AMISH
Wild Word Friday!
You may have noticed that novels about the AMISH People are very popular. The AMISH lifestyle fascinates many people, particularly those who need a break from the fast-paced, hard-edged world we live in today. The AMISH people in the United States live much as they did 200 years ago, and refer to themselves as being Plain.
The word AMISH is eponymous in origin in that it comes to us from the name of the founder of the AMISH religion, Jakob Ammann who lived in Switzerland in the 1600s.
In the early 18th century, many Amish (a Christian Protestant sect) emigrated to Pennsylvania in the United States. Their descendants have since settled in other states and also in several Canadian provinces.
In the Christian fiction market, AMISH books are so popular that they’ve recently begun to be classified as a sub-genre. If you are interested in learning more about the AMISH People or in reading fiction about the AMISH, may I direct you to the AMISH Hearts Blog written by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Barbara Cameron, and Kelly Long, who are all authors of inspirational Amish novels. They share a deep affection for the Amish and their simpler way of life. Their blog includes musings about the Amish, book releases, authentic recipes, and a host of other topics related to the fascinating world of the Plain People. Reference their blog at http://amishhearts.com
Does the AMISH way of life appeal to you, or do you prefer to live with all the commotion and conveniences of modern life?
Blessings!
Sue
yes… it certainly appeals to me… I even looked into it with more depth recently… I find the Amish way very attractive but maybe a little bit to “old fashioned”… I do like my electronics like: coffee maker, washing machine and dish washer. :))
About a year and a half ago I discovered I could trace one branch of my family tree back to an early ship of Amish who arrived in in 1737 and homesteaded in the original Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (The county lines are drawn differently now.) Having a family connection made me interested to understand more, and that led to writing ACCIDENTALLY AMISH, which releases in October. I intertwine a historical story with a contemporary story to showcase the choices we all make and whether we make them well. It was fascinating to understand the reasons behind the choices the Amish make in their lifestyle.
It certainly fascinates me, and I admire their ability to forgo modern conveniences. I think I would like to try it for a while, but I’m not sure I could survive long term. I agree with Jackie, I like having a dishwasher and washing machine! Oh, and I’m not overly fond of wearing dresses 🙂
My Michigan brother-in-law says that the Amish have many appliances that are gas powered instead of electric.
A few years ago we traveled through an Amish area in Ohio. We stayed at an Amish Bed & Breakfast in Charm, Ohio. It was very interesting and not at all like the B & B’s one would normally stay in. We spent a couple of days just driving around and looking at the beautiful farms and rolling hills (no poles & wires to obstruct the view!!) Several years previous, we had traveled through the Lancaster, PA area and enjoyed our stay there, too. It was a great learning experience for us and made me think of families I was close to growing up in our own little town 🙂 I like the peacefulness of the Amish life, but not sure I could do it ‘full time’ as we have become spoiled by our conveniences!!
Karen, I didn’t know they had gas powered appliances. That’s very interesting. I’m with Lynn, Nicole and Jackie – the lifestyle certainly has an appeal, but I’m very spoiled by my modern conveniences. Also, like Nicole, I’m not much for wearing dresses if I have work to do!
Olivia, I’m going to be looking forward to reading ACCIDENTALLY AMISH! I always love to hear what inspires novelists as they plot and write their books.
Just recently I started reading about Amish lifestyle & found it very interesting and admire them as people! It’s so hard to imagine people living like that in this modern world we live in with all our mods & cons. I sure would have withdrawls signs if I didn’t have my lap top & I phone. Like you Sue I would hate having to work in dress it’s much easy being casual!!
Is it the Amish that allow their teenagers to leave the community for a day or so in order to make an ‘adult’ choice about staying in their own community? If so, I can’t imagine how they could not be tempted by the conveniences of modern technology. Is it the Amish or Mennonites who have community newspapers?
I think it’s more than a day. Any experts out there who know about this tradition?