Product Description
Following in the tradition of their top-selling The World of Amish Quilts, the Pellmans have created a Treasury of Amish Quilts, a collection of jewel-like quilts--gathered from Amish communities troughout North America--in all their rich, colorful glory. Extensive captions detail the date ans settlement from which each quilt came, and highlight its particular features. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

due to packaging this product arrived folded
perhaps you could put your books into better packaging or at least put a piece of stiff cardboard in the package to prevent the book from moving in the packaging and folding--I realize it is an extra expense but it would at least assure that the books would arrive in better condition.

A Treasury of Amish Quilts
This book is a treasure of Amish quilts.It is strictly a picture history of quilts, with a short introduction into the world of the Amish quiltmaker.I have this in my quilt library to sit and simply look atbeautiful quilts.I would recommend it as a gift, which is how I receivedit. ... Read more

Product Description

Nearly 90 percent of those who grow up Amish choose the Amish way: a lifetime commitment to the faith and a traditional way of life. To outsiders immersed in the daily realities and luxuries of the modern world, this statistic may seem unbelievable. In this in-depth study of Amish adolescence, Richard A. Stevick offers a balanced, comprehensive, and engaging account of the social forces and rituals -- including Rumspringa -- that contribute to this statistic.

In Growing Up Amish, Stevick reveals the world of Amish youth caught between the expectations of their traditional community and the growing pressures and temptations that accompany adolescence. Drawing from a dozen years of research in more than seventy communities in fifteen states, he carefully details home life and school, social singings and wild parties, isolated settlements and Amish youth gangs, and courtship practices and wedding rituals. Stevick shows how the strong and distinct Amish identity is fostered by the entire community -- parents, ministers, teachers, and neighbors. With positive reinforcement and constant modeling of Amish behavior and values, this strong identity keeps most youth from feeling at ease in and identifying with the outside world.

This definitive work provides new and important insight into what life is really like for the adolescents, their families, and their communities during the "running around" years and how these fascinating rituals have, in fact, helped the Amish preserve their unique culture.

Customer Reviews (2)

The Real Story of The Amish!
This is an excellent read that was written by a real Amish person. You'll love it!
The quality is good and the delivery fast! I'll leave the judgement up to you about the price.

A 'must' for any collection strong in either Amish history and culture or regional American community sociology.
The Amish way is a lifetime commitment to the faith as well as a way of life: nearly 90 percent of those who grow up Amish choose the Amish way. Here is an in-depth study of Amish adolescence which considers its religion, society, and rituals which reinforce the statistics surrounding this chosen way of life. A dozen years of research in over seventy Amish communities in fifteen states lends to this study, which reveals how the Amish identity is fostered by an entire community of behavior and values. A 'must' for any collection strong in either Amish history and culture or regional American community sociology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Biased, waste of time
The author and his "famous" ex amish wife earn a living writing poorly written books that sensationalize the amish.Biased books, poorly written to make a quick dollar. Fictional books being sold as gospel!!!! Don't waste your time or $ on an "amish" book whose authors name is Garret.

The Amish Way Of Life!
Learn the truth about what it's like to be Amish. How it is to be shunned and excommunicated. It is a well written book filled with the facts and knowledge that only a true Amish could tell. You'll love it!
All books are too high priced in my opinion but I gave it five stars anyway!

Beware of the cults
Some people may be disturbed at labeling the Amish as a cult, but the way they live, as described by the authors (and from personal observation) is indeed very cultic in the sense of their isolation from the world and control of family and community members.This book is a real eye-opener for those who think of the Amish as just a quaint Christian group.Of course, not all Amish assemblies are as described in this book, but the basic philosophy that leads to the cult behaviors are inherent in the Amish teachings.Theirs is a work-oriented-salvation belief system which is contrary to evangelical biblical teachings.

From the EXAmish.com guy
As a former Amish, I own this book, and I have to agree it was poorly edited, but it is a true-life experience book.



-Joe

www.examish.com

www.amishconfidential.com

Valuable and illuminating but poorly edited
This book will be an eye-opener for Americans atavistically fixated on the romanticnotion that the Amish are all honest, quaint, hard-working and simple people. The picture that emerges from this book is of a closed, cult-like society, whose inhabitants are bound to it by fear of damnation and shunning; a religion where personal exploration of the bible is discouraged, and a culture where children may be severely beaten for disobedience or failure to perform daily chores.

The above view may be only one side of the story, as it is told mostly in first person by former Amish who are grateful for the cultural freedom enjoyed by the "English." One wonders how common the childhood beatings are in Amish culture - most of the subjects here endured such abuse. Child abuse like this could be the natural outcome in a society made of unhappy fathers who themselves are forced to endure a way of life that suppresses their own personal striving and freedom.

The other side of the story is that many of the people who leave the Amish seem hedonistically obsessed with some of the most superficial trappings of 20-21st century American culture. Many of the people who left - most of them young men, likely because women are more restricted within Amish society - just can't wait to get out and ride motorbikes, drink beers, try drugs, and go to parties. As gratifying as it is to see the characters in the book realize their human potential, it is a little dismaying that some of them are attracted by the worst aspects of our modern culture.

The book suffers from redundancy of stories - too many of them are too similar without adding additional perspectives - and truly poor editing. The last chapter, written by the editors themselves, is among the worst in this respect; however, the photo section is extensive and quite good. Overall, this book has to be an invaluable companion for anyone leaving a conservative religious group - but it could be a lot better.
... Read more

Product Description

As Amish fiction continues to appeal to a huge audience, A Pocket Guide to Amish Life gives readers a glimpse into an obscure, fascinating world—what the Amish believe and how they live. Full of fun and fresh facts about the people who abide by this often-misunderstood faith and unique culture, this handy-sized guide by Mindy Starns Clark, author of Shadows of Lancaster County (more than 43,000 copies sold), covers a wide variety of topics, such as:

• beliefs and values
• clothing and transportation
• courtship and marriage
• shunning and discipline
• teens and rumspringa
• children and the elderly
• education and work

Presented in an easy-to-follow and engaging style, this pocket guide to the Amish is a great resource for anyone interested in Amish life.

Customer Reviews (5)

What a handy resource!
As a writer, I'm constantly looking for resources, and I'm so glad I found The Pocket Guide to Amish Life. With topics divided by chapters, it's easy to find the answers I need. I especially enjoyed the chapter Myths vs Truths. After reading that chapter, I realized my view of the Amish Life was not a true picture. Thank you for giving me a true picture, Mindy!

