
The Amish
A Concise Introduction
Steven M. Nolt(Author)
Johns Hopkins University Press
Will be published approx. on 26. June 2016
Book
Paperback/Softback
152 pages
978-1-4214-1956-5 (ISBN)
Description
There seems to be no end to our fascination with the Amish, a religious minority that has both placed itself outside the mainstream of American culture and flourished within it. Yet most people know very little about the nuanced relationship the Amish have with society or their own communities. Drawing on more than twenty years of fieldwork and collaborative research, Steven M. Nolt's The Amish: A Concise Introduction is a compact but richly detailed portrait of Amish life. In fewer than 150 pages, readers will come away with a clear understanding of the complexities of these simple people. Writing in engaging and accessible language, Nolt explains how the Amish at once operate within modern America and stand very much apart from the world. Arguing that Amish life is shaped equally by internal and external social, political, and economic contexts, Nolt explores Amish identity as emerging from a complex cultural negotiation with modernity. He takes on much-hyped topics such as Rumspringa and reveals the distinctive Amish approach to technology.
He also explains how Amish principles stand in contrast to contemporary American values, including rational efficiency, large-scale organization, and Western notions of individuality. Authoritative, informative, and illustrated, this guide provides a vivid introduction to a way of life many find fascinating but few truly understand.
He also explains how Amish principles stand in contrast to contemporary American values, including rational efficiency, large-scale organization, and Western notions of individuality. Authoritative, informative, and illustrated, this guide provides a vivid introduction to a way of life many find fascinating but few truly understand.
Reviews / Votes
There is much to learn (and unlearn) about Amish life; this book is the best place to start. Pennsylvania HeritageMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Baltimore, MD
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
28 s/w Photographien bzw. Rasterbilder, 6 s/w Zeichnungen
6 Line drawings, black and white; 28 Halftones, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 141 mm
Thickness: 12 mm
Weight
189 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4214-1956-5 (9781421419565)
DOI
10.1353/book.44948
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
06/2016
Johns Hopkins University Press
€12.49
Available for download
Person
Steven M. Nolt is a professor of history and Senior Scholar at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. He is the author of A History of the Amish and the coauthor of The Amish.
Content
1. Meet the Amish
2. Amish Roots
3. Living the Old Order
4. Community and Church
5. Rumspringa
6. Family and Schooling
7. Work and Technology
8. The Amish and Their Neighbors
9. Amish Images in Modern America
Appendix A
Appendix B
Notes
For Further Reading
Index
2. Amish Roots
3. Living the Old Order
4. Community and Church
5. Rumspringa
6. Family and Schooling
7. Work and Technology
8. The Amish and Their Neighbors
9. Amish Images in Modern America
Appendix A
Appendix B
Notes
For Further Reading
Index