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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Search Leads to Answers, some yes. some no...nevertheless, March 11, 2000
By A Customer
there are, indeed, answers...try reading this book. Its present day American anthropology, and at the least, a personal experience that you'll relate to, and...yes, not relate to. But this book will give you inspiration, and make you question the basics of your own life.This is personal book. A journal. A journey. It has a distinct artist flavor to it, (I highly recommend it to artists or those of artist nature and intensity). Some people won't like it. They'll not understand the culture which is indeed, highly controversial, even amoung those who are close neighbors to the Amish, and yes, even among the Amish themselves. You might be intrigued, however, if "Amish" is something new to you. I grew up in the vicinity of an Amish community that the author describes, and I still visit the area regularly. My family has always deeply appreciated their beliefs, even though my family was from an entirely different culture/religion. Sometimes, many times, we didn't understand...but we recognized that they could create what we couldn't do. My family has many Amish quilts, we've eaten many Amish meals, purchased many of their wares...one of our favorites being one family's delicious Angel Food cakes (all made without electricity). I've seen the Amish plowing their fields, not long after the snow has melted (the last time was 11 months ago), with a team of magnificent horses on a hand-hewn plow that looks like something from a museum (in our culture)...and the scene...yes, so lovely... a scene like a painting that's come to life.... It is easy for people to imagine Van Gogh standing alongside the wooden fence which marks the boundry between horse-drawn plow and automobiles, painting quickly, watching the spirit slowly fade...how long can the Amish avoid technology? I knew of the Amish, before moving to Boston, and now, that, we're here in Silicon Valley. I happened on this book in the bookshop at Pacific Grove, in fact. It seemed to be a peaceful book, suited for my peaceful weekend getaway. It turned into more than that. I could relate to the author's curiousity; I could relate to the Amish from my own vague experiences; I could relate to the book as a journey of finding out how one really feels about our Self in this world that's scheduled within 15-minute segments on a Daytimer. I could relate to the importance of life's experiences that don't always involve the stock market and money. Its an easy read. Nicely experienced after a cup of tea just before bed, where you can privately sigh with a sense of true relaxation.... Yes, (sigh) slow down...read a while, turn off the light and imagine the world you just read about. But...in the morning...well.... How does it all connect? What is this odd formula that causes these small societies to produce many fine pieces of art? (Or is it, in marketing jargon, just a product?) What is it that pulls these people together? What is it that makes them try something seeming too difficult and seemingly too time-consuming? It is worthwhile, as a bottom-line, to... spend time? Enjoy. I'd love to meet the author...even though we have a library of thousands of books, I've only said that about Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, who won the McArthur Award. I have met her briefly. She's wonderful. (She was the advisor to a dear friend of mine at university in NH.) The "air" of the books are somewhat similar. "Plain and Simple" is a good book, especially if you like "journal, diary-type" manuscripts. Buy it to try it. It might work for you. It might be just too foreign to you. But it is a good gamble.
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