Book Description
A rare collection of 90 antique Amish quilts for children is show-cased in this brilliantly colorful volume. Few antique Amish crib quilts remain because they were put to hard use in large families which typically averaged seven children.But Sara Miller of Kalona, Iowa, herself a member of the Old Order Amish, began building a collection of lovely antique crib quilts which she learned about as the proprietor of a fabric and quilt shop. Thus began an unusual odyssey-Sara, who once disparaged the quilting tradition of her heritage, thinking it dull and drab, began to see its graphic beauty when outsiders became intent on owning Amish quilts. The richly colorful quilts featured here come from Amish communities through the Midwestern United States.In addition to 90 full-color plates of the exquisite quilts is interpretive commentary and documentation, plus three essays elaborating on the significance of the collection. Author Janneken Smucker descends from a line of quilters in the Amish-Mennonite community of Goshen, IN; Dr. Patricia Cox Crews is Director of the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE; Dr. Linda Welters is Professor of Textiles at the University of Rhode Island. Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: The Sara Miller Collection is an unusual feast visually. The analyses that accompany the boldly beautiful images contribute scholarship to this intersection of art and the life of the Amish. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Amish Crib Quilts From the Midwest: The Sara Miller Collection
Sara Miller is Amish and owns her own quilt shop out on the family farm near Kalona, Ia. Who better to have the best collection of Amish crib quilts ever. Crib quilts are used hard and loved to shreds by their owners. These quilts are beautiful rare quilts that have survived childhood. I lost my first book of Sara's quilts that I bought from her at her store 13 years ago. I was very happy to find the current version on Amazon, so I could purchase it again for my quilt reference library. If you love quilts, this book is worth owning.

Colorful and Inspiring
This book contains page after page of richly colored Amish quilts in a variety of patterns and settings - literally a rainbow of quilts! At times I found the text to be a bit dry, but the background and historical information was very thorough and definitely worth reading. The author has put together a wonderful, well-rounded collection of quilts that will inspire you to want to make a few of your own.If you are a fan of Amish quilts, you will absolutely love this book!

Surprising and lovely...
This book presents beautiful and clear color photographs of the Sara Miller Amish crib quilt collection, combined with the authors' detailed knowledge of the Amish quilting experience. Not having known much previously about Amish quilting, I was surprised by how beautiful and modern in appearance the quilts were. If you love to look at photos of interesting quilts, and are interested in American history, this is an outstanding book. ... Read more

Book Description
Each year, millions of tourists are drawn to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to experience first-hand the quintessential pastoral--both as an escape from urban life and as a rare opportunity to become immersed in history. The area has attracted visitors eager to catch a glimpse of the distinctive religious community of the Old Order Amish, to appreciate the beauty of the farmland, to enjoy the abundant and delicious food of the Pennsylvania Dutch...and, most recently, to shop at the area's outlet malls. For nearly three hundred years, Lancaster county has been a model of agricultural prosperity, rooted in the family farm. The rural character of the place remains Lancaster's predominant tourist attraction, but is at odds with its rapidly rising population and the commercial and residential growth that has brought.It is the tension between rural tradition, progress, and urbanization that lies at the core of Garden Spot. David Walbert examines how twentieth century American culture has come to define and appreciate rurality, and how growth and economic expansion can co-exist with preservation of the traditional ways of life in the region. Will small farms fail in a culture that has increasingly come to value productivity over quality of life? What impact will further development have on maintaining this region's character? Can rurality and progress co-exist in the 21st century?A vivid portrayal of the land and people, residents and outsiders alike, Garden Spot narrates the history of this region and considers the challenges Lancaster County and its people face in order to preserve their unique place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

About the book---
The Best of Amish Cooking: Traditional and Contemporary Recipes Adapted from the Kitchens and Pantries of Old Order Amish Cooks

ANNOTATION
Traditional and contemporary recipes adapted from the kitchens and pantries of Amish cooks are highlighted. The author has spent years researching the foods, and has interviewed Amish women and dipped into their and recipe boxes. Color plates.

FROM THE PUBLISHER
This beautiful book by a New York Times bestselling author who is also a leading expert on Amish cooking highlights traditional and contemporary recipes adapted from the kitchens and pantries of Amish cooks.

Phyllis Pellman Good has spent years researching these foods. She has interviewed Amish grandmothers and dipped into old books, diaries, and recipe boxes.

The dishes she selected are ones that were and continue to be popular in eastern Pennsylvania, usually in the Lancaster area. According to Good, they reflect the fruitfulness of Amish fields and gardens, as well as the group's emphasis on family and community.

Color photos set the mood. Wonderful descriptions and introductions prepare the setting. And delicious, savory recipes fill this book with some of the best food you'll find anywhere.

SYNOPSIS
From the Backcover

Main Selection--Better Homes and Gardens Cook Books Club

This beautiful book by a leading expert on Amish cooking highlights traditional and contemporary recipes adapted from the kitchens and pantries of Amish cooks.

Phyllis Pellman Good has spent years researching these foods. She has interviewed Amish grandmothers and dipped into old books, diaries, and recipe boxes.

