The Gift to be Simple: Life in the Amish Country

by Bill Coleman

Few photographers can boast of acceptance by and access to a remote Amish community, but Bill Coleman has had the good fortune to spend the past 25 years capturing its daily events in beautiful full-color images. From breadmaking to haymaking to community barn raisings, he takes readers on a visual journey through a Pennsylvanian valley largely untouched by tourists and the trappings of modern existence. Whether it's a buggy traversing a winter farmscape, a woman quilting, or a group of children at play, Coleman captures with a perceptive eye the one unique and telling gesture that reveals the character of an individual and a community. The images gathered here--authentic in their subject matter and utterly simple in their presentation--celebrate the beauty and grace of a time-honored way of life.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, Amish

120 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2001

Reviews

[Amanda P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to forget that photography books exist, and am constantly surprised and delighted when I re-discover them. This is a wonderful look at the Amish life, in a personal way that non-fiction reading can't give you. Loved it, and will be looking for more of the same... until something shiny comes along and I follow that direction for awhile, again letting photography books slip my mind...

[Katonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful photos, with a brief introdution to read. Would have been nice to read some stories behind some of the pictures in the book, but I guess he left that up to our own imaginations.

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous! Coming from close to living with Amish folks leads me to peruse much on and about them.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's actually a photography book. It's amazingly gorgeous.