Steven M. Nolt Books

The essential introduction to Amish life and culture. 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 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.

An examination of how the German Lutheran and Reformed populations of eastern Pennsylvania integrated themselves successfully into the early American republic. Their story illuminates the path that other immigrants and ethnic Americans would travel in the decades to follow.

          Authoritative, thorough, and approachable, this book brings together, for the first time in one volume, the history of the Amish, one of America's most intriguing people. Written by one of the foremost scholars in the field.     The Amish, one of America's most intriguing peoples, have survived for 300 years! While much has been written on the Amish recently, little has appeared about their history. This book brings together for the first time in one volume a thorough history of the Amish people. From their beginnings in Europe through their settlement in North America, the Amish have struggled to maintain their beliefs and traditions in often hostile settings. Authoritative, thorough, and interestingly written, A History of the Amish presents the deep and rich heritage of the Amish people. Includes a substantial bibliography for further reading and study. Dozens of illustrations.

Examines the Amish community's intention to forgive the man who killed five Amish children at the West Nickel Mines School in Pennsylvania in 2006, discussing how the Amish concept of forgiveness has a long tradition in their religion and is part of a deeply embedded belief in pardon and reconciliation

Das Buch behandelt die Reaktion der Amish auf ein schreckliches Verbrechen, bei dem ein Mann fünf Mädchen tötete. Statt Rache zeigen die Amish Vergebung, besuchen die Beerdigung des Täters und laden seine Witwe ein. Die Autoren verdeutlichen, wie wichtig Vergebung in der Amish-Kultur ist und wie sie Gewaltspiralen durchbrechen.