The dishes she selected are ones that were and continue to be popular in eastern Pennsylvania, usually in the Lancaster area. According to Good, they reflect the fruitfulness of Amish fields and gardens, as well as the group's emphasis on family and community.

Color photos set the mood. Wonderful descriptions and introductions prepare the setting. And delicious, savory recipes fill this book with some of the best food you'll find anywhere.

"Nobody cooks quite like the Amish! Phyllis Pellman Good sets out to show how anyone can do it in The Best of Amish Cooking." --South Bend Tribune

"Author Phyllis Pellman Good spent years researching for this exceptional book, gathering recipes from Amish grandmothers, diaries, old books, and recipe collections in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area. Recipes are delicious, hearty, wholesome, and in tune with the seasons. Descriptions of the Amish lifestyle make for a good read." --The Cookbook Collector

"This beautiful book by a leading expert on Amish cooking highlights traditional and contemporary recipes adapted from the kitchens and pantries of Amish cooks." --Country Almanac

"Good explains how recipes, foods, and cooking styles figured into the Amish households. Directions are short and to the point, and the photos are charming." --Booklist

Today Phyllis spends much of her time as a book editor. She also edits Festival Quarterly, a magazine exploring the art, faith, and culture of Mennonite peoples. She is the author of the book, A Mennonite Woman's Life, co-editor of the book Perils of Professionalism, and co-author with her husband, Merle, of 20 Most Asked Questions about the Amish and Mennonites.

Together she and Merle are executive directors of The People's Place, The Old Country Store, and several galleries and related shops in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.

Phyllis received her B.A. and M.A. in English from New York University.

The Goods are parents of two daughters and members of the East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church.

The Best Cook Book in My Kitchen
I love this cook book!It's just full of recipes for that wonderful Amish food, and the thing I really love about it is that for the most part, the ingredients are items you probably already have in your kitchen, as opposedto some of the "coffee table" cookbooks you have to travel toFrance in order to get the ingredients they call for.I wouldn't bewithout this one, and I've just finished ordering it as a gift.Get thisone, you'll love it.

Wonderful accurate cook book with good stories
My neighbor has cooked with some of these recipes for years (she is 76). She was so happy to find these recipes written so that she can give them toher daughter, grand daughters and great grand daughters. The author is anexcellant authority on Amish cooking. ... Read more

Book Description
Includes nearly 200 family recipes from America's heartland, a culinary folk history of the Indiana Amish and Mennonites. This celebration of farm life is a companion volume to the PBS series hosted by Adams. 64 full-color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Perfect, easy recipes,
What can I say I'm perpetually busy with three small boys and cooking always seems to allude me culminating in constant eating out.

I have several cookbooks, either the kids won't eat the recipes I make, they taste awful, or it's to expensive with all the ingredients.

This book is an absolute jem for the mother who needs to be able to fix a simple meal, quickly, and without all the ingredient fuss.Most of the recipes in here call for flour, butter, oil, lard, sugar.You know your basic staples.

My kids love these recipes.The apples I made in brown sugar, fantastic.Tastes just like Cracker Barrels.I also like the fact that when your cooking this way the preservatives are at a absolute minimum, which is great.

For those of you who commented on how healthy this book is please look into your history books or pictures of your grandparents.You can't find the fat person.I've been to several countries and America is by far the fattest.The other countries all lacked skim milk, low fat this, fat free this, and corn syrup in everything.

I am by the way overweight and haven't gained a pound from this book.Moderation my dear.I've actually lost weight.Great book, I highly recommend.

Terrific Cookbook!
The recipes are hearty and filling, taste and look great too. My husband raves each time something new comes from this book!

--Very enjoyable--
COOKING FROM QUILT COUNTRY is a pleasure to read. The title comes from the fact that Amish and Mennonite people are famous for their quilt making skills.

This book gives a little background of the Mennonite and Amish sects and how they came into existence.The roots of the two groups originated with the Protestant Reformation and the Swiss Anabaptist movement.The leader was a Dutch priest by the name of Menno Simons.

This very informative book is filled with wonderful recipes and many photographs.Because the Mennonites and Amish have traditionally been farmers, they're also known for their wonderful foods. There are recipes for everyone here, but I was especially interested in the different vegetable dishes that are presented.

98% relaible
book received in great shape and took less then four days to receive

Cooking From Quilt Country is perfection
CookingFrom Quilt Country is by far the best cookbook (and I have many) that I have ever seen.Whether you want to lose weight or gain weight , recipies can be adapted for your own use and taste . Best of all, recipies can be done "by the book itself".I would honestly say this could be the only cookbook one woulld ever need and definitely would make a lovely gift! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating
This book is the sixth in the People's Place Booklet series on the Amish and other Old Order Anabaptists. This fascinating book is an in-depth examination of education in the Amish community. The authors, one of whom was actually a teacher in an Amish one-room schoolhouse, look at every facet of what Amish education is and what it means. Along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of information on the significance of Amish schools, their history, and what is taught and how.

