Goodreads Description
Ever since renting a gorgeous cabin from Amish proprietors for a weekend getaway, I've been wildly curious about the Amish lifestyle. Unfortunately, this was a little letdown. I loved the sections detailing day-to-day life, religious tenents, relationships, and history of the old order Amish.
Most of the story focuses on Wagler's struggle to remain in this rigid community. Wagler was commendable in admitting his faults as well as espousing the virtue of many Amish people. I liked how he retrospectively assessed the situation and didn't smear people for a better story.
However, I think this might have been better suited as a novella or essay. Most of the pages focus on his departures and returns to the community. Rating this book is difficult since Wagler's story mainly consists of back and forth traveling, but I found it slightly tedious. Even when he was in the regular English communities, the sections were vague about his actual experience. Long hours of work and little free time could have been the reason for this- nothing to tell if nothing happens. Overall, I appreciate Wagler's glimpse into a rather secretive community, and it sparked my interest to further explore this culture.
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