Customer Reviews

Twist of Faith: The Story of Anne Beiler, Founder of Auntie Anne's Pretzels

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although I did find the "back and forth" between the past and the present to be a little confusing, overall, this book is well worth reading because it shows many of today's problems cut across all social classes and religions. For instance, I was quite amazed at Anne's daughters not wanting to go to school, trying homeschooling, partying, etc. I would have expected her children to be more ambitious, somehow, but perhaps those are my own biases. At any rate, it seems the Catholics are not alone in terms of predatory priests, and it is really shocking that a Mennonite preacher could get away with such abuse for so long. It just undermines the whole fabric of the community. Anne internalized things, blaming herself, when it fact, it was the behavior of others that was wrong. One of the major thoughts I have after reading this book is that Anne never set out to do any of this, and accomplished an enormous amount, whereas many children from upper class families set out to "conquer the world," and never manage to do so. There is a lot to be learned from someone who does not come from wealth, but then becomes successful. The fact that she has shared so much of this wealth does put many others to shame, those who do not consider helping others in need.

Since I am only 5 minutes from where Annie Beiler lives and am very familiar with the Auntie Anne business I was most interested in reading this book. I bought one as soon as it was available and read it in a short time. I must say that I did find it a bit confusing going back and forth from her past and present and I understood this when talking about the death of her daughter and how she has and will continue to impact her life, but with the entire book written that way it got a bit confusing. That is why I didn't feel that I could go higher than 3 stars. I must give her husband 5 stars for standing by her throughout her difficult times and she does not hesistate to give him credit. For those who do not know her business she has made a tremendous positive impact in our local community. I would recommend reading this book.

Anne Beiler's inspiring story of her life made it a very worthwhile book to read despite the layout of the book with mixing the past and present. The story about the tragic loss of her daughter cuts to the heart of any Mom. What I loved most was the tenacity to keep moving forward despite the many difficulties and challenges that she faced.

As a Christian, I love the fact that she is not shy about expressing her faith in God and crediting Him for helping her through all the ups and downs in her personal and professional life. This isn't just about how the best pretzels on earth came about (although that part is fascinating) but it's about family, faith and finding fortune by persevering.

After reading this book, what I realized most of all is that it's the journey that counts (not fame or fortune) and that's where you'll find your greatest blessings. Often they are right under your nose.

The basic "storyline" is fascinating - the creation of a large business empire predicated upon generosity. And the subject, Annie herself, is improbable - little education, Amish background - which makes the book even more compelling.

Unfortunately, I found the endless breastbeating about her personal pitfalls unfortunate, particularly her acquiesence to abuse by her pastor. Also, apparently, this went on for about 6 years if I understood correctly - it was hard to track some of what was going on because of the frequently shifting time frame. It's a little hard to believe that someone who was smart enough to develop this amazing business empire was on the other hand stupid enough to put up with that nonsense for 6 years. A few months, a year maybe, but 6??

In any case, I took the book hoping to learn a lot more about how the business was created and developed, and was disappointed in that respect. It was still interesting, nonetheless, and perhaps a sequel could be written that treats more of the business and charitable aspects, and less of the personal.

This was a great book and it was exactly what I expected.
Everyone should read this book. I could not put it down.I loved it.

I really enjoyed book. It was a bit confusing going back and forth between time lines, but book was well worth re-reading to catch timing.

My wife loves Auntie Anne's Pretzels so I bought the book because I've been going there for the last few years. I knew they were from PA since we lived there when the company started. Great product by the way.

But when you read this improbable and incredible journey of Anne and her family you know she built this company on a wing and a prayer with no background in business, being Amish and not graduating high school. It is not really a business book, other than to learn the value of faith in business.

I was brought to tears many times reading it. She shares her painful business and personal journey, a journey of abuse by her Pastor and being the outcast of the family for telling. Big time read and I thank her for having the guts to share her journey of imperfection with the rest of us too afraid to do so.

Great read.

I loved TWIST OF FAITH written by Anne Beiler. It was a great story of courage and faith. I would recommend it to everyone.

Anne Beiler's account is the perfect example of how appearances can be deceptive, how an outside view is not necessarily someone's inner "truth." Anne was busy, busy, busy building a super-successful business, while inside she was battling depression, questioning her self-worth and beating herself up for past choices and situations.
She started her first store at a farmers' market in 1988 with a $6,000 loan from her father-in-law. Her husband reworked the original pretzel recipe, created something amazing and almost immediately the business was profitable. She expanded to other farmers' markets and within a year she was licensing the business. More and more people came to her asking how they could own an Auntie Anne's store and the company kept growing at an amazing rate. By the end of 1990, there were 50 locations in nine states! She had a large extended family that played an extensive role in the growth and success of the business. Over 17 years Auntie Anne's built more than 850 locations worldwide.
So you read just that much and you think, "Wow! I want that kind of success!" Yeah, of course you do. So do I. But that's just the outward story.
Inside, Anne was fighting demons. She was still devastated by the death of her toddler daughter years earlier. She was hiding a secret from the rest of the world that was eating away at her. Her family life was strained at best; she felt disconnected from her husband and her two teenage daughters raged out of control. So much pain and guilt. You wonder how she survived it.
No doubt much of the reason was her connection to God. In a completely non-preachy or offensive way, (sometimes you mention God and people back away really quickly!), she talks about her faith. Fine, I admit it, this is where I felt even more envy than at the speed of her business profitability. She maintains such a strong faith and she consistently gets messages from God. She asks for signs and guidance and gets almost immediate answers every time.
If you like seeing behind the curtain, learning how other entrepreneurs handle and face down considerable challenges to become successful regardless, you will enjoy Anne Beiler's honest and emotional story.

This book does switch back & forth way too much which makes it a confusing read. It was interesting to read about Anne's start into her Auntie Anne's franchise and I truly admire her determination to give back so generously some of her wealth. After Anne's 6 year affair with her pastor or whatever you want to call it...I was SHOCKED when she had another affair...how much can her non-cheating husband take??? I am 3/4 done with this book, but it is getting so bad that I don't know if I even feel like finishing it. The book darts around so much that nothing is really covered in any depth except the pretzel business.