Overall, I found this to be a fascinating and heartwarming look at the Amish. I must say that my favorite chapter was the one which includes extracts from an Amish girl's diary, about going to school. If you are interested in the Amish and other Old Order groups, then I cannot recommend this book to you enough. Get it!

Good source of information
This is a useful book if you are looking for some basic information about an Amish school. It is written by a woman who once taught at an Amish school and goes into how their schools are run including the involvement of the teacher, parents and other members of the community.Since the book is rather short, it does not go into curriculum at all. ... Read more

Book Description
Joe Mackall has lived surrounded by the Swartzentruber Amish community of Ashland County, Ohio, for over sixteen years.The Swartzentrubers live without gas, electricity, or indoor plumbing; without lights on their buggies or cushioned chairs in their homes; and without rumspringa, the recently popularized "running-aroung time" that some Amish sects allow their sixteen-year-olds.Over the years, Mackall has developed a steady relationship with the Shetler family (Samuel and Mary, their nine children, and their extended family).Plain Secrets tells the Shetlers' story over these years, using their lives to paint a portrait of Swartzentruber Amish life and mores.During this time, Samuel's nephew rejects the Amish way of life; his bright young daughter reaches the end of school for Amish children; and Samuel faces difficulties in his new role as a church leader.These and other stories from the life of the family reveal the larger questions posed by the Amish way of life.If the continued existence of the Amish in the midst of modern society asks us to consider the appeal of traditional, highly restrictive, and gendered religous communities, it also asks how we romanticize or condemn these communities-and why. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

A very good read..
As someone who grew up Swartzentruber Amish in the same community as the "Shetler" family I consider this to be one of the best books on the Amish I've ever come across. It accurately tells the real story without being offensive. My only problem with reading it was knowing how private the Amish are I felt like I was eavesdroping! If you are looking for an accurate account of life inside the Swartzentruber Amish community this book is a must read.

Proves Samuels Point ABout Buggies IMO
Good book, worth reading.Honest, interesting.

Joe Mackall ends up proving the Amish points FOR them in the buggy arena.The English are the ones who need to explain those buggy deaths, not Samuel & his brethren.As Mac says, there are virtually no buggy on buggy deaths- yet he blames the buggy-car deaths on... THE AMISH!!! ???? Blaming the victim, the author's cultural imperialism becomes quite clear...He doesn't seem to have much introspection into the choices and sacrifices he has accepted as normal while qualifying the Amish as abnormal.He bemoans the opportunities and education afforded Amish girls as opposed to boys while the maintsream culture he partakes in has done no better and has created a popular culture porno-slut ideal of womanhood.

Engaging, intelligent look at the Amish life
Mackall's Plain Secrets is excellent research and memoir combined. It's also great writing, which makes for great reading. Mackall watches and listens carefully to his Amish friends and neighbors, and then examines their beliefs by dissecting his own beliefs about life, family and religion in our modern day. His research is not intended to be a textbook on the Amish, rather, it adds credibility and insight. Combined with his own large capacity for empathy and concern, his research helped him avoid either condemning or romanticizing their way of life. Having read this, I'll view the buggies that pass me with more respect and less cartoonish curiosity; I'll also be more thankful for my access to health care and safe workplaces. But the real reason to read this book is not to learn about the Amish, it is to enjoy an engaging book while learning about people you would otherwise never meet.

Great memoir on Amish culture in Ohio
I stumbled upon this book when looking for a book on the Amish after finishing a number of Beverly Lewis books. Being from Ohio, and having graduated from Ashland University, this book was one that explaind a lot of my questions, having seen Amish in the community when I was in college. Joe Mackell is or was a professor at Ashland. (way after I was there!) A very easy read memoir, this book complimented the fiction that I had been reading. I also appreciated learning about Ohio Amish in a contemporary light.

Neither a scholarly treatise nor a vilification, an idealization nor an exposé
Neither a scholarly treatise nor a vilification, an idealization nor an exposé, Joe Mackall's PLAIN SECRETS is a narrative that explores one man's relationship to an Amish family and, by extension, a community.

Mackall, who lives in Ashland County, Ohio, befriends the Shetler family: Samuel, Mary and their nine children (names changed by the author). Over the years, living in close proximity to the Shetlers, Mackall develops as close a relationship with the family as an Englisher might be allowed. What emerges is the peace, beauty and goodness of the culture, as well as the disturbing questions he finds himself asking about legalism, the rights of women and the protection of children. His friendship with the family also helps him learn more about himself. "I have chosen...to mine the raw material of their everyday lives in search of everyday truths," writes Mackall.

It's an immersion into the world of the Swartzentruber, the most traditional and strict of the Amish sects. The Swartzentruber refuse to use reflective signs on the back of their buggies, leave school after the eighth grade, bathe only once a week and carry no insurance. The women are not permitted to wear bras and are not allowed to shave their underarms or legs.

However, there are plenty of surprises. This conservative sect shops at Wal-Mart and loves the Dollar Store, and may enjoy junk food such as Milky Way candy bars and potato chips. Although they don't practice "rumspringa" like many other Amish sects, the Swartzentruber Amish let their teens go on "dates," in which a teenage boy and girl spend the night together, side by side, in her bed. Mackall skillfully weaves other information throughout the narrative: the history of the Swartzentruber, the organization of the church and the ordination of ministers, and Amish perceptions of African Americans.