Helpful and Informative
This handy little book provided a helpful and informative guide to Amish and how they live. It gives a good beginning overview.

Fun and informative
What a delightful little book. I've often been interested in the Amish but found the other nonfiction books had too much information. I wanted to know the basics and it was tough to draw those out of the abundance of information. This was an easy, quick, and fun read.

A Pocket Book Packed wtih Treasure
Whether curious about the simple life of the Amish or a novelist who is creating an Amish character, Mindy Starns Clark's A POCKET GUIDE TO AMISH LIFE is a real treasure. From history to lifestyle to life passages to the outside world, this easy to understand, excellent little book is packed with information. Clark also provides a website to provide you with more details about the Amish community's simple, Christian life.

Gail Gaymer Martin is an award-winning novelist and author of Writing the Christian Romance released by Writers Digest.

A Must-Have for Amish fiction lovers
Mindy Starns Clark gives readers an excellent overview of Amish life, beliefs, and customs in A Pocket Guide to Amish Life. Readers who enjoy Amish fiction will want this book!
Marta Perry, author of LEAH'S CHOICE and RACHEL'S GARDEN, Berkley Books
... Read more

Product Description

Indiana is home to the world's third-largest Amish population. Indiana's 19 Old Order Amish and two Old Order Mennonite communities show a surprising diversity despite all that unites them as a distinct culture. This contemporary portrait of Indiana's Amish is the first book-length overview of Amish in the state. Thomas J. Meyers and Steven M. Nolt present an overview of the beliefs and values of the Amish, their migration history, and the differences between the state's two major Amish ethnic groups (Pennsylvania Dutch and Swiss). They also talk about Indiana's Old Order Mennonites, a group too often confused with the Amish. Meyers and Nolt situate the Amish in their Indiana context, noting an involvement with Indiana's industrial economy that may surprise some. They also treat Amish interaction with state government over private schooling and other matters, and the relationship of the Amish to their neighbors and the tourist industry. This valuable introduction to the Indiana Amish deserves a place on every Hoosier's bookshelf.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (31)

Plain Secrets: An Outsider among the Amish
Having grown up near the area this book takes place in, I was very interested to read it.About the Amish, most specifically about the Swartzentruber sect of Amish, it is of the author's experience and interaction with one particular family.He manages to grow close over a period of years and really see what life is like in the most strict of the Amish sects.

Mackall manages to become a close trusted friend of the Shetlers (names changed to protect privacy) an Amish family who moves in near him and becomes his neighbors.Over the course of the years he visits with them and their children, learns their ways and about their family, and even trades favors with them.Because of this relationship, when he asks if he can write a book on their family, they agree.There isn't really a timeline to the novel, it covers a forward moving piece of time in which a young boy leaves the order and his struggles with becoming "English" and the book also covers the life of Samuel Shetler and his immediate family.

Mackall details the house Samuel is building and what his family does day to day.He touches on some of the religious aspects and rules the Swartzentruber's have for their order.He also offers his opinion on everything he sees.This author does not sit back and tell about the family, he immerses himself in their life and comments on what he thinks about it.He tells you what he thinks is good, what is bad, and what areas are just shaded grey.

Mackall has a clear writing style and he does a great job at describing the people he's writing about.I did find some fault however.It seems that he might have written this book in parts, and as such, there are many trivial details that are repeated throughout the different chapters.Most of this is needless because the reader isn't reading one chapter every month or so and doesn't need to be reminded of these details.Also, his opinions are very waffling.He constantly can't decide whether their life is good or bad or if ever approached if he would help one leave the order.While these are all good thoughts and opinions by him, they take up quite a bit of space in the book sometimes.

I did enjoy reading about the Amish and this particular family.It was a great glimpse into the life of the Amish.Even knowing a couple Amish I had never realized just how rule bound their life was or even some of the more simple day to day things they had to do.This is a great book for learning a bit more about some of the most intriguing people in America.

Plain Secrets
Copyright 2007
248 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2010

Authentic and Compelling
This book invites the reader to sit and walk alongside the author and his Amish friend as they go about their dramatically different but intersecting lives. The social nuances of their unlikely but mutually valued relationship are fascinating to explore, as are tensions between various characters and the outside world from which most of them (but not all!) are trying to keep separate. The result is an entertaining, educational, and compelling piece of reporting and literature.

Excellent Read !
This book is one of the best that I have ever read on the Amish culture, and I have read quite a few over the years. It is unbiased and honest in it's portrayal of personalities and circumstances of cultural choices. It is written with accuracy and with a sense of humor that is equally aimed at the "quirks" of the "Englisher" as well as the culture the author is writing about. Excellent read!

NO secret
I think this was a well written book.I'm glad that it was written just the way it was.I think some books are over criticized.I'm glad he was allowed to do this.It gave a good insight.He is honest and very fair and still shows his own opinion is safe within himself.I see he has conflict over some issues,which is great.Makes a person think about this book.Good job

Amishplain secrets
What a great book! The people are very interesting. One can learn much about the Amish. Good reading. ... Read more

Product Description
This reliable favorite is newly revised for greater usefulness! With 100,000 copies already in print, this new edition offers increased clarity of 30 popular and often-requested patterns.Here are the full-sized patterns themselves, as well as step-by-step instructions, color suggestions, and exact yardage measurements for creating the traditional charm of the Amish masterpieces.This manual also offers a selection of quilting templates in the actual sizes needed to make a full-size quilt. Detailed drawings and diagrams throughout the book lend accuracy to the whole satisfying process. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Somewhat disappointed.
I bought this book because the patterns looked amazing.While they are very good, and can be used at all skill levels, I'm not pleased with the pattern measurements.

I've now made several quilts from the patterns, following each exactly.My latest turned out to be well over 20 inches wider than it should have.Some of the math appears to be incorrect.

That being said, the patterns ARE useful, and the color suggestions are great - just be prepared to modify your quilt while you're working on the top if you have strict measurements in mind.

Amish Quilt Patterns
Arrived fast, perfect condition.Excellent people to do business with, would definitely deal with them again.

