Welcome back! We are so pleased you are joining us for our podcast book group: Reading with Libraries!
This week we are discussing Plain, Amish, and Mennonite Fiction.
In our book group we have fun talking about books, and provide useful information for library people doing Reader’s Advisory work. There are so many books out there that it’s tough to be an expert on all of them. So we pick a new genre each week to chat about and hopefully provide you with some insight into what may be an unfamiliar genre!
Our book group is very inclusive; there are no “right” or “wrong” books here! We just like to read and chat about books, and want you to share what you are reading too! All of us will take away at least a title or two that we want to read at the end of our time together.
Who is joining us this week? We are pleased to welcome returning Guest Host Lydia!
Beverages:
Each week we like to connect the theme of our books with our beverages, and we each came prepared with our own drink to enjoy while we talk about our books. You are an important part of this book group, so if you don’t have a beverage go ahead and get one now. Each of our beverages will have a recipe or a link on our episode page, so you can try them yourself!
This week, our beverages are from assorted Amish cookbooks. Click on these links to learn more about the people who contributed the recipes to the different books, and consider shopping for some of these yourselves!
| In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in hot water and butter; bring to a boil. Add the milk, maple flavoring, vanilla and 8 marshmallows. Heat through, stirring occasionally, until marshmallows are melted. Ladle into mugs and top each with a marshmallow. Serves 4. | 1/4 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. baking cocoa 1/8 tsp. salt 1/4 cup hot water 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine 4 cup milk 1 tsp. maple flavoring 1 tsp. vanilla extract 12 large marshmallows |
| Mix ingredients in large punch bowl. Add sherbet. Stir lightly. | 1 qt. 50/50 pop 2 qts ginger ale 1 qt pineapple juice 2 qts lime sherbet |
| Double this recipe to make a punch bowl full. Freeze 2 rings punch in a ring to use while serving. | 46 oz can red Hawaiian Punch 6 oz. can frozen pineapple juice 28 oz. bottle chilled 7-Up 2 bottles Faygo orange pineapple pop 1 quart pineapple sherbet |
There is also PA Dutch Birch Beer, Popular Amish Beverage, 12 Oz. Cans (One 6-Pack) available from Amazon!
- PA Dutch Birch Beer is a favorite Amish drink and is protected with high-density foam during shipping
- Each package automatically received a bonus: A free Gospel of John booklet!
- Made from an old Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, Birch Beer is refreshingly peppy, yet caffeine-free!
- Enjoyable on a hot summer afternoon; Try a birch beer float with ice cream, what a treat!
- Treat your family and friends to old-fashioned taste, old-fashioned goodness
Genre Discussion:
Let’s start with a quick definition of Amish and Mennonites, for people who may not be familiar with these religions.
From Wikipedia: “The Amish (/ˈɑːmɪʃ/; Pennsylvania German: Amisch, German: Amische) are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss GermanAnabaptist origins. They are closely related to, but distinct from, Mennonitechurches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.
The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann.[2]Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish.[3] In the second half of the 19th century, the Amish divided into Old Order Amish and Amish Mennonites. The latter mostly assimilated into the main society during the 20th century, whereas the Old Order Amish retained much of their traditional culture. When it is spoken of Amish today, normally only the Old Order Amish are meant.”
“The Mennonites are members of certain Christian groups belonging to the church communities of Anabaptist denominations named after Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland (which today is a province of the Netherlands). … In contemporary 21st-century society, Mennonites either are described only as a religious denomination with members of different ethnic origins[4][5] or as both an ethnic group and a religious denomination. There is controversy among Mennonites about this issue, with some insisting that they are simply a religious group while others argue that they form a distinct ethnic group”
“The phenomenon that is Amish fiction, itself a subset of a larger genre of romances christened “bonnet books” by editors and marketers, is in some ways representative of a publishing industry bent on the bottom line. Bonnet books by top authors rarely sell less than 100,000 copies and several Amish fiction writers produce more than one book a year.”
From the article More Titillated Than Thou: How the Amish conquered the evangelical romance market: “In less than a decade, bonnet titles have overtaken bestseller lists, Christian and non-Christian alike. More than eighty such books will be published in 2015, up from twelve titles in 2008. Three novelists, Beverly Lewis (who launched the genre in 1997 with The Shunning), Cindy Woodsmall, and Wanda Brunstetter, are together responsible for the sale of more than twenty-four million books. Today, there are approximately thirty-nine authors of Amish-themed fiction; their collective output works out to one Amish fiction book published every four days.”
The appeal of these books make sense for many busy people. According to Steve Oates, vice president of marketing for Bethany House publishers, ““Everyone gathers around the table for the evening meal,” Oates said. “Life is first and foremost family-oriented, and the environment is one in which it’s perfectly natural to talk about God, about praying. Children are naturally obedient. They’re not running off to hang out with their friends. Of course, that’s not the way it really is in the Amish community – they have their own problems – but in these books everyone belongs to a close, tight-knit community, which is very appealing to women.”