As part of his exploration, Mackall follows the story of Samuel's nephew Jonas, who leaves the Amish to join the English community. The reader will be alternately intrigued, sympathetic and repelled at how Jonas handles his new-found "freedom." To abandon Amish life, Mackall shows through Jonas's attempt, is to encounter immediate problems. How do you get a Social Security number if your parents refuse to let you have a copy of their marriage license? How do you find a job when you've never gone to school past the eighth grade? The Amish community's culture and rules, Mackall realizes, make it difficult for a child to leave.

Living in close proximity to the Shetler family offers Mackall positive insights as well --- an appreciation and attention to the weather, a realization that he doesn't need as much as he perhaps wants. Mackall, a professor of English and journalism at Ashland University, beautifully pens one particularly haunting scene, which finds him rhythmically tossing butternut squash to Samuel in his truck as they get ready to go to an auction.

"Perhaps it's because the weather is fair and the season is autumn, but suddenly I experience a paroxysm of joy --- sheer, sharp unadulterated joy. I'm suspended between two worlds, an outsider in an outsider's world. I'm here with friends who consider themselves separate from the world but woven into the earth, while we all throw fruits of the earth to one another: seeds planted, sown, produce reaped and cleaned, soon to be sold, bought, and eaten. Toddlers play, teenagers laugh, a friend loses his hat, my back aches, and through it all the beauty and heartbreaking brevity of this life pierce me with their stunning certainty."

Other scenes are not so prosaic. After enjoying his rides in Samuel's buggy and telling others about them "as if I were playing a small part in some quaint drama most people could only watch", he must re-evaluate his thinking after another family's buggy is hit by a car and an eight-year-old girl is killed. This leads to a written personal tirade, which ends with, "Is sticking with your sacred buggies more important than the sanctity of human life? Can't you take care of your children?" Readers will have further concerns when Samuel takes his daughter to a veterinarian for medical treatment or, like all Swartzentrubers, refuses to immunize his children. Mackall's questions as he ponders the less appealing side of Amish life are respectful, vulnerable and thought provoking.

Threaded throughout Mackall's book is Samuel's belief in God's will and how it affects his world. "He talks about God's will the way he reports how much it rained the night before or that one of his cows has the milk disease. God's will is like gravity --- it is rain and dirt and sun and snow and wind and fire and every other elemental thing. It is what it is --- no matter what we do." Despite Mackall's own disagreement with Samuel's theology, he finds himself strangely comforted by it when a disabled uncle dies.

It's these conflicting perceptions that provide the necessary tension that holds Mackall's narrative together. Readers will come away with new perspectives about Amish life and some disturbing questions.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. Contact Cindy at phrelanzer@aol.com. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (26)

An interesting but dry take on the decision of coming of age of Amish youth on whether "to be or not to be Amish"
The Amish are an intriguing group, but you'd barely know it while wading through Shachtman's uninspiring, sometimes tedious take on an aspect of their life that not many know about: rumspringa. Translated as "running around," it is the rite of passage most Amish teens (beginning around age 16) are allowed to go through until they choose either to split from the church or, in the case of over 80%, join and adhere to its list of unwritten rules, known as an ordnung, which varies by district, and live (p 90) "a life stripped of unnecessary frills so that it can be devoted to religious goals." The fact that the church allows these youths to engage in behaviors that are not normally allowed, like (book jacket) "alcohol, premarital sex, telephones, drugs, wild parties and advanced education" is due to their belief that (p 27) "only informed and repentant adults should be baptized."

Through interviews with teens and their family members about their feelings, behaviors and beliefs, Shachtman paints a picture of what life is like for the Amish. Included is what separates the Amish from the Mennonites, what the suspenders the boys wear are all about, the meaning of the hairstyles and hair coverings of the females, the logic behind their wearing of plain clothing, disuse of electricity, the number of children they have, banning, shunning and a bit on less conservative sects like the Beach Amish. Additionally, the issue of how the transformation from a largely agricultural existence to one requiring workers to find jobs outside the home, mainly at factories, has affected them, specifics on their beliefs, worship, Social Security, treatment of the elderly and the disabled and data on the prevalence and geographical locations of their members are discussed. The author ends with an excellent summary of his views on the Amish, who, he writes (p 272), "sit lightly upon the earth" including some of their family-friendly and earth-friendly views that the rest of us could learn from.

Although the author has packed a lot of useful information about many aspects of Amish life into Rumspringa, the frequent use of quotes that give the book its authentic feel also do it a disservice in giving it a disjointed, choppy feel. And the use of first name and last letter (for confidentiality reasons) make it read like a who's who of friends of Bill W. It may have worked better with fictionalized names and facts on the Amish included separately from the excerpts of interviews than the all-over-the-place way it was done: great info, poorly put together.