A classic, One of the best resources I have in my library!!
Rachel Pellman excells in being plain, simple and concise.This book includes not only the patterns for making the blocks but quilting designs as well for the complete Amish look.The patterns are in black and white allowing them to be easily photocopied and colored by the experimenting quilter.The assembly instructions are precise and are shown as diagrams making it easy to see and copy each desired block.I find it an invaluable tool and resource for my library.In fact this book is the most used of all my quilting books.While this book is a rare find it is well worth the time to find and use.I highly recommend it particularly for the beginning quilter although the more experience quiltmaker will find much of value here too.Patterns range from the simple Bars and Center Diamond to the complex Star, Rolling Rock,and Jacob's Ladder.This book contains enough patterns to keep quilters busy for years ... Read more

Product Description
In Indiana’s Amish country, families work, play, and worship much as they have since they arrived in the 1800s. Here there are few modern-day conveniences to distract people from the important tasks of living plainly and serving their God. In this lovely book, well-known photographer Darryl D. Jones captures the spirit of the Amish people, their land, and their daily lives.

Jones’s photographs are at once inspiring and intimate, expressive of the landscape and those who work the land. They do show the Amish as many have come to see them—plowing a field behind a team of horses, going to market in a black buggy, and dressed in suspenders and plain smocks. But Jones’s photographs go beyond tourist caricature. In them we glimpse faces lined by hard work and wrinkled with pleasure; tasks performed in ways that seem timeless and tasks done with the aid of modern machinery; young people who make a sport of harvest and join eagerly in a game of baseball. In them we glimpse as well the deep satisfaction of living in harmony with the rhythms of life.

Amish Life: Living Plainly and Serving God is a pictorial memento to be treasured. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Living Plainly & serving God
This book is a wonderful guide through traditional Amish life as lived by children.The photographs are wonderfully done and give a true feeling for the daily life of young Amish children and their unique lifestyle. I loved it! ... Read more

Product Description

Praise for Amish Grace

"A story our polarized country needs to hear: It is still grace that saves."—Bill Moyers, Public Affairs Television

"In a world where repaying evil with evil is almost second nature, the Amish remind us there's a better way. In plain and beautiful prose, Amish Grace recounts the Amish witness and connects it to the heart of their spirituality."—Sister Helen Prejean, author, Dead Man Walking

"Faced with the notorious Amish aversion to publicity, reporter after reporter turned to the authors...to answer one question: How could the Nickel Mines Amish so readily, so completely, forgive? While the text provides a detailed account of the tragedy, its beauty lies in its discovery of forgiveness as the crux of Amish culture. Never preachy or treacly, it suggests a larger meditation more than apt in our time."—Philadelphia Magazine

"This balanced presentation . . .blends history, current evaluation of American society, and an examination of what builds community into a seamless story that details the shootings while it probes the religious beliefs that led to such quick forgiving. Recommended." —Library Journal

"Professors Kraybill, Nolt, and Weaver-Zercher have written a superb book—a model of clear, forceful writing about a tragedy and its aftermath. They have an obvious affection for the Amish yet ask tough questions, weigh contradictions, and explore conundrums such as how a loving God could permit schoolgirls to be massacred." —National Catholic Reporter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

The Amishare blessed
Kraybill and associates have taken a close look at the events in Lancaster County and the killing of several school children and the wounding of others.The closest look, however, is at the Amish themselves, the friends, the families, the neighbors of the girls who were killed; yet more importantly at the family of the young man who did the shooting, a trusted fellow, "English" (i.s. non-Amish) known to everyone, who immediately afterward shot himself. How they were able to forgive (not the same as pardon) the dead perpetrator, yet more so his family, how they from inate impulse moved to circle that family with love, invite them to their events, include them in the funerals.And the family of the perpetrator included them in his funeral.
I recently visited old friends in Bird-in-Hand itself, German emigrants and their children, who now live side-by-side with Amish.And I visited the rather new Young Center fo the Study of the Amish and the Anabaptists, where Don Kraybill is a professor.It is an institute that welcomes graduate students who are working on the topic.This year they are expecting an Israeli student who wants to make a comparison of Jewish Orthodox and Amish ways.
The book also gives some insight into the problematic custom of "shunning" wayward members of the community, yet also their commitment to peace but also non-participation in worldly politics.
The book is regarded by the local community as excellent.

Touching!
I agree with all the five star reviewers, that this book will definitely cause you to examine what the Scriptures have to say about the importance of forgiveness. Luke 6: 37-38 tells us, "Forgive and you shall be forgiven." Mark 11:25-26 explains how we need to forgive in order to be forgiven. A relationship with the Savior involves more than saying a sinner's prayer and supposedly accepting Christ into our hearts. It involves turning from our ways of doing things and seeking to find out how the Scriptures would have us conduct our lives and putting those commands into practice. While I do not agree with all the the Amish believe, especially the idea of unquestioning submission to the dictates of the bishops, their desire to take the Scriptures literally and put them into practice really minister to me. I also very much resonate with their ideas of simplicity, family values and their caring for other people within their own community of faith. This book is a must read. It is a thorough look at the Amish value system and also the key subject of forgiveness.

Amish Grace Book
Wow, this is a powerful book.I read it on a plane embarassed as I couldn't help but cry reading this well written book and understnad the Amish culture more fully.

Reviewing a Tragedy
I haven't read the book yet, but I saw the movie, and I never heard
of such a horrible tragedy as that was. Poor innocent familes being
blown apart,by a man who was so devastated by the death of his baby,
that he took his wrath out on innocent people.

Great Book If There Are Times When it's Hard To Forgive
This is an amazing book when dealing learning to be more forgiving.

Everything in the book makes since on why we should be more forgiving and the reason why we should be forgiving.

A lot of the things the Amish people did in this book will be very foreign to most us such as the Amish giving support to the family of the killer.Or when a drunk driver kills a women's son and she asks the arresting police officer to take care of the drunk driver.

I've use more post its in this book to mark the points that I want to got back to than any other book I've read.

... Read more

Product Description
This book reveals and describes the genuine virtues and values that best depict the Old Order Amish to non-Amish readers. The estimated 225,000 Old Order, horse and buggy driving, no church house, Amish Americans have been largely overlooked by historians and social scientists. Authors who have written about the Amish generally view them as people of great integrity and goodwill, but have often exploited their uniqueness. This book is concerned with their positive, genuine values, ways and customs as observed by those best qualified to do so - the author as a former Old Order Amish sect member along with Amish children and adults who are current participates in the Amish faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Amish Answers
A very good book spelling out the lives and customs of the Old Order Amish. Written by a former Amish, this dispells some of the stories of these gentle people. Interesting information of the customs of these people, Their lives are spelled out for them by their church. All down to the last letter, no questions. Interesting reading.

