Pennsylvania Plain People
Pennsylvania has a fascinating and complex history of welcoming religious reformers and visionaries. The commonwealth also has a rich contemporary culture of "plain people," which includes the large and diverse Mennonite tradition, its conservative schismatic Amish, and the Society of Friends who helped create such an accommodating refuge from European wars of religion. Here I feature some of the standards of the store, including a well-regarded mystery series by P.L. Gaus set in Ohio.
The Amish of Lancaster County
The Amish of Lancaster County
More than 5 million people visit Lancaster County every year to experience the culture of the oldest Amish community in the world. This book by the leading scholar of the Amish in North America explains the uncommon lifestyle of these simple-living people who intrigue so many visitors. Mini essays on all aspects of Amish life, from spirituality and dress to horse-and-buggy transport, are accompanied by beautiful full-color photographs. The author also discusses myths about the Amish, their selective use of technology, the current media attention to Rumspringa, and the tragedy at the Nickel Mines school.