Who are the Amish? Donald B. Kraybill answers common questions in Simply Amish

June 14, 2018
News release 

Foremost expert on Amish life answers common questions in Simply Amish

HARRISONBURG, Va.— Where did the Amish come from? Why do they drive horses and buggies? How are they different from the Mennonites? People have many questions about the Amish. Well-known expert Donald B. Kraybill addresses many of these questions in Simply Amish: An Essential Guide from the Foremost Expert on Amish Life (Herald Press, June 2018). The hardcover gift book provides insights on Amish life, culture, and faith and includes rare photography of the Amish, their homes, and families.

Donald B. Kraybill has lived among, studied, written about, and befriended the Amish for many years, and Amish people read his books to learn more about themselves. Kraybill takes readers on a journey among a people known for their simplicity, rootedness in church and family, and commitment to peaceful living.

Kraybill explores why this 325-year-old group is growing rather than declining and separates facts from fiction perpetuated by television shows, novels, and movies. Simply Amish includes maps of where the Amish in North America live and sections on Amish clothing, work, family life, church services, technology, and spirituality.

“If quizzed about Amish life, most people might know that the Amish travel by horse and buggy and wear peculiar dress. But beyond the beards, bonnets, and buggies, many people know little,” writes Kraybill. “I have researched and written about the Amish for more than forty years, and my Amish friends have graciously helped me to both understand their way of life and ask questions about my own.”

Donald B. Kraybill is internationally recognized for his scholarship on Anabaptist groups. His books, research, and commentary have been featured in national and worldwide media, including the New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, NPR, CNN, and NBC. He is distinguished college professor and senior fellow emeritus at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College. Kraybill is the author, coauthor, or editor of many books, including Amish Grace, The Amish Way, Renegade Amish, and The Riddle of Amish Culture. He is also the author of the bestselling Herald Press book, Upside Down Kingdom.

Simply Amish is available from Herald Press for $10.99 (hardcover) via 800‑245‑7894 and at the Herald Press webstore, www.HeraldPress.com, Amazon, and other online sources. Canadian customers can order from CommonWord (877‑846‑1593), Parasource (800‑263‑2664), and elsewhere.

Higher resolution photos available.

To schedule an interview with Donald Kraybill, contact LeAnn Hamby at 540‑908‑3941 or [email protected].