Amish beliefs and lifestyle
An informative book that gives a true picture of the Amish, their beliefs and how they live their lives.
I thought I was well informed about the Amish as a quilter, reader of The Budget (their newspaper) and visits to Amish areas.
I realized there was so much I didn't know.
The writer presents the fact in an easy to understand and very readable manner.
Thebook presents stories and reports by Amish adults and children (names left out) which makes the reader even more aware of the thoughts, beliefs and the way they live their lives.
After reading this book I have an understanding about and a deep appreciation for The Gentle People.

The answer -- technology-savvy monastics
This is a concise, sympathetic and useful description of the Old Order Amish by a man who himself grew up as one. I'd imagined there were perhaps 5000 Amish in the US tucked away in some remote corner. No, there are over 20 times that, and growing rapidly. The book caused me to think about what the Amish have to offer the culture at large?

Our culture would be well served by greater civilizational values, such as a culture of attentiveness to virtue, less personal tolerance for ugliness in all its forms (advertisement, professional welfarism, addiction,...). All of these the Amish exhibit in spades. But what price is to be paid for it? Some of them, I would not to have visited upon my family: 1) the view that women are inferior to men and that they should therefore do what men require without question (I can't imagine that this does not on occasion translate into sexual humiliation), 2) the discouragement of education, innovation and curiosity, 3) radical rejection of non-Amish - my concept of loving your brother involves interacting with him.

The beauty of the culture is sustained only by paradox. If they did not isolate themselves, they would disappear. The greatest virtue as they see it is humility, and yet in isolating themselves from the world are they not implicitly degrading it? The Amish as a group have achieved something heroic in maintaining this way of life amidst the most fiercely materialistic of cultures, but paradoxically communal greatness is accomplished only by shutting down individual greatness. The imposition of virtue among the Amish falls under the purview of the state. Our Founders took the opposite and radical view that virtue that is not voluntary is no virtue, that the individual has a direct line to God through which he can be relied upon to seek virtue.

The fact is that social stability has traditionally involved subjugating women by keeping them ignorant, and the divorce rate and crime rate skyrocketed in the wake of WWII when women were increasingly emancipated. This fear of the anarchy of the emancipated woman probably underlies our breach with the Muslim world. How do we address this issue? The state will end up stepping in where individuals fail.

The technological revolution has condensed into a laptop many of the things which once belonged in a luxurious life - a sizeable library, intimate contact with exotic places, musical instruments, an artist's studio, a stock broker, a theater. The luxurious life comes increasingly to resemble the monastic life. Perhaps what is called for is a new sect of well educated, technology savvy hermetics who dress modestly, invest green, eat healthy food and tear down the billboards?

A good "first book" to read about the Amish
Though I've read four or five other books about the Amish I wish this had been the first one. Wittmer states openly that it will focus on the "positive" without delving into "negatives", and it does. But he does so without sounding like some Madison Avenue promoter or some Pollyanna trying to hype the topic. That is a good thing because much of the "negative" about the Amish is quite subjective and belongs in much different formats.
The careful, open-minded reader will pick up on a wealth of valuable, fairly-presented insight into the Amish psyche and Amish ways. That, in turn, will provide an accurate foundation upon which the information and opinions expressed in other books can be settled against.
"The Gentle People" is a gentle, interesting, highly informative read - it's style clearly showing the Gentility of the author's Amish upbringing yet also displaying the very credible Objectivity one would expect from a "secular" scholar. Perhaps most importantly - you will enjoy "The Gentle People" no matter what level you read it at.

The Gentle Peoples
Such a good book with so much insight into the Amish world, a must read for everyone. ... Read more

Product Description
A distinctive American subculture responds to the forces of social change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

worth the reading
this is a great overview of the subject. good background and history. an easy read

A great look at a fascinating group
This fascinating text was written to explore various facets of Amish culture and how these help and/or hinder the existence of this group of the modern world.There are two main authors, Kraybill and Olshan, however this book is a collection of essays about different topics.These articles are carefully organized to build the reader a base of Amish culture and then introduce some of the major conflicts within their society.It is concluded by theoretical pieces summarizing the effects of the issues already explored.Although this book is comprised of separate works, it is clear that three basic questions are approached in the course of reading the collection.The first question is dealing with the what and the why.It discusses the premises and doctrines of Amish religion and why the people hold these beliefs.The most basic core of the belief structure is simply the Bible and their practices all stem from their interpretation of that.The book delves into those interpretations with such items as the appropriate usage of telephones, the dangers of pneumatic tires, and sources of approved energy.The second aspect dealt with in depth is the outside world's reaction to them.Once again we get a vast array of information from the tourist who reserves a special Amish cooked meal to the feminist who critiques the submission of Amish women.More importantly the unfair stigmas we put on these people are brought out into the open, even the most seemingly harmless are questioned.Finally, as the title tells, the struggle is related in the best detail possible without getting overly exhaustive and without being Amish oneself.The struggles entailed in the life of the Amish are due to the pressures of living within a "progressive" nation.Amish have been forced to recreate boundaries in practices when the education, economic security and organization of their commune are threatened by modernity. ... Read more

Product Description

Highly acclaimed in previous editions, this classic work by John Hostetler has been expanded and updated to reflect current research on Amish history and culture as well as the new concerns of Amish communities throughout North America.

Customer Reviews (17)

All You Wanted To Know About The Amish
A very interesting and informative look into the history of the Amish religion. Their trials and tribulations to acheive the simple life. The way they were treated in their native country and the way that they were accepted here in America. Their fight to keep what they believe in as a way of life is awe inspiring. The way they have been treated and they can still be non- conformist and non- violent is a tribute to their religious upbringing. A very good read and an eye opener to these "plain people".

Definitive, Complete
I have many books on the Amish, but this volume is the keystone of the collection.Nothing will advance your understanding of the Amish more than reading this book - nothing.Written by a college professor born into an Old-Order Amish community (the most conservative), the author doesn't just describe the Amish and how they live, but explains why they live as they do and how they think and make decisions about modern life and technology.Along the way he destroys the notion that the Amish are rooted in the past.In fact, they are firmly in the here and now - but deliberately disconnected from the non-Amish world.They use power, motors, machinery, electronics and computers, modern transportation, and more, but in ways that ensure separation.