Revealing Look at Amish Life
"Rumspringa" is mainly about the Amish coming of age ritual in which the Amish youth are allowed to run around with the "English", but it is also a fascinating look at Amish life in general. The Amish life is a rigid one, especially for the women, and it is not surprising that some of the youth don't return after their Rumspringa. The price they pay if they don't return is a steep one - not only other Amish, but also their own family shun them, but it is a price some have to pay to be true to themselves.

"Rumspringa" is a well-written and well-researched look at Amish life. Author Tom Shachtman interviewed a lot of Amish in the course of writing the book and their conversations are enlightening. While the book is mostly about Rumspringa, all aspects of Amish life are covered and some are eye opening. Much is made of how the Amish youth act during Rumspringa (excess drugs, alcohol, and sex) and while some behavior is self-destructive, many young Amish choose to not return to Amish life because their choices are limited. Ironically, while the Amish school system provides a better education than public schools, that education is limited (for example, science is not taught and most are not educated past eighth grade). Because of that, their life choices are limited - girls are expected to stay at home, get married and raise a family, while the boys are expected to work the farm. It is no wonder some choose to leave, although the price they pay is a high one.

For the most part, Shachtman does a good job of not being too judgmental. He strays a bit, especially when trying to make the teens actions during Rumspringa shocking. But for the most part his writing is straightforward and lets the story tell itself without making it too sensational. His look into the Amish life is very revealing, at times interesting and heartwarming and other times a bit shocking (there are allegations of child abuse). All of this is very informative.

In the end, I learned a lot about the Amish way of life by reading "Rumspringa".

A really interesting subject
I had no idea that Amish youth go through this free time before becoming adult members of their sect.This is a fascinating look at the tradition and at the Amish in general.I recommend it for anyone interested in how the Amish live and think and in what they believe.

Easy Read and Educational, too
Not only does this give a detailed look into Rumspringa, but many other aspects of Amish life as well...education, family relationships, origin of the 'ordnung', history of Amish traditions, 'varieties' of Amish, Amish vs Mennonites, etc.I've read many books on the Amish, both fiction and non-fiction, but this is far and away the best overall book for learning and better understanding this fascinating culture.

Helped a little!
This book sounded very interesting but did not live up to my expectations. All the stories sounded the same. It gave some insight into the Amish life but seemed to drag on and on. It held my attention for the first couple of chapters but then I found it hard to keep reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

The Best Guide to Amish Country!
This book certainly comes in handy to anyone desiring to explore Lancaster county's Amish Country. It was full of useful facts andinformation needed to fully enjoy this beautuful and simple lifestyle and country. I highlyrecommend it to all readers.

Just what I was looking for!
Very detailed.Other PA guide books are too general and only have one chapter on PA Dutch. This is a whole book dedicated to just the PA Amish Country. My favorite part was the self-guided tour of the Amish farmland(complete with approx. miles, etc.) and the covered bridges!It includesplaces to eat and stay (including B&Bs).It's a great guide thatcovers all the bases.I've been visiting Pennsylvania Dutch Country sinceI was little and this book really gave me the information I needed to getthe most out of a recent long weekend there. ... Read more

Book Description
A simple project for the intermediate seamstress or crafter.    This easy-to-use book includes patterns for making Amish dolls with authentic clothing in the style of the Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.    Here for the first time are quick and simple patterns for ever-popular Amish dolls.

Create a family complete with Mamm and Datt (Mom and Dad), Dawdi and Mami (Grandpa and Grandma), and as many children as you like. These soft fabric dolls can provide hours of imaginative play for a youngster or can serve as lovely display pieces in your home.    Many ideas and details are included for creating charming characters like Jake the Farmer, Annie the Quilter, and Levi the Carpenter.    Complete patterns and instructions for 22” adult dolls and 15” child dolls, fashioned without faces in keeping with the Amish tradition of humility. Includes detailed but simple patterns for traditional Amish clothing for men, women, boys, and girls. ... Read more

Book Description
The Amish Cook

Recollections and Recipes from an Old Order Amish Family by Elizabeth Coblentz with Kevin Williams

Ten years ago, aspiring newspaper editor Kevin Williams convinced Elizabeth Coblentz, an Old Order Amish wife and mother, to write a weekly cooking column called "The Amish Cook." Each week Elizabeth shares a family recipe and discusses daily life on her Indiana farm, spent with husband, Ben, and their eight children and 32 grandchildren. THE AMISH COOK, a full-color cookbook based on Elizabeth's columns, compiles more than 75 traditional Amish recipes, photographs of the Coblentz farm, practical gardening tips, cherished family tales, and firsthand accounts of traditional Amish events like corn-husking bees and barn raisings. A truly unique collaboration between a simple Amish grandmother and a modern-day newspaperman, THE AMISH COOK is a poignant and authentic look at a disappearing way of life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Getting to understand the Amish
I checked out this book from the library and after reading most of it, I decided I had to have my very own copy so I purchased one on Amazon the very next day.It is a wonderful explanation of how the Amish got their name, how they arrived in PA and there are many delicious recipes, too many to copy. I can't wait to try them as I love to cook from scratch.I purchase Amish food often and was pleased to find these recipes.The recipes consist of everyday ingredients most have on hand.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to eat well.The little stories are wonderful too.

