Amish Voices: A Collection of Amish Writings

by Brad Igou

Strong families. Caring communities. The nearly nine in ten youth who join the church. How do the Amish do it?
In Amish Voices , Amish writers share news and advice from their communities and reflect on their daily lives, work, and faith. Brad Igou, publisher of Amish Country News , gives readers a behind-the-scenes tour of Amish life by compiling writing from Family Life , a popular monthly magazine that thousands of Amish people read. Learn about how the Amish began and what they value. Hear what they think about technology, happiness, community, obedience, success, and change. Listen in as they discuss shunning and rumspringa and forgiveness. Find out what sustains them in difficult seasons, and how they try to trust God in all things.
Why learn about the Amish from outsiders when you can learn from the Amish themselves? And why just learn about them when you can learn from them?
 

Genres: Amish

240 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

Reviews

[Lori]

Brad Igou collected writings from Amish publications on such topics as Amish history, marriage and family, work, church, discipline (especially church discipline), clothing, aging and death, and war and peace. While many people think they know what Amish believe, this book shares their beliefs in their own words. While I enjoyed the book, coverage was uneven. Some topics such as rumspringa which interest the "English" barely received treatment. I would have enjoyed more perspectives from nineteenth century Amish life, but I really do not know if the same type periodical literature or even diaries and letters survive that would allow the Amish to share their story from that era. I received an advance copy through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.

[Phillip Cole]

Though there are Amish that live nearby, what I know of the Amish is indirect, and I don't know how accurate or authentic it is. All it takes is one little misunderstanding, and the facts can be skewed. I wanted to read this book to see if I could learn more about the Amish and what they believe.

Amish Voices tells the history of the Amish and what beliefs they hold to. It goes deeper than just using horses and dressing differently than others, though they have good reasons for both of these. It describes their discipline, family life, raising children, and more. There were several that I think all people could learn from and practice. The discipline they show in adhering to their beliefs is something that all Christians should be using.

Even with the obvious differences, I saw many similarities to mainstream Christians. One that really stood out is the comment that many of their church members could quote church rules better than the Bible verses those rules are based on. Another similarity, and one that is not talked about much outside of their communities, is that they were heavily persecuted for their beliefs.

I won't pretend that I would be able to fit into an Amish community, but I have a new appreciation for what they practice, and found that I can learn from them.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Rhonda]

4 Stars: 4/5 stars
This book is highly informative about the Amish life and faith. The writings share historical facts as well as personal reflections on so many topics. I would highly recommend it to those who are interested in the Amish and have little knowledge of their practices. I have studied the Amish so long that much of it was not new to me. Some of it was though. This book does have limited appeal, but excellent for those interested in the Amish.
I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley and Herald Press in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Michelle Noble]

Instead of a fictional story about the Amish, this book tells how the Amish came to be. It also describes the Anabaptist religion in detail. The Amish get to tell their own thoughts on family, religion, and what they think about certain topics. It's a much more in-depth look at their daily lives, and why they do what they do. This book is a must-have for anyone curious about the Amish. I found it to be extremely interesting and insightful.

[Dawn]

One book that will have you smiling and bring tears to your eyes. You will not go wrong by reading this book.