Ann the Word: The Story of Ann Lee, Female Messiah, Mother of the Shakers

by Richard Francis

The author of Fat Hen and Transcendental Utopias offers an intriguing, definitive portrait of Ann Lee, the charismatic woman who became the founder of the Shakers, from her rise from humble English origins to become a visionary religious leader who transformed religious faith. 15,000 first printing.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Religion, American History, Biography Memoir

400 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2000

About the author

The idea for writing TEAM came after the 9/11 attacks when
search and rescue dogs were used to find victims and possible survivors in the rubble. Why not have a dog help find the hostages and rescue them with his handler. On hikes and walks I would carry a note book and write down ideas for the story. And of course my inspiration and co-worker LT. has been to all my booksignings and also signs the book.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ann Lee joined the Shaker sect after it had been established for eleven years. She rose in the odd sect until she became known as The Word, The Mother of the Shakers, and even The Female Messiah.

I thought this would be an interesting book, giving a peek into the mind of a person with such ideas. How do you go from knowing yourself to be an ordinary person to believing you are the female embodiment of Christ on Earth?

Born in 1736, Ann dealt with over-crowded conditions in the family home, a job at a textile mill at an early age, head of criminals on spikes near her house. Early on she became a cook in the new hospital. (Later her Shaker diet was based on the gruel and pottage she cooked for the patients.) She wouldn't eat (not surprising). She wouldn't sleep. She got downy fur all over her body, which the author says would be considered a sign of anorexia today. She was basically a mess.

After her marriage, and the loss in infancy of four babies, she was confined to an asylum for a time. This is where she received the news that she was the Female Messiah. After some persecution she and less than a dozen other Shakers leave for America.

That is when I began to lose interest. I tried, I really did, because my mother had given me this book and I wanted to give it a chance. But I should have taken my cue from her comment: 'Well.....read it for yourself and see what you think, then we'll talk.'

I got nearly halfway before I decided I simply could not take any more. I didn't know whether to snort, giggle, laugh outright or shake my head in pity while I read. There are some interesting insights here and there, but overall the chapters I read just left me extremely glad I never had to deal with Ann and her cult tactics. She did not seem like a Mother or a Messiah...she was just creepy and I wanted to get away from her, so I have to call this one a DNF.

[Leighann Garber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew that sucker was a bit tedious at times. Lots of interesting information and story. Got kind of bogged down when they was so much movement and people involved, but that’s life not the fault of the book.

I’ve always had the picture of them kind of like the Amish, peaceful, great furniture, doing their thing. But they really started out as a string force and were understandably hated for breaking families apart. Interesting to see how the cultish unstructured mess evolved into that later church all about order. If any organization wants to survive it must have that structure.

I was also surprised to know that a church that is dying due to not gaining new followers had time where they gathered people in by the dozens or more.

They’re so important to our religious freedom!

The times when western Massachusetts and Ohio were wild scary frontiers (to white people) is so underrated I think. It’s harder to think of these people as full rounded individuals when we have so little information. Makes me want to study my genealogy more.

And the amazing journey of a laborer in Manchester into a religious leader miles across the ocean is mind blowing really. A good read if you can get past all the tedious detail bits, really fascinating.

[E Stanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting history of an 18th century poor illiterate woman who had the personality and charisma to inspire a movement in England and America. The early history of the Shakers is pretty interesting as well. In their beginnings, they would pretty clearly they be characterized as a "cult" today. The faith "settled down" after this early period of disorganized "meetings" and became what we recognize today. But Ann Lee pretty single-handedly inspired an entire movement. Quite an amazing accomplishment by a woman of such limited means and education. Recommend to History nerds like me.

[Alex Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book appears to be meticulously researched but left me with more questions about how Ann and the Shakers gained converts and I would have liked more explanation of the climate in America at the time that made the conversions possible.

[Doug Sisko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review forthcoming.

Overall Review: 3.5

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

really don’t appreciate the tone the author takes sometimes and seemingly at random

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this because I've long held a fascination with Mother Ann and believe she would be a sensational topic for a historical novel. The first part of the book, her early life in Manchester, was the best because it focused on Ann. After she comes to America, the account degenerates into a recall of event after event involving the persecution of the Shakers. Francis liberally calls the group a "cult," and given their beliefs and actions, I think that's probably accurate. Ann Lee presented herself as the female Messiah; she believed that, like Jesus, she was imbued with the spirit of God to minister to her time. I was also interested in how George Whitehead and other New Light/Great Awakening figures influenced the group, even when they were the "shaking quakers" in England. I wonder if this kind of evangelical religion came to America with the Shakers, or maybe they were one of many groups that practiced ecstatic worship. This account does not deal with the Shakers after Ann Lee. In fact, the author points out that Mother Ann was a milennialist; she didn't believe the group would continue, but expected Christ's swift return. Leaders after Mother Ann had to change and shape the group into the Shakers known for their work ethic and simple, beautiful furniture.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a biography of Ann Lee, the woman who founded the quaking shakers, more commonly known as the Shakers. They had villages throughout New England in late 1700's to the 1930's. There are still six or seven Shakers living up in Maine. But anyways Ann Lee is pretty fascinating person, she decided she was the second coming of Christ while in a mental institution for one thing. She also did a lot for womans' rights. The Shakers were one of the most sucessfull groups in early america, and produced alot of the seeds for planting, and the best furniture. Really interesting.

Ann Lee also follows the basic 5 Stages of a cult leader, which you can find in the book: Prophetic Charisma, The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities - by Len Oakes.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh... where to begin. I love the Shakers. I wanted to love this book. I hated this book. I only read it because I'm stubborn and want to read everything about the Shakers ever published. I'm only keeping it for the same reason. There is too much smarm, too much self-centeredness from the author, and not enough actual content. In a lot of ways Ann comes off as unlikeable, even when the author is praising her (and himself), in the same breath. There are very few biographies about Ann Lee out there. It's a shame that this is such a prominent one.

[Annette Boehm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and thorough biographical sketch of Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers. Ironically, Ann "the Word" was actually illiterate. The author shares lots of information and insight into her life and the conditions under which the first Shakers lived and worshipped.

[Alar]

i thought Apollo Quiboloy pioneered the "second son" idea.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful look at the history of the Shakers, especially the biography of Ann Lee who founded the religion.

[Cade · Rating 1 out of 5]

The one star is definitely for the writing and not the subject matter. I still want to know more about Ann Lee, but I just cannot finish this book right now.

[Leah Coffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got a bit repetitive with all the mob violence and whatnot, but a fascinating depiction of the beginnings of a sect now primarily known for its furniture.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

slow but readable