The Riddle of Amish Culture (Center Books in Anabaptist Studies) [Paperback]

Donald B. Kraybill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2001 | Series: Center Books in Anabaptist Studies

Since its publication in 1989, The Riddle of Amish Culture has become recognized as a classic work on one of America's most distinctive religious communities. But many changes have occurred within Amish society over the past decade, from westward migrations and a greater familiarity with technology to the dramatic shift away from farming into small business which is transforming Amish culture. For this revised edition, Donald B. Kraybill has taken these recent changes into account, incorporating new demographic research and new interviews he has conducted among the Amish. In addition, he includes a new chapter describing Amish recreation and social gatherings, and he applies the concept of "social capital" to his sensitive and penetrating interpretation of how the Amish have preserved their social networks and the solidarity of their community.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book is a perfect tool for introducing undergraduates to sociological analysis. Kraybill skillfully depicts an intriguing world that promotes collectivism against the dominant individualism. We come to understand how Amish life makes sense to those who adhere to it.

(Michèle Lamont Christian Century)

Beyond the tour buses and stereotypes lies the complex reality of Amish life. In this welcome update of a classic study, Donald B. Kraybill explores with deep insight and solid research the fascinating ways this fast-growing traditional community negotiates its evolving relationship with a modern world of business, tourism, shopping malls, and roller blades. No dry academic book, this beautifully written work exudes the juices of lived experience and conveys its author's profound respect for, and understanding of, Amish life.

(Paul Boyer, Editor-in-Chief, The Oxford Companion to United States History)

Carefully crafted, richly nuanced and accessible to both the informed reader and the novice, Donald Kraybill has once again produced a remarkably clear and meticulous study of one of North America's most intriguing religious minorities. The Riddle of Amish Culture opens a window into the complex reality of Amish society that crisscrosses the postmodern, modern, and traditional worlds.

(Thomas J. Meyers, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Goshen College, Goshen Indiana)

Donald Kraybill has written a brilliant exposition of Amish life. A sociological tour de force and must-read for those who wish to understand Amish culture.

(Peter Ester, Professor of Sociology, Tilburg University, The Netherlands)

I cannot think of a better way to introduce students to the richness of Amish life. The Riddle of Amish Culture takes the reader into the intricacies of Amish life and culture. Kraybill frames his rich narrative description with sophisticated analysis. While thoroughly accessible, Kraybill's book never insults the reader's intelligence. His treatment of Amish life resists stereotypes. In fact, he routinely explodes them.

(Stephen C. Ainlay, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the College, and Professor of Sociology, College of the Holy Cross)

The Riddle of Amish Culture is essential reading for anyone who wants to unlock the 'mystery' of a fascinating people whose simple, community oriented ways have much to teach us. Professor Kraybill's extremely informative book is a valuable resource, every semester in my classes for teachers.

(Ed Daniels, Lecturer, Stony Brook University, National Board Certified Teacher)

Kraybill moves seamlessly between the fascinating details of Amish life and the meaning of modernity, illuminating both as he informs and provokes in the best tradition of accessible scholarship. [His] masterful analysis of Amish life provides the perfect springboard for students to explore the meaning of modernity and to question the assumptions of their own culture.

(Marc Olshan, Professor of Sociology, Alfred University)

Kraybill's masterful analysis of Amish life provides the perfect springboard for students to explore the meaning of modernity and to question the assumptions of their own culture.

(Marc Olshan, Professor of Sociology, Alfred University)

Kraybill's study of the Lancaster Amish community is an excellent introduction to the Old Order world for both students and general readers. He enables us to see the Amish not as leftovers from the past, but as 21st century people whose confrontation with modernity is guided by the same devotion to religious principles that marked their ancestors as radicals. This book helps us solve the riddles of Old Order society.

(Karen Johnson-Weiner, Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, SUNY Potsdam)

Students of human nature and those baffled by the seeming inconsistencies of Amish culture will find compelling explanation in Donald Kraybill's The Riddle of Amish Culture. In the new research on youth groups, Kraybill explains how a time of testing the limits and tasting the fruits of worldliness in adolescence has a 'redeeming function.'.

(D. R. Elder, Professor of Humanities, The Ohio State University-ATI)

The well documented book is an excellent field trip. It includes informative chapters, excellent notes, thorough bibliography all presented with clarity and correctness.

