Amish Snow

by Roger Rheinheimer

Amish Snow provides a rare insight into Amish culture as it clashes with the American counter-culture of the late 60's. Deep faith clashes with religious persecution and personal identity. Rheinheimer weaves a tale of loss, of redemption, of the triumph of the human spirit, coming of age in a dangerous time. And in the face of evil that divides us, he clings firmly to the common bonds of human experience to show the truth that unites us.

234 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2009

Reviews

[Steven Percifield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I didn't interact with them, I thought I was familiar with the Amish, having seen their horses and buggies on the roads of rural Northern Indiana. My views of the Amish culture have been transformed by reading this book. Especially interesting was the historical perspective of their cultural roots dating back to the reformation.

I enjoyed this book for the knowledge it imparted as much as for the reading entertainment it provided.

Thank you, Roger.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a great read. Couldn't put it down. Great job Roger!

[Noelle Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting view into the world of Amish expatriation in the second half of the 20th century.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is different from the normal Amish books I read, I would classify it as more about the 'dark' side, for lack of a better description. It starts out be telling how the Amish came to be in Germany, then jumps ahead 438 years to Lancaster, PA and the story of Ezra Neuenschwander and the abuse he and his mother and siblings suffered from his Father. His Father, Nathan, was abused as a child and wanted to break the cycle when he married Rebecca and he did for several years then it gradually started along with the drinking.


One day Ezra had finally had it and when Nathan pulled his fist back to hit him, Ezra swung back to protect himself. Nathan fell and hit his head. Ezra noticed the bleeding and the jerky motions, but went on with his chores. He put the horses up, went into the house and told his Mother what happened. Rebecca knew this would eventually happen so she got the bag she had ready for him with money, clothes, a cousins phone number that lived in Philadelphia, and a Bible. Ezra left not knowing if his father lived or died, never to talk to his family again.


In October of 1964 Ezra arrived in Philly in the middle of the night, got a room in a motel where they had hourly rates posted, the room was filthy and smelled with a stench he didn't recognize.


I will leave the rest of the story for you to read, there are lots of twists and turns, good and bad. I just about quit reading it around chapter eight or nine because I thought I knew the direction it was going, but I didn't give up on it and soon wanted to know the rest of the story. Needless to say, it didn't quite go in the direction I thought it would.


This is the first time I've read a book by Roger and I will say that I did enjoy it.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Roger Rheinheimer. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot of this book had so much potential. It's the story of Amish youths in and around Philadelphia trying to reconcile their conservative upbringings with the counterculture of the late 1960s ... I was hoping for something along the lines of a Mennonite Forrest Gump meets Go Ask Alice; a culture-clash 60s-era nostalgia piece with a little extra edge. Instead, the result was a disjointed, badly done PSA on the dangers of drug use. The writing is not engaging. It is neither beautiful prose, nor does it move the barely detectable plot along. The characters aren't especially likable (probably because they are severely underdeveloped), and nothing really happens until the end when all the bad guys conveniently die. Furthermore, there are multiple typos and grammatical errors (aside from the clipped, awkward speech pattern sometimes employed when an Amish character is speaking; that obviously doesn't count as a grammatical error, as it's the author's stylistic choice). I am not sure if the editing errors only cropped up in rendering the novel to Kindle edition or if they appeared in the original text as well, but they were annoying nonetheless. I only bothered to finish this book because it was so short; otherwise, I probably wouldn't have wasted my time.

[Nana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author took a very different approach in the description of the coming of age of an Amish youth in the 1960s. His story reveals a darker and deep side to the Amish community, and presented a well researched representation of his character. Ezra has a very difficult relationship with his father, and as a result ends up leaving his Amish community and traveling to the city to start a new life. The realities regarding Rumspringa (the Amish teen running around years), and the obstacles, challenges, temptations, and activities during that time in Ezra's life are well presented. His changing lifestyle and growth as an ex-Amish man are well characterized and present a raw and earthy tale of the realities in Ezra's new life. I found the book a bit hard to get into, but once the plot began to develop I became more and more involved in Ezra's changing lifestyle, and the relationships throughout the book. I enjoyed the book very much.

[Rhonda Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well-written and well-researched book. I will admit to having a hard time getting into it but then really wanted to know what was going to happen to Ezra as the book progressed. I was quite shocked by many things in the book as I did not realize how wild the Amish young people behave in their running around years. I also was shocked that the former-Amish are the ones supplying the young people with the drugs and alcohol. I was surprised that the Amish were treated with such disrespect and prejudice in the 1960's as well. This book is a wonderful one for providing historical facts about the Amish. Men will find all the details of vehicles driven by characters fascinating! I read those parts aloud to my husband, as he had to explain what some of the terms meant to me!

[Diana Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amish Snow The Brotherhood
Vol 1 Reversal of Fortune
By: Roger Rheinheimer

I found this to be a emotional read. Was nothing like other Amish stories I have read. This is one of a Amish man trying to find his place. It takes something bad to happen for him to see where his roots are. I enjoyed the story looking forward to more.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little book really gave some insight into the lives of especially teenagers, and their journey to join the congregation or not. And the drug culture that prays on them as they decide.

[Abbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book he did a good gob on this book

[Abbey Mckibben · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good i love the book and i have it signed by the author and i got to meet him in person