The Amish

Rarely do I come away from reading a book with the sense that form has perfectly matched function *and* that the book has changed my mind.Both of these things are true of Donald Kraybill's, Karen Johnson-Weiner's and Steven Nolt's bravely titled THE AMISH.True to its subject, the book is a gentle read. It invites the reader into to increasing levels of understanding of this odd people, The Amish. Though it brings to bear upon its topic social-scientific, historical, and religious-studies rigor, it does so with a profound respect for the Old Order Amish themselves. As a result, the Amish come into clearer focus as fellow human beings who have chosen a certain lifestyle in a world that offers them alternatives. Caricatures fade amid the careful instruction of the authors.The authors divide 21 rich chapters among five sections: I. Roots, II. Cultural Context, III. Social Organization, IV. External Ties, and V. The Future.In the view of this reader, the authors' Big Idea is remarkably simple: the Amish are not anti-technology, anti-modernity, or for that matter anti-anything.Rather, with a view to preserving certain non-negotiable values, the Old Order Amish self-consciously negotiate the degree to which they will engage the offerings that a modern and post-modern world would thrust upon them.When I was growing up on the boundaries of the Amish in Central Pennsylvania, it was common to snicker at the hypocrisy of this strange tribe. They would not have phones in their home, but would sneak down to the phone shack at the end of the driveway to make their calls. They would not own cars, but would contract 'English' drivers to haul them about.Kraybill and his co-authors explain that 'hypocrisy' is an unpromising explanation for such admittedly negotiated solutions. Is it not closer to reality on the ground to understand that the Amish may treasure uninterrupted and intentional family life in a way that makes using the phone a choice (though it may involved walking 100 yards through the snow) rather than a mindless response whenever the thing decides to ring in the bosom of the family's space? Gently (there's that word again), the authors lead one to see the sense of such a complex network of negotiated settlements with a wider world that has made other choices.Though the authors clearly admire the Old Order Amish, they are realistic about the challenges any community (in this case, a broad network of distinct and interlocking communities) faces in a world where the mainstream declares itself both obvious and inviolable.THE AMISH is a work of gentle history, a moniker I choose not chiefly because the object of the authors' research is a people attempting to remain gentle, but rather because the authors have demonstrated that history and sociological analysis need not reduce the human objects of their research to less than they are. In real life. Quietly. Along the margins of our frenzy.

Being a Christian in a state or region that knows little to no Amish, this text was exactly what I wanted. You can't judge a book by its cover, they say, and upon looking at this cover, I kind of wondered it was just a "trendy" superficial look at these people - which ISN'T what I wanted. I was more than wrong though. Little did I know that Donald Kraybill is the foremost knowledge authority on the Amish.What I did know prior to this read, and what Kraybill was I think ultimately looking to unveil, is that you can't fit the Amish in a box. This isn't a bunch of people who put on weird clothes, completely avoid technology and live simple lives. Being a Christian myself, and knowing perhaps somewhat how the Amish might get to be who they are through Bible reading, I knew that I was missing something, I also knew that Amish don't avoid technology so much as they seek to control it. I wanted to know why and what there parameters are; Kraybill answers that question and more.If like me, you're one of the million people who have a curiosity, and it goes deeper than just the commercial-consumer, "I want to board a plane and train and take an Amish tour," no, but instead you want to see what it's LIKE, what it's really like... I'm not talking about the non-Amish authors who write Amish love-stories and pretend like they have the ticket to all the nuances... but no, why do the Amish think the way they think, act the way they act, and put up the rules that they have? This is the book for you.A sample read on a kindle reveals that after reading the sample all they way up, you're barely done with the introduction... Kraybill spared no expense here in this thorough book. I bought the PBS companion DVD documentary which is exactly that: a companion. The 2 hour feature was great but left many questions in which the book answered. (I was still reading the book when I bought and watched the documentary). The documentary only scratched the surface, in which the book completely "satisfied" curiosity.I truly feel that the only way I can gain more knowledge and "experience" on the Amish is exactly the latter, "experiencing" the Amish... Which probably won't happen. In any case, from a Christian and theological perspective, this look into Amish life has only given me more respect for brothers and sisters in Christ... and in a historical perspective, this book has given me a good look into the historical events that birthed such a people.Let me just state this too, emphatically, if you're looking for a book that encourages a "shallow" view, this isn't it. If you're looking for a book that snobbishly looks down at the Amish as religious radicals who control their kids, and stand against technology... you'll be surprised. You will find that the Amish just think different than Americans, just as techno-selfish-individualistic Americans think differently than say, Japanese people. What this book is, is basically Kraybill laying out the mind, heart, and soul of Amish culture the best way possible, with respect, reverence, understanding, and a wide gaze across humanity and religion, where for the Amish, it is probably how Jesus taught: one and the same.Though Kraybill (and the PBS documentary) delve a little bit into the 2006 Nickel Mines incident, I think I have Kraybill's other book Amish Grace, on the reading list now, to look into the Amish's very unique response to what many Americans and even our President runs away from in fear.

I bought this as a present for my mother as she has an interest in the Amish community. She was pleased with its high quality presentation and interesting content. Delivered on time and in good condition.

I found this book on Amish society well produced and easy to read, giving me a better understanding of the reasons behind how they live.

I bought this book for my mother because she likes to read Amish Romances and missed seeing The Amish, The American Experience, on PBS. In the end I think that the book is more useful than the PBS show - which I did see, though both products are worthwhile. In any event this book will help a person better understand the cultural distinctiveness of the Amish and help clear up some of the "romantic" misconceptions about this Christian communion's way of life.Though the book is written by academics, it is not written for academics and thus uses accessible and well flowing prose. It uses endnotes instead of footnotes, has two short appendices (of which the first is most useful, Related Groups), a comprehensive bibliography, and a 14 page index, as well the book has numerous pictures and figures that accompany the text. There are four main divisions to the book, none of which need to be read in any particular order: 1. Roots 2. Cultural Context 3. Social Organization 4. External Ties, there is a fifth division/chapter titled the Future, but it is comparatively short, as it is the only section with only one chapter and it really functions as a concluding chapter.Overall this is an impressive work of accessible scholarship, definitely recommended for those who have an interest in understanding Amish culture, however the discussion strikes me as more sociological weighted rather than theological/ideological - which some people may prefer, but for me this still leaves the question of whether we humans are still primarily the product of social circumstances/environment or do ideas cause sociological shifts in themselves.

This is a good overview of the Amish Church. It is the type of book where one can choose the sections in which he/she is interested and read those parts. It does not have to be read in sequence. Donald Kraybill and his colleagues have provided a wealth of information to people who wish to become better informed about this unusual group of people who choose not to live by the norms of society.

sehr gute, ausführliche Abhandlung über die Amish. Keine 5 Sterne, weil ich mangels Vergleich keine richtige Einordnung vornehmen kann. Ich persönlich habe sehr viel über die Amish gelernt.