Growing Up Amish

Amish Must Read

I have always loved reading and hearing about the Amish life. There are several reasons for this. I grew upon a farm in Indiana. My parents became Christians when I was five. With no one to guide her in her walk, my mother decided it was better to err on God's side. Board games, dancing of any kind, and most television shows became off limits or a sin. My books and comic books were scrutinized. My mom's first question whenever I told her about a new friend was, "Are they a Christian?" I had few friends growing up because they did not fit into my mom's "category" of what a Christian was. I worked on the farm just as the Amish do. When we moved to Florida I learned that what we called a garden the people down here called a truck patch or small farm. I learned how to can and freeze fruits and vegetables. We smoked our own meat. In the winter we filled a concrete tub in our 'milk house' up with snow and put perishables in it. It was a tough life yet one I miss.

It may be these memories that have always drawn me to Amish fiction. I can see so many parallels. I was thrilled to read Ira Wagler's book Growing Up Amish. In this book we get a look at the "real" Amish. Not the ones so often written about in romance novels, which make the Amish come across as a people who do, or think no wrong. We find a man who has struggled to find where he truly belongs. He wanted to be a part of the Amish world he was born into, yet felt it was not for him. At age 17 he left his Amish home in Iowa. He later returns, and must admit all of his sins to the congregation before he is allowed to join the church. He tries, but still doesn't seem to feel as if he is where he should be. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to once again make a decision to leave his Amish life. He subjected himself to this pain many times before leaving for good.

The pain of being shunned by everyone you know is hard enough. Their belief is if you left the church then your soul was headed for damnation. I was happy to learn that Ira finally asked God about his situation and got an answer. He found salvation outside of his Amish culture. Unfortunately it is not only the Amish that are like this. We see this in many denominations. They become so legalistic that it seems they forget what Jesus was all about. I thank God each and every day that his love for us is not based on a set of laws. We see where that got people in the old testament.

This book is a great look at the Amish. However, I believe the message I it is clear. We all need to take a look at our lives and ask if we are where God wants us. If not then maybe we need to talk with him to find out where he wants us to be. I do find it funny when I think about how they try to separate themselves from the English. When we get to heaven Go is not going to separate us, say, "You Baptist over there and You Amish over here. We who have found salvation through Jesus blood are all God's children and he has prepared a home for us in heaven, together.

This is a must read book for anyone who enjoys learning about the Amish.

11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

Interesting but a bit anti-climactic

I purchased this book and tore through it with great interest. It was an honest, open and heart felt account of the author's intense personal struggle of choosing one way of life over another. I empathized with him throughout the book and found myself far from envious of his predicament of having to choose between personal freedom to live his life as he chooses in the modern world, with all of it's excitement, danger and opportunity or the security of family and a faith tradition that was stable but contrary to what his heart told him was best for him. The reason I give it three stars is that unless I missed an important detail, I found it anti-climactic in the sense that there was no mention of what his relationship with his Amish family is now, which leaves the reader wondering if he's been all together shunned or if there is nominal familial contact (though there were hints in the book that make me tend to believe it's the latter). Enjoyable and insightful all the same and I definitely recommend it.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Amish Unplugged

When you hear the word "Amish" you instantly think of the furniture, the dark clothing, and the rustic lifestyle. In Growing Up Amish: A Memoir by Ira Wagler, the author takes you inside the Amish world.
Reared as the youngest boy in a family of eleven children, Wagler knows no other way that the rigid simplistic life of his faith and the Amish way of life. However, this boy as he transitions to manhood yearns for the world outside the confines of his community.

Wagler ventures out to discover the true ways of the world only to be outcast from his community. Throughout the journey Wagler comes home to reconnect with his roots only to realize that he must carve out his own path to discover happiness, success, and himself. He chronicles the adventures the challenges life throws his way from being shun from his community to losing his beloved. All the while he stays strong and moves forward to a new day.

Growing Up Amish: A Memoir by Ira Wagler is a candid tale of a young man's odyssey into manhood.

2 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Well written and honest memoir

This book is the first hand account of a man who grew up Amish. He describes his family and upbringing in a way that is easy to relate to and hard to put down. He doesnt glamorize the lifestyle and explains interesting aspects of the culture I haven't read before. I think this is the best written autobiography of someone raised Amish and I have read all that I could find. Although the book focuses on the divide between Amish and outside culture, much of it is about adolescence and events within the Amish world that all of us have experienced or can relate to. I highly recommend this book about a former Amish person's experiences that are all too human. It will make you think twice about what it is like to live Amish.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good read if you enjoy a journey.

I liked this book. It is not an 'on-the-seat-of-your-pants' kind of book, but a good story of a boy in a unique lifestyle trying to find his way. Such a hard lifestyle - having family or not being able to have them. Everyone needs family - a good read. The simplicity of life for them is so foreign to most of us - that element also kept me wanting to know more. You want him to succeed & find his happiness. A good unique story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Recommend highly and hard to put down.

I have been interested in following the Amish religion and culture for many years. I found the book very interesting, could not put it down, and it certainly was climatic. I would recommend it because it occurred in an area of Iowa that I was familiar with. It helped me understand what was different between each of the different settlements throughout the various locations in several states. Have experienced a similar situation in my family but it was a different religion.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY

Nook books are not returnable; that is the format in which I purchased.

Don't waste your money!!!

I just spent a good bit of time writing a review which this website promptly ERASED when I attempted to sign in.

I cannot write another full review.

But PLEASE do not waste your money on this book.

Wagler's account is highly disorganized and meandering--like his life!

