Customer Reviews

Living Without Electricity (People's Place Book No. 9)

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3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This handy little book is an interesting window into the daily life of the modern Amish (OK, that sounds a bit like an oxymoron). It begins with an informative and sympathetic explanation of who the Amish are, and why they live the way they do. After that, the book looks into how they live their lives, making do without electrical appliances.

I found this book to be quite interesting and informative. It is far from being a "how-to," so you probably won't be able to take any suggestions from it. But, it does help to give the outsider a more thorough understanding of what daily life is like in an Amish community. I highly recommend this book.

This book introduces the reader to the philosophy and lifestyle of the Amish people. It shows how they live a life of voluntary simplicity, instead of rampant consumerism. If you are interested in de-stressing your lifestyle and learning how simple pleasures are usually the best, you will enjoy this book immensely.

"Living Without Electricity" is an impressive overview of how the Amish and other Anabaptist groups have used technology over the years.

Although it does not go into detail about their actual cultural values, it shows clearly how these values lead them to reject many forms of modern technology, but more significantly and interestingly, it gives clues that, far from being stubbornly and rigidly clinging to outdated ideas, the Amish can be quite innovative inadapting technology from the outside world to fit in with their culture and beliefs. Often, Stephen Scott shows the Amish not simply using technology that has disappeared from the wider world, but actually improving that technology in quite enterprising ways so that it will benefit them as a group. This is most especially true of Amish farming methods but can also be found in their quite remarkable pedal-operated sewing machines, and their use of animals to pump water (All of this, very strangely, makes me think of my maternal grandparents' old house which had many old tools). Most significant and interesting for the outside world, however, is the way in which the Amish have been abel to adapt machines to compressed-air power wistead of electricity.

Scott is very fair about the Amish and shows they do have many problems trying to adapt to a rapidly changing world whilst retaining ideals that stress practicality, gentleness and deep emotional ties. (Recent study of personality theory gives me a quite fresh appreciation of Amish culture).

As another reviewer said, this won't permit anybody to simplify thier life. However, it will give a better appreciation of one of the most unique cultures in the world and confront quite a number of misunderstood beliefs about them. There is also a small section on Old Order Mennonites at the back.

If you're looking to live off the grid, this is not the first book you need, nor will it save you any busted knuckles or needless expenses. It's interesting for a Sunday afternoon read and worth its modest price, but it's long on history and short on practical specifics. (It does mention some suppliers and manufacturers, but only by general location - better than nothing.)

My favorite thing about this book is that it includes several charts which compare what different technologies various Amish groups allow. I've read many books on the plain people and this is the first comparison I've seen.

I bought this book for ideas on how to live without electricity in the event of power loss. The book is boring to read, but I am plowing my way through it still in case there is something worthwhile I have not come across.

It is more about the Amish than ideas for electrical alternatives. I find the Amish reasons for not using electricity to be inconsistent. I agree with being independent of the world, specifically the large corporations, but substituting gas generators for electricity leaves one still dependent upon petroleum distillers. If they composted and used only homemade methane gas then they would be independent. Likewise using batteries makes dependent upon the battery manufacturers.

I am not done with the book, but I am struggling to finish it.