(Richard Rouillard, Professor of English, Oklahoma City Community College)

Book Description

Revised edition of this classic work brings the story of the Amish into the 21st century.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press; Revised edition (September 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080186772X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801867729
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #467,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Donald B. Kraybill, Ph.D., is senior fellow at the Young Center of Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pa. Among his many publications, he has authored, coauthored, or edited eight books on Amish society. The Riddle of Amish Culture (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001)is his flagship book that explains why the Amish are thriving. Amish Grace and The Amish Way (both by Jossey-Bass) explore Amish forgiveness and spirituality. His Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites and Mennonites is the only book that provides an overview of some 200 Anabaptist groups in North America. Kraybill's The Upside-Down Kingdom, which won the Religious Book of the Year Award, in print for more that thirty years, it is still widely read. His books have been translated into more than half a dozen languages. The Young Center, where he is based, is the premiere national institute for Amish studies. Kraybill's commentary on Amish life has been featured in dozens of broadcast and print media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian (London), The Australian, Newsweek, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, NPR, and BBC Radio to name a few.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars detailed and fascinating look at compelling culture group. July 11, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

I was inspired to read this book after a 7 day bicycle trip in and around Lancaster, PA. Certainly any cultural group which resists the juggernaut and onslaught of American consumer culture bears study, and this book must be the definitive look at this group. How do you keep people interested in looking different, in downplaying their individuality in favor of the group's needs; in foregoing creature comforts like cars and electricity? And what is even more amazing is that there are many more Amish today than there were 50 years ago; unlike the Shakers, this sect is thriving. I recommend this book highly.RH

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars More than buggies May 8, 2006

By Kathy F. Cannata

Format:Paperback

Kraybill knows his topic. He's a prof. at Messiah College, a top-drawer evangelial school with Anabaptist/Brethren roots, located near PA Amish country. He has studied and written on the Amish since the mid-80s. He is also a clear communicator, able to summarize complicated material with ease.

He is clearly very sympathetic to most of the Amish distinctives, though he is able to maintain a critical stance.

To me the Amish are more than simply a curious cultural oddity. They offer some insights into ways for Christians to confront and stand apart from Modernity and materialism. Though Kraybill shows, they may be subtly Modernist in their very rejection of Modernity.

The Amish are also important as an example of an extreme Anabaptist tradition. The 16th century European Xianity can be divided into three groups: Roman Caholics, Reformation, and Anabaptist. Surely the latter, while smallest of the three in the 16th cent., has long been ascending in contemporary America. Anabaptist distinctives -- sectarianism, believer baptism, emphasis on piety over intellect, anticlerical, antisacramental, democratic in church polity, etc. -- are now dominant in American evangelicalism. How important then to understand the Amish, as a fairly well-preserved example of the early Anabaptist tradition.

Anyway, wonderful book. Worth repeated readings.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amish life: the same and yet so different September 4, 2006

By C. Wagner

Format:Paperback

Not your typical photographic essay. Discusses in depth the complexities of the Amish nation's dynamic interelations with the larger English society. Amish life has, apparently, changed greatly in the last century, whether it be gas stoves, business ventures, fiberglass buggies, or toxic chemicals spewn from modern devices pulled by horses, although such details vary somewhat from church district to church district. There are no easy outs for those born into the faith and no easy ins for those born outside. A more truly revealing book on the Amish would have to be written by someone in the inside, which will not happen. However, Kraybill's work is a sympathetic, comprehensive, and revealing work. An informative read also suggested for public and academic libaries.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hoofbeats Into My Heart December 25, 2008

