An interesting but dry take on the decision of coming of age of Amish youth on whether "to be or not to be...

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	• Rumspringa: To Be or Not to Be Amish Tom Shachtman North Point Press, 2007 - 304 pages average customer review:based on 27 reviews view larger image
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Very good reading

I appreciated both the interviews and descriptions of Rumspringa and its role in Amish culture, but also the extensions to, and comparisons with, adolescent development and transitions to adulthood in our general American culture. Well written and enjoyable reading.

Easy Read and Educational, too

Not only does this give a detailed look into Rumspringa, but many other aspects of Amish life as well...education, family relationships, origin of the 'ordnung', history of Amish traditions, 'varieties' of Amish, Amish vs Mennonites, etc. I've read many books on the Amish, both fiction and non-fiction, but this is far and away the best overall book for learning and better understanding this fascinating culture.

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A really interesting subject

I had no idea that Amish youth go through this free time before becoming adult members of their sect. This is a fascinating look at the tradition and at the Amish in general. I recommend it for anyone interested in how the Amish live and think and in what they believe.

Revealing Look at Amish Life

"Rumspringa" is mainly about the Amish coming of age ritual in which the Amish youth are allowed to run around with the "English", but it is also a fascinating look at Amish life in general. The Amish life is a rigid one, especially for the women, and it is not surprising that some of the youth don't return after their Rumspringa. The price they pay if they don't return is a steep one - not only other Amish, but also their own family shun them, but it is a price some have to pay to be true to themselves.

"Rumspringa" is a well-written and well-researched look at Amish life. Author Tom Shachtman interviewed a lot of Amish in the course of writing the book and their conversations are enlightening. While the book is mostly about Rumspringa, all aspects of Amish life are covered and some are eye opening. Much is made of how the Amish youth act during Rumspringa (excess drugs, alcohol, and sex) and while some behavior is self-destructive, many young Amish choose to not return to Amish life because their choices are limited. Ironically, while the Amish school system provides a better education than public schools, that education is limited (for example, science is not taught and most are not educated past eighth grade). Because of that, their life choices are limited - girls are expected to stay at home, get married and raise a family, while the boys are expected to work the farm. It is no wonder some choose to leave, although the price they pay is a high one.

For the most part, Shachtman does a good job of not being too judgmental. He strays a bit, especially when trying to make the teens actions during Rumspringa shocking. But for the most part his writing is straightforward and lets the story tell itself without making it too sensational. His look into the Amish life is very revealing, at times interesting and heartwarming and other times a bit shocking (there are allegations of child abuse). All of this is very informative.

In the end, I learned a lot about the Amish way of life by reading "Rumspringa".

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An interesting but dry take on the decision of coming of age of Amish youth on whether "to be or not to be Amish"

The Amish are an intriguing group, but you'd barely know it while wading through Shachtman's uninspiring, sometimes tedious take on an aspect of their life that not many know about: rumspringa. Translated as "running around," it is the rite of passage most Amish teens (beginning around age 16) are allowed to go through until they choose either to split from the church or, in the case of over 80%, join and adhere to its list of unwritten rules, known as an ordnung, which varies by district, and live (p 90) "a life stripped of unnecessary frills so that it can be devoted to religious goals." The fact that the church allows these youths to engage in behaviors that are not normally allowed, like (book jacket) "alcohol, premarital sex, telephones, drugs, wild parties and advanced education" is due to their belief that (p 27) "only informed and repentant adults should be baptized."

Through interviews with teens and their family members about their feelings, behaviors and beliefs, Shachtman paints a picture of what life is like for the Amish. Included is what separates the Amish from the Mennonites, what the suspenders the boys wear are all about, the meaning of the hairstyles and hair coverings of the females, the logic behind their wearing of plain clothing, disuse of electricity, the number of children they have, banning, shunning and a bit on less conservative sects like the Beach Amish. Additionally, the issue of how the transformation from a largely agricultural existence to one requiring workers to find jobs outside the home, mainly at factories, has affected them, specifics on their beliefs, worship, Social Security, treatment of the elderly and the disabled and data on the prevalence and geographical locations of their members are discussed. The author ends with an excellent summary of his views on the Amish, who, he writes (p 272), "sit lightly upon the earth" including some of their family-friendly and earth-friendly views that the rest of us could learn from.

Although the author has packed a lot of useful information about many aspects of Amish life into Rumspringa, the frequent use of quotes that give the book its authentic feel also do it a disservice in giving it a disjointed, choppy feel. And the use of first name and last letter (for confidentiality reasons) make it read like a who's who of friends of Bill W. It may have worked better with fictionalized names and facts on the Amish included separately from the excerpts of interviews than the all-over-the-place way it was done: great info, poorly put together.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Rumspringa is Tom Shachtman?s celebrated look at a littleknown Amish coming-of-age ritual, the rumspringa?the period of ?running around? that begins for their youth at age sixteen. During this time, Amish youth are allowed to live outside the bounds of their faith, experimenting with alcohol, premarital sex, revealing clothes, telephones, drugs, and wild parties. By allowing such broad freedoms, their parents hope they will learn enough to help them make the most important decision of their lives?whether to be baptized as Christians, join the church, and forever give up worldly ways, or to remain in the world.
In this searching book, Shachtman draws on his skills as a documentarian to capture young people on the cusp of a fateful decision, and to give us ?one of the most absorbing books ever written about the Plain People? (Publishers Weekly).

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