Tom Shachtman
Rumspringa: To Be or Not To Be Amish (2006)
Author: Tom Shachtman
Genre: Nonfiction (Case Study)
Book Summary:
Author Tom Shachtman explores the Old Order Amish tradition of rumspringa in his aptly titled case study Rumspringa. Rumspringa is the time when Amish teenagers (normally beginning around age 16) are given permission to explore English (meaning non-Amish) culture without fear of reprisal since they have not joined the Amish church. The Amish are Anabaptists, which mean that only consenting adults can join the church. During rumspringa, Amish teens do things that Amish in the church cannot do such as drive and own cars, buy cell phones, and dress in modern clothing. Rumspringa normally ends when an individual reaches his/her late teens to early twenties and decides to join the Amish church and give up the English way of life. Shachtman estimates that approximately 80-90% of all Amish teens choose to become Amish. In Rumspringa, Shachtman interviews several Amish teenagers to understand why most choose to become Amish and why some do not. Shachtman’s main theory of why most Amish teenagers choose to join the church is because they will lose their communities and families if they do not, as well as feel that they will not be allowed into heaven if they do not. On the other hand, those few that choose not to become Amish are frequently plagued with guilt and not adapted to the English way of life. Each chapter deals with a specific area of Amish life. For example, one chapter is devoted to education. In the Amish community, both boys and girls are expected to only graduate from the 8th grade. More education is seen as unnecessary in the Amish community because family, community, and religion are the most important aspects of their lives, and more education would lead individuals astray from these areas. Shachtman examines how many teens feel about this, especially since only about 20% of all Amish today own farms and most have to find employment elsewhere in a world that expects individuals to at least have a high school diploma or GED. One new issue that Amish teens have to face today that their parents didn’t face are the threat of drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex. Shachtman interviews many individuals on these topics. Since the Amish have not been exposed to such darker issues like English teens have been, the Amish are extremely susceptible to drug and alcohol abuse as well as sexually transmitted diseases during rumspringa because it is not discussed in their communities. Overall, Shachtman presents the problems in the Amish community in an interesting way because he has gathered first-hand accounts of those facing the problems.
Geographical Setting: Old Order Amish communities in the town of Shipshewana and LaGrange and Elkhart counties in north-central Indiana, Holmes and Wayne counties in Ohio, and Lancaster County in Pennsylvania
Time Period: Present day (2006)
Appeal Characteristics:
Rumspringa is a compelling read written in a unhurried pace, just like the Amish lifestyle. Author Tom Shachtman presents an interesting view of Amish life, and the reader will probably find himself/herself engrossed in the lives of the Amish teenagers, wondering what will happen to each of them. Rumspringa takes the time to completely explore each side of an issue, so those looking for a thorough novel will enjoy this book. Since Shachtman features real people's lives in this book, not characters, the reader will feel close to these people facing difficult decisions. Because there are so many individuals interviewed, it is difficult to feel too close to any one individual, and readers will get an overall sense of what the individuals are feeling as a group. The story line is clearly issue oriented around the rumspringa practice and leaves many open-ended story lines after the book is finished because not all of the individuals in the book had decided on whether or not to become Amish when the book was printed. Shachtman's candid way of looking at the Amish using unembellished stories gave the book a feeling of authenticity. Overall, the tone was a bit bleak because the Amish have so many new obstacles to face if they want to continue their way of life. However, the author has a detailed knowledge of the Amish, so it is an interesting read for someone that desires to know more about the Amish and the process of rumspringa.
Read-alikes: For more information on rumspringa, check out director Lucy Walker's film documentary Devil's Playground, from which many of her transcribed interviews were used in Rumspringa. Walker goes into greater depth about the rumspringa process, and the audio-visual format allows the English to see what Amish life is like. One of the best non-fiction books dedicated to the total Amish experience according to Christianity Today is Amish Society by John A. Hostetler. Hostetler, who grew up in an Old-Order Amish family, provides a first-hand account of Amish life. Crossing Over: One Woman's Escape from Amish Life by Ruth Irene Garrett and Rick Farrant follows Ruth's escape from her Old-Order Amish family that shunned her when she was 15 years old to trying to make it as an adult in "English" society, something she knew nothing about. This book presents the Amish in a more negative light. For those interested in a fictional series about Amish characters, try the Abram's Daughters series by Beverly Lewis. The first book in the series, The Covenant, is set in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Two of the four sisters are looking for love, one of which leads to a child born out of wedlock with an English boy. Other religions besides the Old-Order Amish suffer from their youth leading double lives. Unchosen: The Hidden Lives of Hasidic Rebels by Hella Winston examines the lives of young Hasidic Jews who sneak televisions into their apartments and secretly change clothes before going to bars, both unacceptable activities for members of their strict religion. This book might appeal to readers interested in youth rebelling against strict pressures put upon them by their society.
Red Flags: None
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