“Brimming with many children,” write the authors of The Amish Way, “most Amish homes produce eight or more sets of dirty dishes three times a day. That means at least twenty-four glasses, dozens of plates, and countless pieces of silverware, not to mention pots, pans, mixing bowls, platters, and serving utensils.” Yet you won’t find an automatic dishwasher in any Amish home. For the Amish,…
Are Amish “born again”? Are cars immoral? When describing church, why do Amish use the term “Gmay” instead of “Kirche”? And who actually decides the rules that guide Amish life? The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World is the first book to explore Amish spirituality and religious practices in-depth, addressing these and many other questions along the way. Authors Donald Kraybill, Steven Nolt,…
Today we continue with part 2 of our interview with SUNY-Potsdam Professor of Anthropology Karen Johnson-Weiner. Karen is the author of the recently-released book New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the Empire State. New York has proven an especially attractive destination for Amish in recent years, and is now home to over 12,000 Amish. In today’s segment, Karen discusses how Amish migrants…
“New York” and “Amish” may seem an odd match. But the Empire State has seen its Amish population soar in recent years, and is currently home to the 5th-largest grouping of Amish in North America. SUNY-Potsdam Professor of Anthropology Karen Johnson-Weiner has spent years researching the various Amish communities in New York. Karen’s new book New York Amish: Life in the Plain Communities of the…
Plain publications help Amish maintain ties and promote Old Order Christian values Amish produce a number of newspapers, books, and other publications. Following is ordering information for three Amish resources: Family Life-a general-interest magazine from Pathway Publishers in Ontario The Budget-Sugarcreek, Ohio newspaper which covers both local news, and produces a “national edition” with letters from Amish scribes Raber’s Bookstore-an Ohio Amish-owned bookstore that carries…
I recently read a book I’d been looking forward to for a long time. An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World’s Largest Amish Community is an in-depth look at the Amish settlement at Holmes County, Ohio, and one of the most interesting books on the Amish I have read. In Ohio last month I had the pleasure of meeting the book’s authors, Charles…
Big news today–Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive featured in Time magazine! It’s a great piece on Amish business by Andrea Sachs. Just a page long, but delves into relationships, family, and doing what you’re passionate about. And how all that fits into making a living. My favorite line comes from “born salesman” Moses Smucker, who operates a stand at…
The full Chapter 1 excerpt of Success Made Simple has already been available online here. Today, I’ve gotten permission to share one last bit–the preface, where I describe the story behind the book. Hope you enjoy it. Unearthing the Secrets I pull my truck into the drive, unsure whether to continue. It’s midafternoon, and I’m down on my numbers for the day, so I decide…
What an honor–the book is leading off the Fast Company website today (no joke)! Check out the Amish customer tips slideshow they put together. And thanks to Cindy, Rick, and Pop for chipping in a few photos!
Two contests in one day! I just mentioned the Joyful Chaos blog book giveaway (Contest #1), where you can win a free copy of my book, but here is a chance to win some cold hard Amazon cash as well. Contest #2 is easy: just read Success Made Simple, and post a review of it on Amazon. Send me an email letting me know you…