The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers [Paperback]

Professor Stephen J. Stein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 1994

The Shakers, once a radical religious sect whose members were despised and harassed by their fellow Americans, have in recent years become celebrated--and sentimentalized--for their communal way of life, the simplicity of their worship, their belief in celibacy, pacifism, and equality of the sexes, and not least their superb furniture and handicrafts. This monumental book is the first general history of the Shakers from their origins in eighteenth-century England to the present day. Drawing on written and oral testimony by Shakers over the past two centuries, Stephen J. Stein offers a full and often revisionist account of the movement: their charismatic leaders, the early years in revolutionary New York and New England, the expansion into the West, the maturation and growth of the sect before the Civil War, the decline in their fortunes after the war, the painful adjustments to society Shakers had to make during the first half of the twentieth century, the renaissance of interest after 1950, and the "forbidden topic" within contemporary Shakerism--the conflict between the two remaining villages at Canterbury, New Hampshire, and Sabbathday Lake, Maine. Stein provides many new interpretations of the Shaker experience. He reassesses the role of founder Ann Lee, emphasizes the impact of the western Shaker settlements on the course of the society's history, and describes the variety of cultural enterprises that have obscured the religious and historical dimensions of the Shakers. Throughout Stein places the Shaker experience within the wider context of American life and shows how the movement has evolved to deal with changing times. Shattering the romantic myth that has been perpetuatedabout the quaint and peaceful Shakers, Stein portrays a group that is factious, practical, and fully human.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Established near Albany, N.Y. in 1787 as a religious society, the early Shaker community, led by founder Ann Lee, lived in insular villages, embracing pacifism and celibacy, having visions and joining in ritual dancing (shaking). In this comprehensive academic history Stein, head of the department of religious studies at Indiana University, provides a revisionist account of Shaker expansion and decline, describing schisms between Shaker enclaves, doctrinal differences and the influence of several charismatic leaders. Although the Shakers' commitment to celibacy seemed to augur their eventual demise, Stein points out that the society at Sabbathday Lake, Maine, is still functioning; a body of contemporary supporters is determined that Shakerism will remain alive. Illustrated.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The first book to cover all Shakerdom from the 1700s to the 1980s, this work of scholarship will also prove accessible to the nonspecialist. Stein (religious studies, Indiana Univ.) offers a revisionist account: he plays down the influence of Ann Lee, plays up the role of the Western communities, and declares that the Shakers were no more successful in meeting their ideals than many other communal groups. While he has mined all the appropriate manuscript and published sources, he gives greater credence to opinions in the "apostate" literature than to most Shaker writings and displays definite skepticism toward much of the secondary literature, notably Edward Deming Andrews's The People Called Shakers (1953). Unfortunately, the endnote style makes it difficult to verify some of the documentation for Stein's controversial claims. Still, given the inaccuracies and overemphasis on material culture of most popular books, Stein's coverage of post-1948 Shakerdom, and the debate that should follow publication of this title, it is an essential purchase for most public and academic libraries.
- James H. Sweetland, SLIS, Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 574 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press (February 23, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300059337
• ISBN-13: 978-0300059335
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #862,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Other Denominations & Sects

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Necessary History, August 12, 2001

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers (Paperback)

Ann Lee said "Do all your work as though you had a thousand years to live, and as you would if you knew you must die tommorrow." That sentiment carries much of the flavor of the American Shaker sect and acts as a guiding principle for understanding their history.

And that history is important, particularly if you want to understand the US during the nineteenth century. These highly successful communities managed to contribute to the fabric of a nation while living out their ideals of celibacy, simplicity of life, separation from the world, and community of goods. Industrialization and the US Civil War caused the circumstances that led to their inevitable decline, as the new country became more interested in class struggle than utopian visions.

Extremely interesting reading.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellant book, very interesting reading, informative, December 1, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers (Paperback)

Having visited the Shaker Handcock site during 1997, I became interested in the Shaker experience. Found this publication to be well researched and written so that it kept ones interest and provided material that took the reader inside the whole concept and idea that they believed in. Would recomend this book to anyone with an open mind and who enjoys different subjects and views.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the true word about the shakers, August 26, 2003

By 

S. ZWEIG "rockironi1" (nassau, ny USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shaker Experience in America: A History of the United Society of Believers (Paperback)

This book is for anyone who wants to understand "the shaker experience in America". I have to admit, it is a bit dry and text book like but this book is factual and dispells many myths that people have about the shakers. A must for anyone interested in this religion , in addition to visiting a Shaker site or museum collection