The Amish

For Amish fiction readers, young and old alike, Plain Answers About the Amish Life provides a glimpse into an obscure, fascinating world—what the Amish believe and how they live. An engaging question-and-answer format showcases fun and fresh facts about the people who abide by this often-misunderstood faith and unique culture. This updated and revised guide by Mindy Starns Clark (more than 250,000 Amish-themed books sold), covers a wide variety of topics, such as: beliefs and values clothing and transportation courtship and marriage shunning and discipline teens and rumpsringa children and the elderly education and work Presented in an easy-to-read style, these Plain answers to questions about the Amish are a great resource for anyone interested in Amish life. Formerly titled A Pocket Guide to Amish Life

Sometimes a beautiful miracle comes to you at exactly the wrong time… Lindsay Prescott is forty and single when tragedy strikes. Diagnosed with stage 4, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer, her instinct is to right the wrongs in her life. Her unfortunate childhood with an alcoholic, verbally abusive mother drove her to break free in desperation at the age of 17. While working at a hotel along the beach on the East Coast, she met Harris Manning. He took her breath away and she gave herself to him in love. Harris' life was already planned out for him by his wealthy parents. Falling for Lindsay had been a dream. However, compelled to wed the woman his parents chose for him, he’d left her to endure a shaky marriage. Though Harris never knew it, Lindsay found herself pregnant when he left her with no way to care for identical triplets on her own. When the triplets were five months old, she reconnected with an Amish couple—Katie and Roman Yoder—who were unable to have children. The Yoders adopted Amy and Jenna while Lindsay kept Phoebe. She couldn’t bear to give all three babies away. In the years that followed, Katie worked hard to keep her away from her adopted daughters. When you let go of a miracle, can you ever capture it again? After Harris learns his ex-wife intercepted Lindsay’s calls years ago to tell him she was pregnant, he rushes to her side, thrilled to discover he’s a father. But life rarely gives fairytale endings. Revealing the truth may prove more devastating than the hurdles that came before…and all that will surely come after for a woman fighting for her life.

Could this bride's wedding disaster be a blessing in disguise? Grace Lantz always imagined her wedding day would be a blissfully happy occasion. But after a tornado swept through town, she finds herself relieved that the ceremony is delayed. After all, her groom-to-be hasn't even bothered to check on her. Instead, it's the handsome volunteer Zeke Bontrager who selflessly offers Grace his strong shoulders to lean on. Zeke came to Hidden Springs to assist a community in need. He didn't expect to meet his soul mate. Determined to ignore his feelings, Zeke promises to help reunite kind, beautiful Grace with her groom. But after spending time together, Grace confesses that she might not want to marry her fiancé after all. Can Zeke convince her that her true love is standing right in front of her? And can she find the courage to follow her heart?

Sensitively answers the most common inquiries about Amish and Mennonite peoples. Authoritative, sympathetic, and thorough. 20 Most Asked Questions looks at origins, dress, pacifism, education, weddings, funerals, and food, as well as many other facets of Amish and Mennonite life. This book has sold more than 200,000 copies. 1. What is the difference between the Amish and the Mennonites? 2. When and how did these people get started? 3. Are they a Christian group or do they represent a different religion? 4. Aren’t they a bit naive and backward? Why don’t they accept modern things? 5. Does anyone ever join them? Does anyone ever leave? 6. Why do they dress that way? 7. Is it true they don’t go to war? 8. Why are they against education? 9. Why are they such good farmers? 10. Why don’t they pay Social Security taxes? 11. Do any of the Amish or Mennonite groups believe in missions? 12. What are their weddings like? 13. How are their women and children treated? 14. Is food a part of their religion? 15. Do they go to doctors and hospitals? 16. What about burial? 17. Don’t they believe in having fun? 18. What are some of their problems? 19. Are they growing or dying in number? 20. What, in fact, holds them together?

Who are the “plain people,” the men and women who till their fields with horse and plow, travel by horse and buggy, live without electricity and telephones, and practice “help thy neighbor” in daily life? Linda Egenes visited with her Old Order Amish neighbors in southeast Iowa for thirteen years before writing this informative and companionable introduction to their lifeways. Drawn to their slower pace of life and their resistance to the lures of a consumer society, Egenes found a warm welcome among the Amish, and in return she has given us an equally warm perspective on Amish family life as she experienced it. The Amish value harmony in family life above all, and Egenes found an abundance of harmony as she savored homemade ice cream in a kitchen where the refrigerator ran on kerosene, learned to milk a two-bucket cow, helped cook dinner for nine in a summer kitchen, spent the day in a one-room schoolhouse, and sang “The Hymn of Praise” in its original German at Sunday service. Whether quilting at a weekly sewing circle above the Stringtown Grocery, playing Dutch Blitz and Dare Base with schoolchildren, learning the intricacies of harness making, or mulching strawberries in a huge garden, Egenes was treated with the kindness, respect, and dignity that exemplify the strong community ties of the Amish. Her engaging account of her visits with the Amish, beautifully illustrated with woodcuts by Caldecott Medal winner Mary Azarian, reveals the serene and peaceful ways of a plain people whose lives are anything but plain.

The editor provides an important new scholarly tool for locating and understanding the enormous expansion of scholarly research dealing with the sociology of Canadian Mennonites, Hutterites and Amish. Although the book includes research from American scholars, the editor devotes special attention to Canadian works concerning these important and interesting minorities. Using the tripartite division of Mennonites, Hutterites and Amish, the bibliography includes 800 entries each with a concise summary and evaluation. The entries are listed under the subheadings: books, theses, articles and unpublished manuscripts. Preceding the bibliography itself is an essay by the editor originally presented to the Canadian Sociology and Anthropology Association. The essay outlines the differing conceptual assumptions of the researchers included in the book, the major methodologies employed and the main conclusions to be drawn from their work.

For the Amish, the day after Christmas is for family, feasting, and exchanging simple gifts. And for three different couples, it will bring another precious chance for love . . . THEIR SECOND CHANCE New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Shelley Shepard Gray Amish nanny Hannah Eicher never thought she’d see Rob Prince again. There was no way a relationship between her and the handsome English fireman could overcome her family’s objections—and their personal differences. But when he saves her from a sudden blaze, Hannah longs to see if they can turn holiday hope into a lifetime of happiness . . . HIS AMISH ANGEL * Patricia Johns She’s too outspoken to be a proper Amish wife. So as advice columnist “Miss Amish,” Maggie Lapp helps Amish and Englishwith their romantic problems. But when her tradition-minded former fiancé accidentally reveals her secret, Maggie will need more than a miracle to make things right—and find a perfect love for all the Christmases to come . . . AN HEIRLOOM CHRISTMAS * Virginia Wise Rachel Miller won't let her disability keep her from selling heirloom plants and proving she can be independent. She certainly doesn't need reckless Joseph Webber working at her greenhouse to pay off a disastrous Rumspringa stunt. But she and Joseph have more in common than they think—and their surprising holiday partnership might just blossom into forever joy . . .