The Amish Little Known Facts About The Amish And The Mennonites

Excerpt from Little Known Facts About the Amish and the Mennonites: A Study of the Social Customs and Habits of Pennsylvania's "Plain People" Isn't IT true that the average person 11kes to know something odd or curious about the other fel low, while assuming that there is little or nothing Odd about himself? Isn't it true that neither the Red Man, nor the Black, nor any other in America, present social studies as interesting or entertaining as the Germans settled in Pennsylvania so - called Pennsylvania Dutch? Of these types there are many communities where the peculiarities of these people are strange and interest ing enough to furnish constant material for the maga zines, newspapers, novels, plays, etc. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Amish, one of America’s most intriguingly private, unique, and often misunderstood religious communities, have survived for three hundred years! How has that happened? While much has been written on the Amish, little has been revealed about their history. This book brings together in one volume a thorough history of the Amish people. From their beginnings in Europe through their settlement in North America, the Amish have struggled to maintain their beliefs and traditions in often hostile settings. Now updated, the book gives an in-depth look at how the modern Amish church continues to grow and change. It covers recent developments in new Amish settlements, the community’s conflict and negotiation with government, the Nickel Mines school shooting, and the media’s constant fascination with this religious people, from reality TV shows to romance novels. Authoritative, thorough, and interestingly written, A History of the Amish presents the deep and rich heritage of the Amish people with dozens of illustrations and updated statistics. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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?

From the early 1960s to the late 1980s, John A. Hostetler was the world&’s premier scholar of Amish life. Hailed by his peers for his illuminating and sensitive portrayals of this often misunderstood religious sect, Hostetler successfully spanned the divide between popular and academic culture, thereby shaping perceptions of the Amish throughout American society. He was also outspoken in his views of the modern world and of the Amish world&—views that continue to stir debate today. Born into an Old Order Amish family in 1918, Hostetler came of age in an era when the Amish were largely dismissed as a quaint and declining culture, a curious survival with little relevance for contemporary American life. That perception changed during Hostetler&’s career, for not only did the Amish survive during these decades, they demonstrated a stunning degree of cultural vitality&—which Hostetler observed, analyzed, and interpreted for millions of interested readers. Writing the Amish both recounts and assesses Hostetler&’s Amish-related work. The first half of the book consists of four reflective essays&—by Donald Kraybill, Simon Bronner, David Weaver-Zercher, and Hostetler himself&—in which Hostetler is the primary subject. The second half reprints, in chronological order, fourteen key writings by Hostetler with commentaries and annotations by Weaver-Zercher. Taken together, these writings, supplemented by a comprehensive bibliography of Hostetler&’s publications, provide ready access to the Hostetler corpus and the tools by which to evaluate his work, his intellectual evolution, and his legacy as a scholar of Amish and American life. Moreover, by providing a window into the varied worlds of John A. Hostetler&—his Amish boyhood, his Mennonite Church milieu, his educational pursuits, his scholarly career, and his vocation as a mediator and advocate for Amish life&—this volume enhances the ongoing discussion of how ethnographic representation pertains to America&’s most renowned folk culture, the Old Order Amish.