Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life

[Packratona!]

Anyone read this one yet?

[Mighty Frugal]

no but it sounds great. Did you enjoy it-can you tell me about it?

[Tiam]

I'd need to know about it first.

[Mrs-M]

No, but it sure sounds interesting!

[domestic goddess]

Sounds interesting. Who is the author?

[iris lily]

Here's a summary of Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life by Nancy Sleeth from Amazon:

"Have you ever stopped to think, Maybe the Amish are on to something? Look around. We tweet while we drive, we talk while we text, and we surf the Internet until we fall asleep. We are essentially plugged in and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rather than mastering technology, we have allowed technology to master us. We are an exhausted nation. No one has enough time, everyone feels stressed out, and our kids spend more hours staring at a screen each week than they do playing outside.

It’s time to simplify our lives, make faith and family the focal point, and recapture the lost art of simple living. Building on the basic principles of Amish life, Nancy Sleeth shows readers how making conscious choices to limit (and in some cases eliminate) technology’s hold on our lives and getting back to basics can help us lead calmer, more focused, less harried lives that result in stronger, deeper relationships with our families, friends, and God."

This author is directly channeling Eric Brende, my neighbor (well, he lives one neighborhood over) , who wrote Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology about exactly the same issues. He and his wife lived in an Amish community for a year or so. He was an MIT graduate concerned about the role technology was taking in his life. That was more than a decade ago--now they have kids and live in an urban core without a car, they homeschool. I'm not entirely sure how they get income other than they make and sell candles.

[Bastelmutti]

I had not heard of that book, but recently read this article in that same vein:

Jake Reilly's "Amish Project"
http://news.yahoo.com/90-days-without-cell-phone-email-social-media-015300257.html

[gail_d]

I've read a review copy of Almost Amish and will share my thoughts (hopefully within a week or so).

[nswef]

It does sound interesting. I had a niece who asked her mom if my husband and I had "turned Amish" because we had an old car, small house and didn't spend a lot of money. We still laugh about it.

[JaneV2.0]

I can't think of anything about Amish life that appeals to me. Well OK--the lack of gas-powered tools, so more peace and quiet--but that's about it. Among my favorite aspects of life on earth are constant lifelong education and decorative arts of all kinds, both of which are anathema to Amish society. All the apple pan dowdy in the world can't make up for that. And no screen time? No thanks. Dour fundamentalist world view, women as Old Testament vessels... Shudder. I tune in to Amish: Out of Order once in awhile on the National Geographic Channel and find it sad that so few of the escapees pursue further education, instead just doing what they know best--construction work.

[iris lily]

...find it sad that so few of the escapees pursue further education, instead just doing what they know best--construction work.

Amish cabinent makers are all the rage now in my neighborhood. I've got my own cabinent maker in DH so don't need them, but the Amish guys we know make very fine prodcuts at very reasonable prices. You have to drive 1/5 hours to their workshop.

[JaneV2.0]

Cabinet-making, even some kinds of construction work, can be an art form, no doubt. I just don't buy the idea that an eighth-grade education is enough.

[Merski]

I read it and loved the ideal of a clean uncluttered home and yard but not the religious aspects of it, truth be told.

[peggy]

I can't think of anything about Amish life that appeals to me. Well OK--the lack of gas-powered tools, so more peace and quiet--but that's about it. Among my favorite aspects of life on earth are constant lifelong education and decorative arts of all kinds, both of which are anathema to Amish society. All the apple pan dowdy in the world can't make up for that. And no screen time? No thanks. Dour fundamentalist world view, women as Old Testament vessels... Shudder. I tune in to Amish: Out of Order once in awhile on the National Geographic Channel and find it sad that so few of the escapees pursue further education, instead just doing what they know best--construction work.

+1

[nswef]

I read it - about 3 chapters and the preaching and constant scripture quoting drove me crazy. I liked the idea but not the presentation.

[EarthSky]

I skimmed it, and thought the concepts are very basic for many on this forum. Most of the philosophies and ideas have long been discussed on this board....

[tyman]

some serious Christian bashers on this thread.