Out of This World: A Woman's Life Among the Amish - Hardcover

Swander, Mary

3.29

102 ratings by Goodreads

9780670858088: Out of This World: A Woman's Life Among the Amish

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0670858080 ISBN 13: 9780670858088

Publisher: Viking Adult, 1995

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The author, a poet and teacher, reflects on her experiences living in a community of Amish farmers in Iowa in 1993, explores the lore of the Great Plains settlers who came before them, and celebrates life on the land.

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About the Author:

Mary Swander teaches at the University of Iowa at Ames.

From Booklist:

After a severe allergic reaction had left her with the symptoms of environmental illness (unable to tolerate the pollutants and food found in the modern world), Swander decided to change her lifestyle and move into a one-room Iowa schoolhouse on the outskirts of an Amish community. Her book is an account of that lifestyle change and the strength and self-sufficiency she developed as a result. Completely incapable of stomaching commercially grown food, Swander existed at first on a diet of roadkill, frog legs, and yucca and other exotic plants. Slowly, with the help of her Amish neighbors, she became proficient at growing her own organic fruits and vegetables, improving her health both physically and spiritually. The story of her illness and recovery is fascinating, but readers who are expecting an immersion into Amish culture will be disappointed. The references to the Amish are merely anecdotal; the true gist of this book is the reawakening of Swander's spirituality, brought about by her close association with her down-to-earth, no-frills neighbors. Although interesting for its portrayal of the hardship and determination of those choosing a more primitive lifestyle, the story, unfortunately, often gets bogged down in New-Age^-type introspection. Kathleen Hughes

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