He hastily added an inconclusive epilogue after SPRINTING to a would-be conclusion in a mere EIGHT pages of a 214-page book.

He repeatedly admits how much of his childhood he can't remember. Now, if he can't remember the details of the very PREMISE of his book, why should I even read it???

1 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

This was a great read; and the joy I felt for Ira when he truely

This was a great read; and the joy I felt for Ira when he truely accepted GOD. The joy I had while reading when Ira realized what GOD has given us. I learned a lot about the Amish; that part I will keep to myself because this book is about Ira finding himself and GOD. I have it on my nook, my friends are welcome to share it.

Goldenkit-paw

Farmstar sat with the kits around her as blazepelt neared the den. When he walked in he looked the three kits suprised "Who are they?" He said irritated they were taking his space next to farmstar. Farmstar said meekly "Their mother died kitting and I thought we could take care of them." Barkpelt growled "you already have enough responsibilities leading this clan! You dont need them to take care of. Besides these are the kits of that kttypet who starved to death arent they?" He said already knowing the answer. Farmstar shook her head and her heart sank as she knew what he would say. "They will probaby end up dieing too. Its in their blood." Barkpelt snapped. Farmstar, who was to tired and afraid to argue picked up the kits and headed for her deputys den. Willowclaw was sitting with her mate shadowheart and they both tuned to the tearry eyed leader " Barkpelt said no. I was hoping you guys would." She said setting down the kits. Wiiloowclaw got up and licked the kits while shadowheart just stayed. "Can we?" The deputy asked shadowheart who responded half heartedly:' if you want to." Willowclaw smiled "dont worry i will rais them well." She said "i know their kittypet mother doesnt mean they wont be great warriors." "Great" farmstar thought "everyone heard." She sighed and padded back to her den.

----Later-----

Goldenkit and Almondkit played in the grass outside of camp, willowclaw just behind them. Painkit was right at her side. Suddenly a smell hit the four cats and willowclaw bolted for her kits. But goldenkit was already gone. She hid painkit and almondkit and bounded after goldenkit. She leapt in front off im and knocked him into a bush just as a cougar pounced out, landing on willowclaw. Goldenkit sat in horor and watched as the cougar killed the only mother he knew and dragged her off. The gold kit sat there guilty for almost an houf until he heard his brother and sister calling for willowclaw. Then a new fear came over him, he would have to tell his siblings and...shadowheart. while sympathy for the tom ran through his mind he had learned not to get in his way or suffer the consequences. This was much more than getting in his way. He and his siblings foud their way home, the whole time goldenkit made excusess for why willowclas wasnt here. Wheb they got to camp he knew he couldnt tell shadowheart. So he told farmstar the whole story. She agredd to tell shadowheart The sound of shadowhearts reaction made him cringe. All at once the grey tom was in farmstars den, he yowled "how dare you! She raised you anf this is how you repay her?" Hisbeyes filled with a rage he had never seen. "You kittypet! We never should have helped you! We should have left you in the forest!" He growled with hatred "You will pay kittypet!"
That night a clanmeeting was held. Goldenkit hardly noticed stonepaw and blazepaw get thier warrior names. Stoneheart and blazepelt. He knew that him painkit and almondkit were now apprintices and shadowheart was his mentor. And shadowheart was the ndw deputy. He dreaded when they might train and even looking into his eyes...he could tell something bad was coming.
~Goldenpaw ( part3 is onna be at TCPI book one.)

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very enlightening.

I really enjoyed this book plus I learned so much about the Amish community.

Enjoyed learning about the Amish

Insightful and touching story.

Very informative

Really enjoyed this book. I know some amish people, and the understanding of thier way of life was very informative to me.

An honest view

This book is an honest view into Amish life. We "English" really don't understand the lifestyle but Growing Up Amish gives us a hint in to their world. A very worthwhile read!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A disappointment

Im a huge fan of amish books but this one really disappointed me. To me it wasnt enjoyable at all to read. Maybe it was just the story itself that i didnt like, being it was the author telling the story of his rough life.

Learn more about the Amish lifestyle

The insight of growing up Amish, leaving that community several times, and ultimately forever, gives the author credibility. His tales of indecision, heartbreak, and family situations opened up the world of the Amish to me. While the thought of leaving a church several times is incomprehensible to me, Wagler did so because he thought at various times that it was the right thing to do, perhaps not for himself but for the community. I was left with a few questions, one of which was how his relationship is with his family. This is a book which I could easily put in my library and recommend to my middle school students.

Good read for everyone

I think this story could be written about any religion. Sometimes we don't feel the tie that should hold us into how we are being raised and we search for what we need. I thought Mr. Wagler did a great job of putting his feelings into words.

I got restless....

Im sorry to say that i found this book rather tedious. Author incessantly complaining and stating the same personal revelations again and again. When i bought the book i hoped for more on Amish culture, and i never expexted it to be a personal Christian testimonial. I didnt like the book because i expected what the preview provided, and will not recommend it for the same reason. amyjoe

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

An interesting read.

Always enjoy reading and learning about the Amish. This got a little slow since this young man went down the same path many times. I was surprised that the elders kept giving him another chance. But still I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others who have an interest in reading about the Amish. I was initially drawn to the book because of his Iowa ties as I have lived in Iowa all my life.

Good but not what i expected

I thought this would give more insite into Amish life but it just recycles the same story of leaving and returning to Amish church. I enjoyed it for what it is and will recommend to friends and family though.

A GREAT read!

I loved this book, read it in 2 days. Highly recommend!