Inside an Amish Home: A Rare and Intimate Portrait

by Herald Press Editors

Welcome to an Amish Home. It's rare for outsiders to see inside the homes of Old Order Amish people, who live their Christian faith in community, simplicity, and humility. An Amish family in the Midwest gives us a glimpse into the intimate spaces where their family life unfolds. Patterns of work, play, fellowship, and worship become visible, and the warmth and light of the rooms bear witness to their love for God and for each other. Come in!

Genres: Amish, Nonfiction

95 pages, Paperback

Published February 26, 2020

Reviews

[Glen]

I wonder if I misunderstood what book I was asking for. I was looking for a book on Amish living, something much more comprehensive than the book I paged through.

I am assuming from the content that this book was for young readers. The pictures were great, but the tone of the text was a little condescending. Maybe the book was being directed for really young readers.. If not then the author should rethink their strategy.

Might have been a waste of time for me, but maybe your young onne might like it.

[Denise]

Not what I expected at all. I thought this was going to be an in depth, exclusive look at Amish life. It's actually a short little picture book that too about 10 minutes to read. Each picture has a brief description and a Bible verse. This might be a coffee table book with nice pictures (not sure since I had the black and white Kindle version), but no new info about the Amish.

[Nanette]

A glimpse into the lives of the Amish. I can imagine what an inside of a house may look like while driving through Shipshewana.

[Susan Faloon]

This is a nice, beautifully photographed book that shares a look into an Amish home and lifestyle. There is such a fascination surrounding the Amish these days, mainly due to the popularity of fiction stories based on the faith and simple life the communities dedicate themselves to. Adhering to the strict guidelines of the community specific to the family whos' home is open to them, the photographers have respectfully shown the readers a touch of their life.
The book is enhanced with scripture verses and tidbits of information about daily life in an Amish home. I found it particularly interesting that a new wagon could cost in the thousands of dollars. I enjoyed seeing the photos of the kitchen, garden goods and more. I found it amusing to see a large jar of Miracle Whip on the table laden with food to prep a meal. It's one of my family's favorite ingredients too, so easily recognizable.
This is a nice book for a coffee table conversation piece or an accompaniment so an Amish fiction fan to be able to see what one usually has to imagine. It's a pristine home with very simple decor that a minimalist could love. It was very kind of the women to allow their colorful dresses and hard working hands to be photographed. Tasteful, respectful and understanding job on the part of the photographer. There are beautiful still life photos too.

My thanks as an Amish fiction fan goes out to the Herald Press Editors and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book for my Kindle. A hardbound book would be excellent, I would think.

[Sunnie]

This was a very short read. I think it took me about 10 minutes or less. So I was a little disappointed. I was hoping for some new details that I was not familiar with from having read many Amish novels. There were quite a few photos which was nice.

It might make an interesting piece on the coffee table, but for serious readers probably needs some more depth and research. Maybe add some recipes since there are many photos about cooking etc.

I received an ebook copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

[Cindy Batdorf]

This is a short telling of the Amish and their home life.
From buggies to church, garden to market, and propane to electricity. Each section ends with a Bible verse.
A quote from the book " But it's a life filled with simple beauty, lively community, and deep faith- if only you take time to look." A good thought for all of us in 2020.

I with there could have been more depth to each topic.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

[Dianna]

Good quick read. I can’t say I learned anything new about the Amish. It had the Brasov information in it that most people know already if they have interest in the Amish. I did really enjoy seeing the pictures though. I am really drawn to the Amish life and it’s rare to get many pictures of them so that was really neat.

[Lisa Phillips]

This book gives a great view of Amish living. It tells about their beliefs and rules of living. I enjoyed all the beautiful photographs in the book. It gives examples of what life is like in the Amish everyday living. If you are looking for a book to explain the Amish lifestyle this is a informative book. This book was given to me as an ARC for my honest review

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs]

I was let down as soon as I opened the book and my opinion never changed. Based on the description from the publisher I thought I would get an "intimate" look into an Amish home and what I got was a picture book with extended descriptions. As a fan of Amish fiction, I did not learn anything new. If you have never read Amish fiction or are not familiar with the Amish then you will learn a few interesting facts.

I hope the print version resembles more of a coffee table book than a novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Herald Press through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

[Rebecca Beverly]

Very short book...can read in a few minutes. Good pictures, Bible verses, and brief descriptions of Amish life. I have read a good bit about the Amish so most of this was not new to me. Nicely done especially for those who want only a very brief glimpse of the Amish home.

[Angie]

This is a perfect coffee table book with beautiful photographs of an Amish home. The gardens, the kitchen, the porch, and more. The book is very short. I would have loved a couple of authentic recipes from the garden/kitchen sections. 3.5 Stars

[Miss Armstrong]

Liked seeing the photos and learning about the Amish. Learned that some orders have different color Amish buggies.

[Karen]

Beautiful photographs and well written. Very enjoyable if you are interested in the Amish way of life.

[Melanie Falconer]

This is a small book with pictures inside an Amish home with short descriptions and Bible verses. The book can be read/looked at in under 30 minutes. If you are looking for a picture book, this will fit the bill. If you are looking for a more in depth look into the Amish lifestyle, then this is not the one you want to get. Pictures were nice.

[Sherry Greene]

This is a very brief look into the Amish culture that includes pictures of various Amish subjects.

I didn’t feel that it gave any more information than what you glean from reading most Amish novels or travel entries online. I felt it could have gone into much more detail, covering many more subjects. I was disappointed in this book. It took just a few minutes to read it since there wasn’t much to it.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Herald Press for my honest opinion.

[Lori]

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Growing up in Western NY and marrying someone from Lancaster PA, I have always had an interest in learning as much as I can about the different Amish communities. This book gave a very brief insight into one Amish Home - and the pictures that went along with the description were helpful. I was really interested in the gas lights and sewing machines. The most surprising thing from this book was the porch furniture- it looks more store bought.

[Linda Smith]

We live in a community where many Amish families live so I was fascinated to read this book. It's a relatively short book with lovely pictures and descriptions of what a typical Amish home is like.
There are also references made as to lifestyle and how it may differ from ours. I have enormous respect for this community of people who have chosen to live separately. Their work ethics and commitment to family are to be admired.
I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Cecilia]

Loved the photos but wish it had contained more explanation or greater detail. I felt it was a bit lacking.

[Zaneta]

I was a little disappointed with this book as it was not very much information. I expected to get an in depth look of an Amish home and the culture yet I was given little information with pictures. This would be a good coffee table book, but not a book to sit down and immerse yourself in to read.