The Amish Cook
This book is amazing to read just the stories alone get you hooked let alone the delicious recipes.I would reccomend this book to anyone.

Like always, "The Amish Cook" is great!
If you are a fan, as I am, of the weekly Amish Cook newspaper column, this is a must-have for you.There are stories and tidbits of the column and daily life, as well as the recipes.If you like "The Amish Cook," stories about Amish life, or Amish recipes, this book has you covered x 3!!Get it!You'll love it!!!

Great Book
This book is just beautiful.The photography is outstanding and I love the stories.I will warn a prospective buyer all the recipies in the book are designed for a large family or large group.(Which suits me fine, I am always being accused of cooking enough to feed an army).My one and only dissapointment in the book is there are no recipies for canning or preserving and I had assumed there would be.

Absolutely love this cookbook.
I absolutely love this cookbook.Everyone should own one of these.The story along with the recipe is great.The recipes are very easy and down to earth! ... Read more

Book Description
Mystery reading and quilting seem like disparate interests, but irrepressible Amish grandmother, Hannah Miller, moves between them enthusiastically.Hannah discovers her friend murdered; the police investigation falters.Hannah and her non-Amish granddaughter must find the murderer before they are next. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

What I love about In Dutch Again.
It is well written and flows smoothly.Once you start reading it is hard to stop. The author makes all of the people come alive as if you were really there. I love Granny Hanny. She is someone I would like to have for a friend.

Love The Mystery
I have read several books by Barbara Workinger, and love her mysteries.The Amish Country is such an interesting area, and she has them down to a "T". I am so happy she has kept on writing since she has moved and am looking forward to more of her books,

A Trip to Lancaster Without the Hassle
In this book, author Barb Workinger visits the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country to show that even secluded Amish communities can't escape conflict and crime.The characters of Carolyn and Granny Hannah are as interesting a contrast as Lancaster itself--the traditional and contemporary side by side.Infused with touches of humor, interesting facts about "plain people," and intriguing mysteries, this book multitasks for readers everywhere.

An Amish Quilt w/Norman Rockwell Brilliance & a Spice Slash of Stephen King's Dark Jewel Tones.

The murder in this novel comes up in the first scene, with a simple realism which is sometimes lacking in cozy mysteries due to their style of underplayed viscera, a simple realism which is sometimes strangely unsuccessful in true crime novels due to overdone, exaggerated gore.Working from the murder scene, the book moves forward through a natural intimacy among characters, allowing a warmth to develop without discounting the chilling essence of death by malice and violence.

The style of Workinger's storytelling maintains a shifting balance between the boundaries of cozy Vs crime novels, a balance which gives a more engrossing reading experience that either style could accomplish within its separate, defined bailiwick.

Natural, real, warm, and engrossing are the best words I can use to describe the reading experience of Barbara Workinger's IN DUTCH AGAIN.Only half-through the reading of IDA, I found that these qualities had seeded a growing desire to continue reading many more books in this Amish setting of Granny Hannah & Granddaughter Carolyn.The shoop sisters were also creating a presence which seemed to want to move forward in future plots.

The flow of composition in IDA gave me several indications that Barbara Workinger is a born novelist.A prejudice exists (though it's not often stated this way) that sometimes professional journalists (which Barbara has been in spades) or established nonfiction writers don't have the natural Right Brain flow to ride the sometimes terrifying creative chaos of characters in a novel taking over their own parts and personalities, and sometimes the plot.

My review (post date 10/13/05) on Stephen King's ON WRITING discusses R/L Brain stuff a bit, but I could write a nonfiction book on that subject, probably a series of books on creative writing.

Returning to my preliminary discussion of IDA...

The personality, age difference, and background contrast between Carolyn and Hannah works very well.Workinger's characters, even the less involved, "single-story" ones, have life in them, the lack of which is an indication of a nonfiction writer trying to be a Good Frankenstein but not possessing whatever it is in the brain, heart, and soul which gives the born-author-gene-pool, or however you want to bill it.

It was easy for me to live in this story.Each time I picked up the book to begin reading, the settings came to mind easily, effortlessly, and stayed as a backdrop for character movement.Sometimes a novel forces me to painfully read and reread setting descriptions, in order for them to seat and stay, and without that fiction-reality-foundation, the characters seem to be trying unsuccessfully to move in a molasses tinged fog, which, strangely, doesn't stick, doesn't do the job.

Nettie's new/old farmhouse and 2 acre grounds is particularly well set, probably because of the way Workinger plotted Hanny going there and opening the bloody murder scene (with the lovely white-on-white quilt described so gorgeously in contrast), all of which was very well done; actually it was excellently executed, with just the right amount and type of detail. The description and use in setting (and upsetting) of the deep, wrap-around-front-porch symbolism was particularly effective.And Hannah's dealing with, reacting to and taking action relative to that front porch scene; her studying and getting around the alarm system, provided great character development and a perfect means of sliding the reader('s own bloody footprints) into the story.