“The books are aspirational,” he added. “It’s the ‘I wish my family were like this’ kind of thing.”
One criticism of some Amish fiction is that it is not written by Amish people themselves, but Evangelical Christian women, looking for a less-complicated lifestyle than the ones they are living. “Evangelical authors have repurposed an Amish experience that they know only at second hand for a readership made up mostly of evangelical women.” “With few exceptions, the novels are written by evangelical Christian authors and published by evangelical publishing houses.”
Amish and Mennonite people both read this genre. “Mennonites both consume and produce Amish romance novels. One marketing manager told me that the books produced by his https://themennonite.org/feature/whats-mennonite/publishing company, which publishes some of the leading Amish-fiction writers’ work, sell best near Amish communities. “That’s not because we’re selling to the Amish,” he clarified; “that’s because we’re selling to the Mennonites who live near them.” The author, a Mennonite herself, goes on to say “While Amish fiction remains an alpha dog in the world of Christian romance literature, evidence is gathering that a related subgenre is nipping at its heels: Mennonite fiction.”
Suggested Reading Resources:
- Intro to Amish Fiction: Five Authors to Check Out
- From ChristianBooks.com: Amish Fiction: Shop our Amish Fiction store & find Christian people who follow simple life traditions while living off their land & use no modern technologies.
- From Goodreads: Best of Amish Fiction
- A list of Amish fiction writers, from the blog of one of the top writers in this genre – Cindy Woodsmall
- “This is a list of 11 great Amish fiction books. 254 people have suggested and upvoted their favorite books, so have a look at how Murder Freshly Baked (Amish Village Mystery Series), The Beloved Hope Chest (Amish Heirloom Series), When the Soul Mends (Sisters of the Quilt) -and more- are ranking and find the best solution for you.”
- From Salon.com: Amish fiction: Put a bonnet on it
- From Bookriot.com, a skeptical bookseller discusses her small foray into Amish fiction
- From the Los Angeles Review of Books: Bonnet Rippers: The Rise of the Amish Romance Novel
- Popular Mennonite Fiction Books
- The Amish makeover of Christian fiction
Our Book Discussion
Now we are a little more familiar with this week’s genre, and we have enjoyed some of our special beverages, let’s get to the book discussion!
If you click on any of the links below, you go right to Amazon for more information on the book. If you buy that book, or anything else in that visit, Amazon will give us a small percentage of the money they make. That small amount makes a big difference for us, so thanks in advance for any help here!
(We actually forgot to talk about this one – but all three of us read it and really enjoyed it!)
“Not long after Rhoda Janzen turned forty, her world turned upside down. It was bad enough that her husband of fifteen years left her for Bob, a guy he met on Gay.com, but that same week a car accident left her injured. Needing a place to rest and pick up the pieces of her life, Rhoda packed her bags, crossed the country, and returned to her quirky Mennonite family’s home, where she was welcomed back with open arms and offbeat advice. (Rhoda’s good-natured mother suggested she get over her heartbreak by dating her first cousin―he owned a tractor, see.)
Written with wry humor and huge personality―and tackling faith, love, family, and aging―Mennonite in a Little Black Dress is an immensely moving memoir of healing, certain to touch anyone who has ever had to look homeward in order to move ahead.”
“When a well-to-do family asks Sallie Riehl to be their daughter’s nanny for the summer at their Cape May, New Jersey, vacation home, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons beyond the Lancaster County Amish community where she grew up. Sallie has long dreamed of seeing more of the world, but her parents are reluctant for her to put off baptism yet another summer, and the timing is unfortunate for Perry Zook, who has renewed interest in courting her.
Though she loves nannying, Sallie has free time on the weekends to enjoy the shore. It is there that she meets Kevin Kreider, a marine biology student who talks freely about all he’s learning and asks about her interests, unlike most of the guys she grew up with. Time with Kevin is invigorating, and Sallie realizes she’s never felt quite this alive around Perry. Then again, Kevin is Mennonite, not Amish.
Sallie tries to brush aside her growing feelings for Kevin, but she fears what her parents would think about her new friendship. Just as concerning, however, is Sallie’s realization that her time in Cape May is increasing her desire to see the world, challenging her plans for the future. Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will Sallie only find what her heart is longing for back home in Paradise Township?”
“Living in Harmony is the first book in bestselling author Mary Ellis’s New Beginnings series. It’s about fresh starts and love…and how faith in God and His perfect plan for our lives provides us with the peace and joy we desire.
Amy King―young, engaged, and Amish―faces difficult challenges in her life when she suddenly loses both of her parents in a house fire. Her fiancé, John Detweiler, persuades her and her sister Nora to leave Lancaster County and make a new beginning with him in Harmony, Maine, where he has relatives who can help the women in their time of need.
John’s brother Thomas and sister-in-law Sally readily open their home to the three newcomers. Wise beyond his years, Thomas, a minister in the district, refuses to marry Amy and John upon their arrival, suggesting instead a period of adjustment and counseling. During this time Amy discovers an aunt who was shunned. She wishes to reconnect with her, but this puts a strain on her relationship with John.
