The Parting (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, Book 1) [Paperback]

Beverly Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007 | Series: Courtship of Nellie Fisher (Book 1)

The People themselves dare to challenge the Old Ways of their heritage...and each patriarch must choose a side.

Nearly one hundred days have passed since the untimely death of Nellie Mae Fisher's beloved younger sister, Suzy, and Nellie dares again to dream of a future with handsome Caleb Yoder. But with rumors about Suzy still flying among the People, there are those who would keep the young courting couple apart...including Caleb's own father.Meanwhile, a growing number of Honeybrook's Amish farmers are demanding tractors and other forbidden modern conveniences. When a revival adds to the tensions, passions flare. With the Old Order community pushed to the breaking point, Nellie and Caleb find their families--and themselves--in the midst of what threatens to become an impossible divide.

A New York Times Bestseller
A USA Today Bestseller

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Beloved bestselling inspirational author Lewis kicks off The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series, dishing up her usual sort of Amish meal. Amish teen Nellie Fisher’s grief over the death of her sister, Suzy, in a drowning accident is just beginning to heal. It helps that Caleb Yoder has asked her to be his girl, and wedding bells ring in her imagination. Her baked goods shop also provides solace. But change blows through her Pennsylvania Amish community, threatening to divide families and thwart her newfound romance. Other storylines are set up: Rosanna King seems unable to have children, but is promised a forthcoming baby by a woman who has many; Nellie’s father reads forbidden scripture and becomes intrigued with salvation by grace. Amish dialect is used judiciously throughout, and although some items (like an old journal) seem like tired clichés, Lewis creates the tension necessary to get the series started. Some Christian readers will wonder about a theology that finds Suzy’s death and a crop failure part of God’s plan, and there may be confusion for readers unfamiliar with the Amish about the boundaries of Rumschpringe (rumspringa, or the running-around period for some Amish teens). Lewis has a gentle narrative style, however, and her fans will line up for this latest fictional slice of Amish life.

Review

"Beverly Lewis' knowledge of the Amish is compelling and her writing makes the scenes come to life." -- Trudy Smith, onceuponaromance.net

"I absolutely cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released." -- Laura Hilton, aromancereview.com

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Product Details

• Paperback: 347 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers; Reprinted edition (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076420310X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764203107
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've had my nose in a book, for as long as I remember. When I was about 9 years old, I started writing my own stories. By sixth grade, I'd hand-written a 66-page semi-autobiographical book titled, "She Shall Have Music."

After I was married and our three children were in middle school, I began submitting articles and short fiction to various magazines.

My first book (Holly's First Love) was published in May 1993, the start of a 14-book series for pre-teen girls. Soon after, my first chapter book was published for 7-10-year-old readers ("Big Bad Beans") which later became part of my 24-book series, The Cul-de-Sac Kids. I wrote another long-running series for girls, titled "SummerHill Secrets," which was set very close to Neffsville, PA, where I grew up--near the heart of Amish country.

But it was the story of my grandmother Ada Buchwalter's shunning by her ultra-strict father and subsequently her old order Mennonite community that nudged me toward writing adult fiction. THE SHUNNING was published in 1997 by Bethany House Publishers, and along with its sequels, has touched a nerve in millions of readers intrigued by the Plain culture of Lancaster County, PA. The Hallmark Channel will air the movie, "Beverly Lewis's The Shunning" on April 16, 2011 at 9 EDT/8 Central.

My passion for Amish-related stories continues to keep me up at night, and I'm presently writing the third book in my new series: The Rose Trilogy, due out September '11.

When I'm between writing deadlines, I enjoy hiking in the Rocky Mountains with my husband. Cooking from scratch, playing Mozart at the piano, and making family memory albums, as well as traveling to meet my devoted readers during book tours, are some of my very favorite things. I also adore reading biographies and memoirs, as well as classic literature.

Book Two of my present series: THE JUDGMENT, will be released on April 5, 2011.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Old Ways or New?, October 7, 2007

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Parting (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, Book 1) (Paperback)

Nellie Fischer is an Amish girl who is still getting over the recent death of her sister. Troubled by the unknown circumstances surrounding her death, Nellie tries to focus on her relationship with Caleb Yoder and the possibility of a future with him. Meanwhile her father has found a new belief, one that goes against the very traditions of the Old Order Amish. By becoming a believer in Christ along with his family, he faces the punishment of being shunned by the community. This affects Nellie's and Caleb's relationship as their fathers are on different sides of this debate.

I was really excited when I heard that this book was coming out. First I love Beverly Lewis so of course I was thrilled that she had a new book on the way. But more important was the subject matter of the book. I have always wondered what exactly is the faith of the Amish based on? In one of my past reviews of Lewis's books, I questioned if the Amish are indeed really Christians. They seem to think that accepting Jesus is grounds for shunning. Seeing as how popular the Amish culture is lately, I want to know exactly what they believe in. So I was interested to see that this very subject would be the basis for this new series. And Lewis' came through and answered my questions with this first book. The narrative is very easy to follow, rich in detail. I could picture the characters going throughout their daily lives. I wish I could visit Nellie May's store and buy some baked goods for myself. There are some subplots that seem confusing such as Rosanna and the babies that don't seem to tie into the story at the moment. I was more interested to find out more about the circumstances surrounding Suzy's death and the way the church was going to handle the new wave of believers. I'm looking forward to continuing the rest of this series. If you're a Lewis fan you will not be disappointed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything Happens For a Reason, January 13, 2008

By 

Tamela Mccann "taminator40" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Parting (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, Book 1) (Paperback)

With the death of her younger sister Suzy, Nellie Mae Fisher and her family find themselves at loose ends. Unsure of why Suzy chose to run with the wild English crowd, the loss of their dear family member has them all looking for answers in their small Amish community. Nellie Mae, closest to Suzy, has her sister's diary but is unsure whether or not she should read it to find out what was really going on, or leave it buried in the woods where it can do no more harm. Added to her uncertainty is the budding relationship Nellie has with Caleb Yoder; his family is very Old Order Amish and there are rumors about Suzy that cast doubts on Nellie's family.

Once again Beverly Lewis takes us to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and the Amish country with her newest novel, The Parting. Lewis has a warm, inviting style that brings her characters and their lifestyle to life, and in her author's note at the end, she lets us know that at least part of the storyline of this novel is based on the factual schism which took place in the Amish community in 1966, the setting for this novel. Lewis brings the Old Order to a head against the Amish members who are turning toward the theory of salvation, and she doesn't make it easy for any of them.

A few things bugged me while reading this novel, however. While I could understand the Fisher family's search for something more upon the death of their beloved child and sister, I found the conversion of some of the characters less than authentic. I also found it odd that so many of the People could seemingly choose to give up all they'd known so quickly in order to follow a new form of religion. Finally, the side story of Rosanna and the twins must be setting us up for something else in the books to follow in this series; otherwise I could see no point for the seemingly random storyline.

The Parting is definitely inspirational in tone, and well-developed in setting. Lewis can sound preachy at times, but overall this is another fine entry in her Amish books. I look forward to finding out how Nellie Mae's future will unfold.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not my favorite Beverly Lewis series, January 30, 2010

By 

Rebecca J. Smith - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Parting (The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, Book 1) (Paperback)

This book, while a quick read and still full of the Amish charm I've come to love from Ms. Lewis, focuses so much more on the religion aspect of Amish life. It is clear that we are supposed to root for the salvation of these characters--almost hoping that they leave the Old Order Amish in favor of salvation in Jesus Christ. While I am a Christian, I'm not sure that this series would be as attractive to the non-Christian reader.