By Kyddyl

Format:Paperback

There is so much we urgently need to learn from the Anabaptists that this book becomes a "must read". With our economy sliding down an ever more slippery slope and the very structure of global society changing uncertainly we can very profitably take some pages from here, to use, to give us a footing in this troubling time. We "English" may have plenty to worry about, but the Amish will simply go on about their business. They will hardly notice if the lights go out, the banks close and fiat money becomes worthless. They have nourished core sociatal values which have been sadly abandoned during the years of our "liberation" and the designation of the US as "the world's consumer". They already keep it simple, their family structures are unusually sound, their children are cherished and safeguarded. They are nonviolent and a persons word is their bond. The barter system as well as doing unto others as they would be done by works very well. They believe in hard work in caring for what they have, and really, caring for the land and the family is really what grows our own roots. Blindly racing after more "stuff" and "toys" has begun to pall with many of us in the "me first" lonely world. Or it has for me. I've a degree in Sociology and have always found the Plain People of prime interest and as the years have passed I have been honored to study them. This book is really one of the best, in my humble estimation. You will learn much about what makes these people do so well, but I also urge you to read this book especially with an eye for enriching your own life in what may be coming in our personal paths. It may make the difference between misery and peace. Several years ago I found a small very conservative Mennonite Church which I visit some 50 miles from me and the round trip is time well spent.... They have a delightful bright, sparkling clean school there too. Children could not be more lovingly educated. If anyone thinks that the 8th grade isn't enough, I've got news for you! That entire congregation will give any intellectual out there a real run for their money. They all speak 3-4 languages and are very well traveled. Their manners are as polished as the shining windows of the classrooms without the faintest hint of pride and respectful visitors are most kindly treated. I have found this book to be of endless value in understanding my friends as well as giving new structure and peace to my own life. This book will take you much further than sitting on a tour bus staring at what many barely understand, but on a deeper level long for. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging study of Amish relevance January 5, 2013

By Paolo & Francesca

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I couldn't have found a better book to introduce me to the Amish in America. Professor Kraybill's book is detailed, well organized, insightful, and well written. He illuminates Amish customs, beliefs, culture, and the ways the group has changed over the years. He answers the question, despite their peculiarity and restrictions on individual freedom, why have the Amish survived and thrived in modern times? High birthrates and low attrition have caused the Amish population to grow exponentially in the last century. Their venture into business, work ethic, and ability to adapt modern technology without compromising their values have enabled them to thrive financially. Most Amish are better off financially than moderns because they have a low cost of living, lots of help from friends and neighbors, and equity in the form of land passed down to them. Modern people have to deal with student debt, keeping up with consumer trends, maintaining an adequate wardrobe, high transportation and housing costs, high healthcare costs, etc. etc. Professor Kraybill emphasizes the benefits of Amish culture but also thoughtfully addresses the criticisms of Amish culture.

Even though Amish culture seems complicated with many rules and restrictions and confusing compromises, a few defining values guide their lifestyle. The first is the value of community over individualism. In Amish society, individual needs are subsumed to those of the community. The pursuit of personal achievements, higher education, artistic expression, and freedom of dress, occupation, and gender roles are curtailed in Amish society.... But the individual receives many benefits from the community such as a sense of identity in a clearly defined culture; the closeness and support of family, neighbors, and church; a lifestyle that integrates work and home. The Amish value of humility explains their plain dress, their hard work ethic, and their eschewal of conspicuous consumption or anything that displays wealth or status. Even though some Amish may be very wealthy, they maintain equality in the community by using the same form of horse and buggy transportation, the same dress, and relatively modest furnishings in the home. Although trying to distinguish oneself through wealth, power, education is not allowed, the Amish also do not have members who are neglected or left in poverty. The sick and the elderly are cared for at home, and children are educated near the home, and those who experience hardship are given mutual aid.

The Amish seem strict in their rejection of technology but they have actually been very saavy in adapting to modernity. Technologies that enhance productivity have been adopted. Even though grid-powered electricity is not allowed, the Amish have adopted diesel powered engines, natural gas for heat and cooking, and air pressure powered appliances. Even solar and wind power are coming into use in the community. Modern furnishings, plumbing, use of medicines have made modern Amish life much more comfortable than in previous eras. What the Amish has preserved is their own education, religion, values, and sense of simplicity, equality, and community.

What would have made the book better is more case studies and more discussion of the drawbacks of Amish life. The Amish admirably avoids many of the ills of modern society. My feeling though, is that gender equality is absent in Amish culture, and they have no way of dealing with gay or transgendered individuals. What about the practice of shunning people who do not conform? Denying children the pursuit of learning or occupation of their choice, confining women to the home and raising large families, are rather problematic. A more honest discussion of these topics would have been good.

I really appreciated the discussion of Amish culture's relevance to modern society in the last chapter. The Amish serve as a foil to our individualistic and materialistic society. It helps us compare what works and what doesn't. Despite not having modern conveniences and personal choice, the Amish have high quality lifestyles where crime is low, divorce is low, poverty is low. While ambitious people would feel oppressed in Amish society, regular people also do not have to struggle so hard to have a basic standard of living. Their willingness to stay close to home has helped them build social and material capital over generations. The choice of the Amish to remain true to their traditional values is ironically modern because they understand what modernity offers them and have chosen another way. They are an important group to help us understand ourselves as much as they are fascinating on their own. Read more ›