Amish Society gives perspective on how the Amish developed from their Anabaptist roots and where they fit in the modern Anabaptist spectrum.He describes how individuals and families move from one "level" to another and why.The fine distinctions among Amish communities are fascinating.The author gives an example, using Mifflin County, PA, showing 13 levels of Amish and Anabaptist "committment" (for lack of a better word).Starting at the center with the Old Order Amish, it proceeds to Old School, Byler Church, Peachey Amish, New Amish, Beachy Amish, Beth-El Mennonite, Holdeman Mennonite, Allensville Mennonite, Locust Grove Mennonite, Bretheren in Christ, Maple Grove Mennonite, and finally Protestant.All are instantly distinguishable to an Amish person by things as subtle as the width of a hat brim.

The most unfamiliar content for anyone not familiar with Amish life will be on religious ceremony and practice.Topics such as meetings, hymn singing (absolutely unique), sermons, choosing clergy, weddings, funeral practices, and so on are described in detail you won't find anywhere else.

On the personal end, the author describes the kinds of things that an Amish person thinks about, worries about, gives comfort or threatens, and how they view the outside world.In fact, this book is as much a look at the Amish from within as it is an examination of them from without.

Again, the best single volume on the Amish by a long shot.Very highly recommended.

Reads like a college Sociology textbook
Very informative book. Definitely not a light read but will leave you with a good understanding of the Amish. Without doubt, it is the first book to read when starting your study of these fascinating people.

A "Must Read"
After reading Brad Igou's "The Amish: In Their Own Words" I then came to this book by Hostettler - and am glad I did. This book "fills in" the portrait of the Amish by providing a very clear, readable, though factual history of the Amish "progression", if you will. With the Amish existence being much more fragmented than many people think as they lump them all under the term "Amish", this book really brings about an enlightened understanding of the range of the sects and their relation to each other and "the outside World" over the course of their development. It also offers the reader a very gracious, very real portrayal of the Amish that, thankfully, dispels many of the traditional misconceptions about these kind and earnest people.

Insightful and interesting
I purchased this book to educate myself for an upcoming vacation to Pennsylvania Dutch country. I had a basic understanding of Amish beliefs and cultures, but was totally astounded at the differences between the sects. Mr. Hostetler provides first-hand knowledge that no one else has in any other book I've read pertaining to the Amish & Mennonites. ... Read more

Product Description

Since its publication in 1989, The Riddle of Amish Culture has become recognized as a classic work on one of America's most distinctive religious communities. But many changes have occurred within Amish society over the past decade, from westward migrations and a greater familiarity with technology to the dramatic shift away from farming into small business which is transforming Amish culture. For this revised edition, Donald B. Kraybill has taken these recent changes into account, incorporating new demographic research and new interviews he has conducted among the Amish. In addition, he includes a new chapter describing Amish recreation and social gatherings, and he applies the concept of "social capital" to his sensitive and penetrating interpretation of how the Amish have preserved their social networks and the solidarity of their community.

Customer Reviews (13)

good review
ok.. i get it..if you read this you can figure out that you would or would not make a good amish participant.

The Riddle of Amish Culture
This is a great book.I used it in a reference to my Technology of History class.It is a great product to use to learn abotu the Amish culture and their meanings behind their way of life.

Insightful analysis of seemingly arbitrary standards
Kraybill's treatment is an necessary extension of the work Hostetler began.Kraybill's book analyzes more specific examples of what "Moderns" see as hypocritical behavior among the Amish and provides the historical and doctrinal framework for understanding the rationale.There are no arbitrary decisions made regarding the prescriptions and proscriptions.As he concludes, the Amish are actually more advanced in their thinking than Moderns give them credit for.

I would have rated this 5 stars, however, I think there are some points where Kraybill restates the same points needlessly; i.e. he will make a point, and then restate it in 2-3 different ways.Then, revisit that point again later in the book within a different context, and restate it again, 2-3 different ways.

Hoofbeats Into My Heart
There is so much we urgently need to learn from the Anabaptists that this book becomes a "must read". With our economy sliding down an ever more slippery slope and the very structure of global society changing uncertainly we can very profitably take some pages from here, to use, to give us a footing in this troubling time. We "English" may have plenty to worry about, but the Amish will simply go on about their business. They will hardly notice if the lights go out, the banks close and fiat money becomes worthless. They have nourished core sociatal values which have been sadly abandoned during the years of our "liberation" and the designation of the US as "the world's consumer". They already keep it simple, their family structures are unusually sound, their children are cherished and safeguarded. They are nonviolent and a persons word is their bond. The barter system as well as doing unto others as they would be done by works very well. They believe in hard work in caring for what they have, and really, caring for the land and the family is really what grows our own roots. Blindly racing after more "stuff" and "toys" has begun to pall with many of us in the "me first" lonely world. Or it has for me. I've a degree in Sociology and have always found the Plain People of prime interest and as the years have passed I have been honored to study them. This book is really one of the best, in my humble estimation. You will learn much about what makes these people do so well, but I also urge you to read this book especially with an eye for enriching your own life in what may be coming in our personal paths. It may make the difference between misery and peace. Several years ago I found a small very conservative Mennonite Church which I visit some 50 miles from me and the round trip is time well spent. They have a delightful bright, sparkling clean school there too. Children could not be more lovingly educated. If anyone thinks that the 8th grade isn't enough, I've got news for you! That entire congregation will give any intellectual out there a real run for their money. They all speak 3-4 languages and are very well traveled. Their manners are as polished as the shining windows of the classrooms without the faintest hint of pride and respectful visitors are most kindly treated. I have found this book to be of endless value in understanding my friends as well as giving new structure and peace to my own life. This book will take you much further than sitting on a tour bus staring at what many barely understand, but on a deeper level long for.

Biased author makes living on writing and lecturing on the Amish.
It is very important for this particular author to play down or avoid delicate subjects that pertain to the Amish.His own religious background is sympathetic to these oft times not so peaceful people and in order for him to continue to be allowed entry where most outsiders aren't he obviously has to tread gently.It's time for a book on child abuse among the Amish - but not written by their spokesman, Donald Kraybill. ... Read more

Product Description

A sensitive and realistic look at the spiritual life and practices of the Amish

This second book by the authors of the award-winning Amish Grace sheds further light on the Amish, this time on their faith, spirituality, and spiritual practices. They interpret the distinctive practices of the Amish way of life and spirituality in their cultural context and explore their applicability for the wider world. Using a holistic perspective, the book tells the story of Amish religious experience in the words of the Amish themselves. Due to their long-standing friendships and relationships with Amish people, this author team may be the only set of interpreters able to provide an outsider-insider perspective.

