This is a wonderful book that tells of a woman's dream to stay with an Amish family and learn of their ways, and while doing so, cast revelations into her own feelings and ways of living in life afterwards. I learned a lot of interesting information about the Amish culture while reading this great, true story. It's a must to read, especially if you have ever had an interest in the Amish people and their way of life.

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A simple (naturally) account of how a California therapist/artist's view of life changed after coming to know the Amish.

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Fascinating account of a woman's visits to live with the Amish people for a period of time. Life as an Amish person is so simple and not complicated. Quick read and very enjoyable.

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I really enjoyed this book! It is a quick read. It is about a woman trying to find the way to a peaceful life. She is the opposite of what an Amish woman strives to be and struggles at first to apply what she learned during her stay with the Amish family. She stays with a second family, had a very different experience there, and felt that she found what she was looking for.

It was so interesting to read about the day to day routines of an Amish family. This book has sparked a desire, in me,to read more about the Amish. I definately recommend this book.

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I was unable to put this book down. It spoke volumes about how fragmented, frustrating, and harried my life had become. It gave me a new appreciation for simplicity, connectedness, and taking time for the important things in life.

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The true story of this author who was so moved by the beauty of a display of Amish quilts as a backdrop in a men's store, she made plans to seek out and live with the Amish. This wife, mother, therapist who is a harried Califorian has much in store for her.There she discovers another life without clutter or hurry. Life with calm. Something she knows little about. The story was sweet, refreshing, and quite interesting. The author certainty gained the information she set out to aquire and then some. Her host families were the perfect match for her. Although this book is somewhat dated, this book itself is like new, both the book and all the info, as it's always nice to be reminded how different ways of life offers us many beautiful choices as we go about our daily lives. Not knowing which I found more intersting, be it the quilt patterns, a life without electricity, or the harried therepist living in California, this story came together at the end not as I expected, but better. Yup...I think it did...the author was honest and that made it lots better. I really enjoyed this book.

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The story of an artist who lived with Amish families in Iowa and Ohio, and her impression of why she needed to simplify her life. Interesting details about the Amish are included, and the author describes how there can be great freedom in limitations. Finally, the author's view of art changes after learning that Amish women all create art, but none call themselves artists.

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This book was good but would have been a lot better if the author hadn't written so much about her own inner struggles. It did put forth, at the very end of the book, 9 ideas, principles ("patches") as she calls them to living like the Amish and/or living simply to achieve contentment in life.

Some parts where the author describes the Amish approach to housework (giving it value, doing your best at it as it being a worthy thing to do instead of regarding it as a drudgery) reminded me of "Keeping House" by Margaret Kim Peterson (even though her book is not written from an Amish perspective).

A worthwhile read if you respect or aspire to these ideals. Maybe even worth reading if you don't so that you might at least understand another approach to life contrary to our hurry, hurry, rush, rush, achievement/goal-oriented materialistic lives.

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