Amish in Their Own Words cover

Amish in Their Own Words

by Brad Igou

Why another book about the Amish? Each year brings academic studies and personal reflections on Amish friends. Here you can read what the Amish say about you themselves. Brad Igou offers writings by Amish people across North America, compiled from the first 25 years (1968-92) of Family Life, a monthly Amish magazine. He includes letters, articles, history lessons, parables, questions, challenges -- a wide spectrum of human experience, from an Amish point of view. Sixteen chapters cover fascinating topics such as shunning, nonresistance, clothing, youth activities, old age, conflicts with the modem world, Amish beginnings, controversies, education, work, church, mutual aid, food, humor, and lessons from life. You will understand, think, laugh, cry, and be touched in a personal way by a people focused on living for God. These humble folk write with simple directness. Open this book and explore the unique world of the Amish, their history, their church community, their challenges, joys, and sorrows, as only they can tell it -- in their own words.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?