Luke and Childs did. He and Elder Paige had their own investigators to teach, and I wasn't one of them." (Pg. 76)