Can John and Amy find a way to live in happily in Harmony before making a lifetime commitment to one another?”
“Katy has always enjoyed life in her small Mennonite community, but she longs to learn more than her school can offer. After getting approval from her elders, Katy starts her sophomore year at the public high school in town, where she meets new friends and encounters perspectives much different than her own. But as Katy begins to find her way in the outside world, her relationships at home become restrained. Can she find a balance between her two worlds?”
“Sworn to Silence is the first in Linda Castillo’s New York Times bestselling Kate Burkholder series.
Some secrets are too terrible to reveal. Some crimes are too unspeakable to solve. . . .
In Painters Mill, Ohio, the Amish and “English” residents have lived side by side for two centuries. But sixteen years ago, a series of brutal murders shattered the peaceful farming community. A young Amish girl named Kate Burkholder survived the terror of the Slaughterhouse Killer . . . but ultimately decided to leave her community.
A wealth of experience later, Kate has been asked to return to Painters Mill as chief of police. Her Amish roots and big-city law enforcement background make her the perfect candidate. She’s certain she’s come to terms with her past―until the first body is discovered in a snowy field.
Kate vows to stop the killer before he strikes again. But to do so, she must betray both her family and her Amish past―and expose a dark secret that could destroy her.”
“From America s most trusted expert on Amish life comes Simply Amish, an essential guide to Amish life, culture, and faith. Why do the Amish reject technology and education or do they? Why do their young people choose to stay Amish when their beliefs and practices put them so at odds with modern society? How are they different from the Mennonites?
““After three hours of chores, breakfast, phone calls, and getting mail ready, it was 9:30 by the time I got to sewing. I sewed three blouses before noontime.”
As an Amish wife and mother of six, Lena Yoder has plenty of ways to fill her time.
“I helped with the afternoon milking, baked two different kinds of cakes, made two pizzas, and got everybody ready to take supper to school for the teachers.”
But amid the endless tasks to complete and challenges to overcome, Lena’s simple joy and deep faith are ever present in these brief, first-person accounts.
“I am thoroughly enjoying these days at home…Our family is filled with love…I could never list everything I am thankful for.”
These unassuming glimpses of Amish life will touch your heart and inspire you to seek the simple things—a loving family, a good day’s work, and a grateful heart.”
“Widower Marie Koeppler and her grown daughter Beth reluctantly return to the Mennonite community Marie abandoned twenty-three years ago. Soon after their arrival in Sommerfeld, a series of mysterious thefts raises the community’s suspicions against the “outsiders.” Can Marie prove their innocence, or will she be forced to flee once more? Henry Braun thought he’d gotten his love for Marie out of his system, but soon begins to wonder if she’s stolen more than his heart. When it’s all said and done, can Henry and Marie let bygones be bygones, or has their love been doomed from the start? Bygones is book 1 in the Sommerfeld Trilogy. Other books in the trilogy include Beginnings: Book 2 and Blessings: Book 3.”
“SISTER ROSE IS ON A MISSION… TO CATCH A KILLER
The peaceful Shakers, pledged to hard work, worship and nonviolence could scarcely believe there was a dead body in their herb house. The handsome young drifter known as a “Winter Shaker” had professed to be a Believer to find refuge from the cold and the Depression. Now he’d gotten himself murdered.
Shaker Sister Rose Callahan, with her practical knowledge and worldly experience is assigned to find answers the sheriff refuses to consider-even if it mean discovering one of their own is the killer. But to protect a declining Shaker population, Rose must keep the sinful details hidden from the outside world. What the good Sister uncovers among the brethren are more than a tad of Earthly temptations, some un-Godly rivalry, and enough shameful secrets to raise havoc among the faithful…and to tempt some misguided soul to commit the most diabolical sin of all.
SISTER ROSE IS ON A MISSION… TO CATCH A KILLER
The peaceful Shakers, pledged to hard work, worship and nonviolence could scarcely believe there was a dead body in their herb house. The handsome young drifter known as a “Winter Shaker” had professed to be a Believer to find refuge from the cold and the Depression. Now he’d gotten himself murdered.
Shaker Sister Rose Callahan, with her practical knowledge and worldly experience is assigned to find answers the sheriff refuses to consider-even if it mean discovering one of their own is the killer. But to protect a declining Shaker population, Rose must keep the sinful details hidden from the outside world. What the good Sister uncovers among the brethren are more than a tad of Earthly temptations, some un-Godly rivalry, and enough shameful secrets to raise havoc among the faithful…and to tempt some misguided soul to commit the most diabolical sin of all.”
Conclusion:
Thank you so much for joining us for this discussion about plain fiction on our Reading with Libraries podcast! A special thank you to our Guest Host Lydia!
Join us next Thursday with another genre, more guest hosts for our book group, and more books to share and discuss. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you don’t miss a single episode! And if you want to hear more about the work we do in libraries – which is always interesting! – subscribe to our podcast Linking Our Libraries.
Bring your book ideas, bring your beverages, and join us back here on Thursday!