During my just-less-than one year as a member, I have a vague memory of them talking about "approved" books and movies.

I am thinking there is a list of movies/books that are "not approved", am I remembering this wrong?

What I need are the facts about this based on the church's own doctrine, rules, etc.

Did the church officially state that if the books/movies are not on "the list" members should not read/watch them? A non-active friend argued with me that there is no such list.

R-rated and X-rated movies are not to be seen. Books should not be anything that is critical of the church, but in the case of Grant Palmer and his book "Insider's View of Mormon Origins" he got disfellowshipped because too many people who read the book left the church. So, even though what he wrote was well documented and very true.....the "Brethern" didn't like the effect it had on the sheep. There is no official list to my knowledge - I was a member for 45 years or so.

Ok wine country girl, my "getting older" brain morphed the memory! The "unapproved movie list" that I am "remembering" is really just whatever movie is not rated G. So it's actually a list of movies you are not allowed to see. Round-about way of getting there, but same diff. Thanks for the clarification. I see my friend was right in the strictest sense of the word.

How can a Mormom know then if a book is ok to read? Movies have a rating. Books don't so how do they handle that? Stop reading the moment a racy word or situation comes up in the book?

Yeah, books are tricky - DANGEROUS! Reading books allows you to think and, in the world of Mormonism, thinking is NOT A GOOD THING!! So my advice to you is to read all the books you can get your hands on. Then think long and seriously about what you've read.