As noted above, I enjoyed the gestalt and main characters enough in this mystery pilot that only a few short scenes into the book I was feeling compelled to continue reading more there and to pick up the next books in series.I'm also wanting to review additional books in this series, as long as I'm able to continue my current efforts of posting on Amazon.com (until I get my mystery pilot with its own brand of lively, author manipulating characters a worthwhile contract).One step, page, at a time?

Mentioned periodically in IDA is a prior mystery Hannah had solved, related to her grandson, Josh, as the seeding of the characters' disdain of the police presence in the Lancaster area, focusing on the lack of knowledge, experience, aptitude, and natural detecting talent in acting chief, Benton.Does Workinger have an earlier pilot offering for this series, or is she using reference to that situation as a foundation from which to work IDA as the pilot (which would be a brilliant ploy).

Or...

Is she consciously or unconsciously doing a Star Wars type of sequencing deal of going back in time as well as forward for future sequels in the series? (Which would also be an intriguing plotting, time-sequencing, which I'm toying around with in my mystery series.)

So, in this pilot we have a heightened issue which is common in amateur sleuth offerings, that of how the sleuth gets around and/or works with and relates to official police proceedings and character presences. It seems that Workinger may be working from a personal or professional experience of distaste of the controlling police persons' aura. Yet, her natural soul generosity of not wanting to condemn any human being once he's become somewhat known to her (even in fiction), seems to be automatically giving Benton a warm, likable side. It feels to me like the author is trying to make him a negative, almost villainous character, yet he continues to be too human to trash or bash, except to say he's lazy, and to play on what she sees as a general desire/habit of police people to jump quickly to conclusions and get a case wrapped up without actually doing any true investigating.

Of course not all of police professionals do this, but some do, and many amateur sleuth and PI mysteries use this too-quick-to-conclude attitude to justify their actions in criminal investigations.

Based off the kingpin of fictional homicide inspector Paavo Smith, Joanne Pence's Angie Amalfi series is uncannily true to life in dramatizing the very real split in the police bailiwick between the dedicated (burning midnight oil 24/7, not just at midnight) and the lazy (or push-hurry-to-any-conclusion tendencies).See my Listmania and reviews on that series, or visit Pence's official web site to read a beautifully condensed presentation of my reviews, which Pence titled, "A Treatise on Angie Amalfi."

There's LOTS I could say about these issues, not only from my years as an English teacher, and my extensive reading and reviewing of novels from many sides of the detective fiction genres, but also from my background in police workings, several years worth, having been married to a Multnomah County Deputy Sheriff in Oregon, and having worked for the City of Portland Police Bureau. I've also lived in a few small town communities in which the police presence is as different as you could get (pro and con) from the experiences and people I worked with in the Portland, OR area (and for a very short time in NJ & NYC). There's lots of true heroic glow as well as a presence of horribly ugly corruption to be found in most realms of criminal control, investigation, etc. Having been immersed in the dark and bright angles from both outside and inside this realm ...

Also have to say that I'm thoroughly disgusted with whoever told Workinger that an Amish setting is too localized to work with the general mystery audience!!?? Don't they know of the popularity of Tamar Myers's PenDutch Inn series??(See my Listmania's and reviews on Myers's two great mystery series.)

One of the most successful "reader-live-in" techniques in this novel is the contrast in lifestyle of the Amish (wedding celebrations) Vs the English (murder & mayhem), as it plays around two intriguingly intertwined murders and their resolution.

The resolution of this mystery was fascinating and perfect from the perspectives of all issues, angles, and culprits brought to justice.Half way through the read, I had a culprit and conclusion in mind.Mine was way darker than the one Workinger brought through the portal of plot perfection, and mine would have required a mindset closer to that of Stephen King.(Don't ask me where THAT came from; my novels are the essence of ethereal effervescence compared to the Master of Horror.)Workinger's wrap was just right for her voice, talent, background, characters, setup, and setting. Yeah, it was.Chust.Right.Already.

This author is not only a natural born novelist, she's a master of maneuvering the convolutions of mystery to her own ends as a writer.What more could you want?Look for more from this author.There's a reading richness here that's not to be denied, not found elsewhere, and which will flourish in its own course.

I'm sold.

Linda G. Shelnutt

An engrossing,fresh mystery with an Amish setting
Granny Hanny,is a spirited, can-do woman despite her adherance to her Amish faith. She is a reknown quilter, a closet mystery reader and knows everyone in the PA Amish area where she lives. When her nearest neighbor is murdered, Hanny finds the body. The police regard the killing as a break-in, and say the killer is probably miles away, Hannah decides, with the help of her formerly Amish, attorney granddaughter, Caroline, to investigate. Before long a second body is found and Hanny realizes she and Caroline may be next. This Book cannot be put down until the end. I loved it! Great story and unique setting. ... Read more

Book 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.

Book Description

Ever since I was old enough to help with the chores, I've cared for our horses. Datt says that I have a special way with them. Because we Amish do not drive cars, trucks, or tractors, our horses are very important to us.

An Amish boy introduces us to his family's horses and shows us how they help with daily life around a typical Amish farm.