• Provides a behind-the-scenes examination of Amish spiritual life
• Shows how the Amish practices can be applied to the wider world
• Written by authors with unprecedented access to the Amish community

Written in a lively and engaging style, The Amish Way holds appeal for anyone who has wanted to know more about the inner workings of the Amish way of life.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A standout among many books on the Amish
With the recent explosion in interest in all things Plain, there seems to be a new book on the Amish coming out every week. But in the ground this one covers--as the first book to explore Amish spirituality and religious belief--The Amish Way truly is one of a kind.

A few things I appreciated about The Amish Way:

1. Vignettes of Amish Life.The authors share slices of Amish life in illustrating key ideas of community, family, faith, and many others.Abner the bookbinder shares the richness of living within a stone's throw of family.Jesse and Mary explain the complicated, and costly, process of "de-electrifying" their previously English-owned home--and why the decision to do so was so important from a faith standpoint.And Reuben describes the life-changing, emotional day when he was chosen by lot to become an Amish minister and take up the burden of leading his congregation--without ever having had a day of formal training.These and other Amish individuals who share their lives with readers truly bring the book to life.

2. Answers those questions you've had about Amish religion and beliefs.As someone who studies the Amish, and has attended numerous Amish church services, singings, and other religious occasions, I have been fortunate to experience the formal religious side of Amish life on many instances.At the same time, The Amish Way helped clarify some questions I found I still had on Amish Christianity.To name a couple: Why do Amish attend church only every other Sunday?Or: To what degree does the Amish bishop wield authority?

For readers at various levels of understanding of the Amish, this is a great book.If you've ever wondered whether the Amish accept non-Amish converts, how and why Amish adolescents decide to be baptized, and why Amish maintain the seemingly cruel practice of shunning, this book answers these and many other questions.

3. Readability and authenticity.The authors have studied and worked with the Amish for a collective 50+ years.Their experience and understanding of Amish society shines through in their firsthand accounts of Amish life--everything from attending church service in a barn to sharing in family meals at the Amish table.

Writing an accessible inside look at Amish faith is a challenging task.It requires an ability to analyze and understand Amish life from the inside out, a degree of first-person access to Amish society, and last but not least, the ability to craft religious ideas and concepts into a readable and entertaining work.

Kraybill, Nolt, and Weaver-Zercher do an excellent job in all three areas.The Amish Way is a fitting follow-up to their 2007 book Amish Grace.Highly recommended read for those wanting to more fully understand Amish Christianity.

Erik Wesner
amishamerica.com
Author, "Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive" ... Read more

Product Description

Holmes County, Ohio, is home to the largest and most diverse Amish community in the world. Yet, surprisingly, it remains relatively unknown compared to its famous cousin in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Charles E. Hurst and David L. McConnell conducted seven years of fieldwork, including interviews with over 200 residents, to understand the dynamism that drives social change and schism within the settlement, where Amish enterprises and nonfarming employment have prospered. The authors contend that the Holmes County Amish are experiencing an unprecedented and complex process of change as their increasing entanglement with the non-Amish market causes them to rethink their religious convictions, family practices, educational choices, occupational shifts, and health care options.

The authors challenge the popular image of the Amish as a homogeneous, static, insulated society, showing how the Amish balance tensions between individual needs and community values. They find that self-made millionaires work alongside struggling dairy farmers; successful female entrepreneurs live next door to stay-at-home mothers; and teenagers both embrace and reject the coming-of-age ritual, rumspringa.

An Amish Paradox captures the complexity and creativity of the Holmes County Amish, dispelling the image of the Amish as a vestige of a bygone era and showing how they reinterpret tradition as modernity encroaches on their distinct way of life.

Customer Reviews (4)

Very serious, photo & title notwithstanding. Read it
I've lived in Lancaster for a lifetime and have known dozens of Amish. It was particularly valuable to me that this study is of Holmes County as it detached me from my personal feelings and observations. I agree with a the other reviewer that the title and cover art are quite misleading, I passed the book by a couple of times before buying it but have discovered a really well done, objective sociological study of the ongoing adaptations to the surrounding culture.

I could go on forever about the food for thought this gives all of us who struggle to be in but not part of the world or even understand what that means. That is one aspect of the book. From an anthropological and sociological point of view, I don't think a one volume work could be better. Even I didn't know how unessential the horse has become in everyday life (here with the no-till agriculture you see less and less mules and horses in the fields, for instance).

Also, the most serious "issues" which divide the Amish like the shunning and the Rumspringa may not be apparent ot an outside observer (like me). You see with great clarity regarding these questions how useless words like "liberal" or "orthodox" are, especially when applied from within a tradition, but from outside, too. If you're interested in the Amish or great sociology, buy it.

Best and Scholarly
The two College of Wooster professors spent a decade doing a thorough study of the Amish culture of Holmes County Ohio. What makes the study of this religious/cultural group so unique is the geographic footprint of the study. The world's largest Amish community in concentrated in the small Ohio county with a total population of approximately 40,000 (40% Amish). This makes an ideal sampling for a learned sociologist and antropologist to do a study.

The treatment of the Amish is not intended to be a "tourist" type promotion, nor is it a critical and highly opinionated work. It is easy and very informative reading. This is the kind of study that is instructive for non-Amish readers in that issues faced by Amsih are not unique to them nor Holmes County.

The "Valley Girl" on the cover is likely the decision of the publisher to attract consumer attention, and not the authors. I may have read every local book on the subject. This is the best yet.

A fascinating and thought-provoking read!
Many people consider the Amish to be a static, homogeneous group and often mistakenly refer to them as Mennonites, which they are not. Hurst and McConnell's thoroughly researched and well-written book puts to rest these misconceptions and introduces the reader to a complex, heterogeneous community that is constantly evolving.The book benefits from Hurst and McConnell's proximity to the Amish community and the access they were given during their research.Although the book is fact-driven, it is easyand entertaining to read, not filled with professional jargon and sluggish, as many culture-based books are. Readers with children may be surprised to learn that many of the issues we 'English' parents face our Amish counterparts face, as well.I read the book over two days; the format made it easy to put down and pick up as my schedule permitted.If you are interested in learning more about the Amish this is the one book you must buy.

