A Pocket Guide to Amish Life

by Mindy Starns Clark

As Amish fiction continues to appeal to a huge audience, A Pocket Guide to Amish Life gives readers a glimpse into an obscure, fascinating world--what the Amish believe and how they live. Full of fun and fresh facts about the people who abide by this often-misunderstood faith and unique culture, this handy-sized guide by Mindy Starns Clark, author of Shadows of Lancaster County (more than 43,000 copies sold), covers a wide variety of topics, such Presented in an easy-to-follow and engaging style, this pocket guide to the Amish is a great resource for anyone interested in Amish life.

Genres: Amish

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Mindy Starns Clark is the bestselling author of more than 30 books, both fiction and nonfiction, and has received numerous literary honors, including two Christy Awards and RT Book Review Magazine’s 2012 Career Achievement Award. Mindy and her husband, John, have two adult children and live near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Chrystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information, thorough for a pocket guide.

[Harold Cheetham · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book that gives a lot of info on the Amish.

[Alexa · Rating 2 out of 5]

For what it is, this book is a nice introduction to the Amish. However, having read several books, seen quite a few movies and watched many documentaries on the Amish, not to mention, of course, having shopped at Amish stores myself in Michigan, there wasn't more than a detail or two in here that I didn't already know. Just on information, I probably would have given the pocket guide three stars, but I just really didn't like the author's voice nor the way she chose to present the information. Because she herself is Christian, rather than just explaining the Amish's beliefs, practices and rules, she was often comparing them to her brand of Christianity. I would have preferred a text where the author's beliefs were removed.

On the other hand, I should have known. She is published by a Christian publisher. While there is nothing wrong with that, this book was a gift and I wouldn't have bought it myself due to my preference of not having that Christian denomination comparison in the text.

Unrelated to any of that, I also found it a little awkward that she kind of came down hard on the portrayal of the Amish in every form of media EXCEPT Amish fiction. Don't get me wrong, with creepy abominations like "Breaking Amish" on television, I don't disagree that the Amish are not being presented in a fair and balanced manner. I do think it's a little biased, however, to dismiss every form of representation except your own medium!

[Mandolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must confess to being a victim of the "pastoral myth" of the Amish people, viewing their lives through rose-tinted glasses that impart a false view of simplicity, freedom from care and purity that isn't quite accurate. I am grateful, therefore, to Ms. Clark for writing this informative little book. Covering a broad spectrum of topics regarding the Amish belief system, culture and lifestyle, the book provides just enough factual information to dispel the myths surrounding this unique group of people while still instilling a sense of respect and appreciation for their way of life. As Ms. Clark points out, there are many aspects of their culture that we would do well to emulate. Although it's nice to dream about leaving our hectic, technology-driven lives behind for a simpler existence, most of us could never do that. However, we can still incorporate many of the basic Amish beliefs into our modern lifestyles. If you've ever enjoyed Amish fiction, television or movies and found yourself intrigued by the Amish, I would highly recommend reading this book!

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book reads a lot like a school research paper, I learned much about the fascinating Amish in a short amount of time. It is clear the author has a deep respect for and appreciation of the subject matter.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot of new things about the Amish and also recapped some stuff I already knew but it was fascinating. I always and interested in their culture. I would love to spend a week being Amish just to see what it is like :)

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to learn something about the Amish this is a perfect small book to do it with. Write simply but it covers all aspects of their lives. Hopefully it is accurate!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative!!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, honest and thought provoking.