There are six draft horses: Ben, Jerry, Rowdy, Buster, Judy, and Rock who pull the farm machinery in the fields. When the family goes to visit relatives, Roy, a Saddlebred, pulls the wagon. When Roy needs a new pair of shoes, he is taken to the farrier to have his hooves trimmed and new shoes hammered into place. Every day, the horses have to be fed and watered, currycombed, and have their stalls cleaned.

One day, Datt says it's time to buy another horse, and that means going to a horse auction. As they carefully consider each animal, not one seems quite right, until a handsome black gelding enters the ring and -- "Sold!" -- Netroy joins their farm...and becomes a part of the family. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Amish Horses
Set in Amish country, this story introduces a young Amish boy who takes care of the horses on his family's farm. "Ever since I was old enough to help with the chores, I've cared for our horses. Datt says that I have a special way with them." Written in the first person, our young Amish friend introduces the readers to the types of horses used on the farm and what their jobs are. He takes us along to a horse auction and gives us an insight into how a horse is chosen to join those already on the farm Patrick's vivid pastel illustrations bring the story to life. The realistic illustrations capture the image created by the text, whether its in the field planting or at the horse auction.Each illustration is framed by a red border. An Amish Quilt pattern border set in the same red frame sets off the text.The author has included a glossary of horse terms. As with his other stories featuring the Amish, the author has had the story read by Amish friends and the art examined for accuracy. This will be a valuable addition to a library's collection or for anyone who loves horses. ... Read more

Book Description
An exquisite treasure which gathers Amish recipes, along with photographs of the people and places from which they come. A wonderful gift. ... Read more

Book Description
Revised edition! People's Place Book #10. A sociologist provides a way to understand the Amish people's intentional way of living in a world far different from their own. Fun to read. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

THE Source for Traditional Amish
This is the best non fiction book ever written. This describes the practice of traditional Amish- no school, no cars, no computers, no blowdryers, no electricity no TVs. Canned food, what do you think that is? The Amish are not a joke- they have multi million dollar farms. A branch of them sold out and started marketing it at African Americans. It was founded in the 1800s by Jacob Amman. The use of narcotics is pretty much encouraged. It says that when you want something you want it right here right now. I was wondering why my grandpa and other people in town rode a scooter well they're. The dune buggy was supposed to represent the intellectually childlike. College is taboo and they quit school after 8th grade, seldom attending public school. They are on social security, don't join the military and have no technology. The car is going to date them really bad it was invented in the 1920s and the phone invented in 1873. THis is a philosophy and religion I could relate to 100 percent. Most farmers are Amish. I loved it.

Informative and intelligent
Our private guide n the Amish country recommended this book - and I read it after returning home to New York.Prof. Kraybill really tied all the threads for me - how the Amish choose to live the way they do, what are the pleasures and limitations of their society, how it maintains and governs itself.A short book written in an sophisticated but absolutely lucid, clear, and interesting language.Thank you! ... Read more

Product Description
Fields of Peace unites two remarkable talents in masterful volume. The text, written by the late Millen Brand, illuminates the history of the Pennsylvania German sects who were united in their rejection of infant baptism. He provides a sympathetic portrait of these fascinating people (often erroneously called "Pennsylvania Dutch") who emigrated from Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, found a home in the sympathetic commonwealth of William Penn, and settled primarily in and around Lancaster County. Primarily Amish and Mennonites, these are quiet and modest people whose lives of determined simplicity and whose passion for land seem totally anomalous in modern America. They continue to live lives of determined simplicity and agrarian focus that have all but disappeared.

The photographs by George Tice are some of the most compelling documentary imagery ever framed. In their unobtrusive vision, they capture the substance and the spirit of these self-reliant people. They also reflect over thirty years of gentle but persistent efforts to document their lives and record their customs. For George Tice, this has been a life work, and the breadth and generosity of his vision is manifest on every page.

First published in 1970 and here entirely reset with 39 new images added and every photograph reshot for duotone reproduction (as well as a new foreword by Sue Bender and a new afterword by Tice), this is not a "revised edition" but an entirely new book; one that will surely take its place among the classic documentary works of this century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book is a classic!The photography is beautiful!
This book offers a glimpse into the world of the Amish which has basically remained unchanged.It is a world uncomplicated by todays technological advances.It is a world that I respect and admire.The photographs inthis book brought me closer to the amish people and captured the beauty ofthe people and the land.George Tice is a master of photography. ... Read more

Book Description
Strong, lyrical photographs and sensitive text detail the life of the Amish, showing their homes, traditions, and handiworks, all of which display the strength and practical optimism by which they live. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A very good book to begin the understanding of the life.
THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD PRICED BOOK, OF THE BEGINNINGS OF A VERY DIFFERENT AND OLD WAY OF THE LIFE, THE AUTHOR IS VERY EXPANITORY IN HIS WRITINGS, I RECAMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO ENJOYS READING OF THESE UNIQUEPEOPLE. THIS BOOK IS NOT VERY LONG, BUT, GOES INTO GREAT DETAIL. ... Read more