A welcome addition to religious studies, sociology, and American History shelves
Emeritus professor of sociology Charles E. Hurst and professor of anthropology David L. McConnell present Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World's Largest Amish Community, an extraordinary study of the largest and most diverse Amish community in the world, located in Holmes County, Ohio. Today, the Holmes County Amish are more involved than ever in the changing world at large, forcing them to reconsider their religious tenets, family practices, educational options, occupations, and health care opportunities. In an era where cell phones, school buses, and other modern implements are practically required for the functioning of a large community, modernity is gradually transforming the distinctly Amish way of life. Individual chapters address "Coping with Church Schism", "The Changing Landscape of Learning", "Work Within and Outside Tradition", "Health along the Life Cycle", and much more. A welcome addition to religious studies, sociology, and American History shelves, especially recommended for college libraries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent for beginners and experts too.
In a spare prose the author gives us a short history of the Amish quilt and its characteristics. She then gives some how-to advice that is precious for beginners, and follows up with several patterns for crib quilts or wall hangings that have been re-sized to fit the smaller dimension, which is a great thing. She also gives actual size templates for decorative quilting.

I only wish there were more color pictures but for the price you can't expect more than color covers.

Color?
When I buy quilting books, I really enjoy looking at the finished quilts in color. I love seeing how other people have mixed their fabric and I usually get ideas from them. There was no color in this book at all except for the front and back cover.The directions are very clear, but most patterns are for beginners. ... Read more

Product Description
After the first blizzard of an early winter, a Mennonite college girl with a troubled past appears curled up and bloodied outside the offce of her childhood psychiatrist. Mute for many years as a child, Martha Lehman is again not talking.That same morning, the wealthy mother of Martha’s boyfriend is found murdered in her mansion in the country west of Millersburg, Ohio. Professor Mi chael Branden and Sheriff Bruce Robertson begin an investigation that, in the space of a single weekend, implicates Martha, threatens to tear apart the fabric of Millersburg College, pits one professor against another, and brings Caroline Branden near to a breaking point over the girl she once tried so fervently to help and who now seems determined to let no one help her at all.As Martha struggles to understand her enigmatic past and as Professor Branden wrestles with the murder of the college 6's leading benefactor, the real story of Martha Lehman emerges—born Amish, converted to Mennonite, and drawn to the English world for the worst of reasons.In Cast a Blue Shadow, his fourth Ohio Amish Mystery, P. L. Gaus continues to explore the thresholds of culture and faith among the Amish sects and their English neighbors of northern Ohio. Through interwoven plots, Gaus portrays these ways of life at odds with one another despite their seeming harmony. Coupling those clashes with the petty and desperate scufflings of academic politics, Gaus spins a suspenseful tale of power, pride, and tested faith.With Cast a Blue Shadow, Professors Branden and Gaus have done it again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Cast a Blue Shadow casts a dark shadow indeed
Cast a Blue Shadow is so strikingly different from Gaus' previous books that one wonders whether he had a midlife crisis when he wrote it. I had to struggle to finish it. I had purchased it for a library of a private group, but after reading it, could not donate it to such a group. I had blithely ordered all 6 of his series after reading the first book, and that was a mistake. The subject matter and language in this book did not fit with the pattern of the previous books.

Cast a Blue Shadow
This is an Ohio Amish Mystery, It is a good read, and suitable for any age.

Highly disappointing
If there is any mystery in this book, it isn't in the extreme characters that were so one-dimensional and stereotyped that the reader can anticipate what they will say next with great accuracy. The money-hungry mother, rebellious lesbian daughter, and meek son were so cliché that one could hardly muster any interest in what might happen next, let alone form any attachment to their various unfortunate situations. Also disappointing were the faulty and lax details regarding the Amish and Mennonite cultures, such as the background story of Martha (most Amish don't switch to Mennonite that easily, even over a perceived "disgrace" such as her's) and other subtleties that do not ring with authenticity. A tremendous suspension of belief would be needed to find this novel even remotely enjoyable.

Casts a Blue Shadow
I have to say I love his Books. The one complaint I have here is with the lack of Autumn lol. We need a Novel set in the Fall.
But aside from that it was great. I would also like to see the character of Sonny Favor developed in a future book. Perhaps a contrast of Martha Lehams future life to that of Sonny's..

A first-class mystery
This book is sub-titled An Ohio Amish Mystery and is set amid the rolling hills of Holmes County, Ohio.Holmes County and vicinity hosts the largest Amish settlement in the world and Paul L. Gaus knows this area well.

Michael Brandon, the main character in this and Gaus's other books, takes on the academic community in his fictional Millersburg College. Along with Brandon are other familiar characters from Gaus's previous book, notably Pastor Calvin Troyer and Sheriff Bruce Robertson as well as an expanded role for Brandon's wife Carolyn.

A rich Holmes County widow has died after a meeting with members of Millersburg College faculty in which she had announced her intention to change the way she donated money to the college.It appears to be murder and motives abound. Brandon is invited to join the investigation because he is familiar with the principals involved as well as being a lifelong friend of Sheriff Robertson.

The author has learned to put together a good story in which he brings all the pieces together just right. Gaus is not an unabashed cheerleader for the Amish, idealizing their lives, but portrays real people with their own peculiar problems. In fact, it is possible to read this book without really thinking of the Amish as a group. This is a good mystery that keeps you wanting to come back for more. ... Read more

Product Description

Train Up a Child explores how private schools in Old Order Amish communities reflect and perpetuate church-community values and identity. Here, Karen M. Johnson-Weiner asserts that the reinforcement of those values among children is imperative to the survival of these communities in the modern world.

Surveying settlements in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, Johnson-Weiner finds that, although Old Order communities have certain similarities in their codes of conduct, there is no standard Old Order school. She examines the choices each community makes -- about pedagogy, curriculum, textbooks, even school design -- to strengthen religious ideology, preserve the social and linguistic markers of Old Order identity, and protect their own community's beliefs and values from the influence of the dominant society.

In the most comprehensive study of Old Order schools to date, Johnson-Weiner provides valuable insight into how variables such as community size and relationship with other Old Order groups affect the role of these schools in maintaining behavioral norms and in shaping the Old Order's response to modernity.

Product Description

During the American Civil War, the Mennonites and Amish faced moral dilemmas that tested the very core of their faith. How could they oppose both slavery and the war to end it? How could they remain outside the conflict without entering the American mainstream to secure legal conscientious objector status? In the North, living this ethical paradox marked them as ambivalent participants to the Union cause; in the South, it marked them as clear traitors.

In the first scholarly treatment of pacifism during the Civil War, two experts in Anabaptist studies explore the important role of sectarian religion in the conflict and the effects of wartime Americanization on these religious communities. James O. Lehman and Steven M. Nolt describe the various strategies used by religious groups who struggled to come to terms with the American mainstream without sacrificing religious values -- some opted for greater political engagement, others chose apolitical withdrawal, and some individuals renounced their faith and entered the fight.

Integrating the most recent Civil War scholarship with little-known primary sources and new information from Pennsylvania and Virginia to Illinois and Iowa, Lehman and Nolt provide the definitive account of the Anabaptist experience during the bloodiest war in American history.

Customer Reviews (1)

A great insight into a seldom discussed aspect of the Civil War
During the American Civil War, the Amish and their fellow Anabaptists such as the Mennonites were largely pacifists, preferring to stay away from secular politics and political movements, and the war created by regional differences within the country.

Authors James O. Lehman and Steven M. Nolt have written a fascinating book that examines the Amish and Mennonites of Pennsylvania and other states during the Civil War. Published by Johns Hopkins Press, this book is perhaps the first detailed study of the pacifistic perspective of the local Amish and Mennonite communities. The book is wonderfully written, flows well, and offers fresh information and a new perspective on the home front in the Civil War that is rarely (if ever) covered in other works.

Mennonites, Amish, and the American Civil War fills a hole in the historiography of the war, adding depth and color to the struggles of this peace-loving group who struggled with the decisions of faith versus Americanism, of individual free-will versus community pressure, and whether to take up arms and renounce their traditional values (and in some cases, risk being shunned by their families and friends to fight in the army).

Scholarly and well-researched, this book is a must-read for York and Lancaster countians wishing to gain a better understanding of the internal conflicts within the region during the war years. The activities of the Quakers and the Pennsylvania German Lutherans are perhaps better publicized and studied, which is why Lehman and Nolt's book is of interest.

The authors begin with a sweeping overview of religion, politics, religious minorities, and their place within the changing American society of the mid-19th century. The Anabaptists, already well established in many regions including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia, were faced with the soul-searching decision of loyalty to church and family or to the government that called for volunteers to fight a war that many in the Amish and Mennonite community believed was a direct violation of Biblical teachings on seeking peace and avoiding bloodshed. Contrary to popular belief, the Mennonites were not isolationists, but rather held public offices, were involved in setting local laws and policies, and swaying public opinion.

Individual chapters focus on the Mennonites and Amish of Virginia and the controversial "war of self-defense" when the Federal government sent armies into the state. Of local interest, Lehman and Nolt spend considerable time exploring the Pennsylvania German Anabaptists of this region and their Civil War experiences, both on a macro level as well as on a very personal individual look. Early in the war, the decision to fight or to stay out of the war was simply a matter of one's interpretation of the scriptures and teachings versus personal beliefs. When the war came to the North in the summer of 1863, the decision became much more complex, as defending the region became more of a psychological stress.

For example, 61-year-old Peter Nissley was a Mennonite minister who lived near Marietta, Pennsylvania, in rural Lancaster County. When the Confederate division of Major General Jubal Early invaded neighboring York County, with a full brigade sent eastward to threaten Columbia and Marietta, Nissley made the decision to stay at his home with his family, instead of fleeing as refugees deeper into the county. "We had some trying times," he later recalled, as the Rebels came within six miles of his home. He could hear the sound of the Confederate artillery shelling Wrightsville on the late afternoon of Sunday June 28 (the holy day to the Anabaptists) and later that evening could clearly see the flames coming from the burning Columbia-Lancaster Bridge.

From July 1 through the 3rd, Nissley could hear the roar of the Battle of Gettysburg. He wrote, "What awfull (sic) destruction of life and property this war has brought on us." Like others in the Pennsylvania German community, while trying to remain neutral, he sided with the Union in his thinking, remarking that at Wrightsville "Our few men resisted them (the Rebels), retreated to, and Fired that magnificent bridge." He, like most of his religious community, were thankful when the Rebels retired from Pennsylvania.

In the mid-1950s, an excellent movie was produced entitled Friendly Persuasion, starring Gary Cooper. It told the fictional tale of a family of Indiana Quakers who were faced with the same decision as Nissley and the German Anabaptists - peaceful nonresistance or take up arms and join the fighting. The parents agonize when a son rejects his religious upbringing and joins the Union army. Their anguish increases when the Confederates enter their state, and Cooper's character has to make his own decision. I have watched that interesting movie several times, and it first brought attention to the religious conflict in morals that people of this area faced when their homes and livelihoods were threatened by war.

Now, Lehman and Nolt's book brings a detailed examination of that same issue. Peppered with individual stories such as Peter Nissley's, this work is both fascinating and informative. It includes lists of conscientious objectors in places like Holmes County, Ohio, and explores the reasons why men chose not to fight (as well as why some turned their backs on their upbringings to enter the military). Also of strong interest is the authors' examination of the conflict brought upon Virginia's religious minorities in the Shenandoah Valley as armies criss-crossed the area for four years. ... Read more

Product Description

Donald B. Kraybill has spent his career among Anabaptist groups, gaining an unparalleled understanding of these traditionally private people. Kraybill shares that deep knowledge in this succinct overview of the beliefs and cultural practices of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites in North America.

Found throughout Canada, Central America, Mexico, and the United States, these religious communities include more than 200 different groups with 800,000 members in 17 countries. Through 340 short entries, Kraybill offers readers information on a wide range of topics related to religious views and social practices. With thoughtful consideration of how these diverse communities are related, this compact reference provides a brief and accurate synopsis of these groups in the twenty-first century.

No other single volume provides such a broad overview of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites in North America. Organized for ease of searching -- with a list of entries, a topic finder, an index of names, and ample cross-references -- the volume also includes abundant resources for accessing additional information.

Wide in scope, succinct in content, and with directional markers along the way, the Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites is a must-have reference for anyone interested in Anabaptist groups.