A work Booklist called ଯving and life–affirming, Crossing Over is the true story of one woman’s extraordinary flight from the protected world of the Amish people to the chaos of contemporary life.Ruth Irene Garrett was the fifth of seven children raised in Kalona, Iowa, as a member of a strict Old Order Amish community. She was brought up in a world filled with rigid rules and intense secrecy, in … rigid rules and intense secrecy, in an environment where the dress, buggies, codes of conduct, and way of life differed even from other Amish societies only 100 miles away. This Old Order community actively avoided all interaction with ೨e Englishߜ’96 everyone who lived on the outside. As a result, Ruth knew only one way of life, and one way of doing things.
This compelling narrative takes us inside a hidden community, offering a striking look as one woman comes to terms with her discontent and ultimately leaves her family, faith and the sheltered world of her childhood. Unsatisfied, she bravely crosses over to contemporary life to fully explore the foreign and frightening reality in hope of better understanding her emotional and spiritual desires. What emerges is a powerful tale of one woman’s search for meaning and the extraordinary lessons she learns along the way.
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Hollywood tends to romanticize Amish life. This very interesting book explains some of the less attractive aspects of Amish life and the heart wrenching difficulties involved in leaving that life.
I enjoy reading Amish fiction so when I found this book about a real life experience of leaving the Amish faith, I knew I had to read this. Irene was born and grew up among the Amish. Her father was very strict to the point she didn’t feel like she had breathing room. Her Amish community and religious leaders were among the most strict Amish sect. …
Like a d rated tv soap opera.
I didn’t finish this book and that is VERY rare for me. The story just didn’t interest me in the way it was written. Very disappointing.
A good read for those who would want to understand how hard it is to leave a fundamentalist religious group
I enjoyed reading more about the Amish, and thinking about their lives and religion from the viewpoint of someone born and raised as Amish. I have had many interactions with the Amish, but this book provided new insights.
New insight into Amish life; not always a happy care-free life.
She tell her story of leaving and the consequences. Very informative.
Gives a good insight to Amish life.
When I see Amish people I get the feeling they have a sweeter, simpler life than mine. This made me rethink that.
I don’t know why, but I like reading about other religions. The Amish is interesting to me because they require trying to keep social and technological progress stagnated in the past. This story describes the contradictions of the Amish…not owning cars and using horse drawn carriages, but hiring drivers to take them on vacations, as an …
Interesting, certainly NOT a great book. Lived amongst Amish for awhile but found very little similarities.
I thought that this book would tell about the transition from the Amish life to mainstream. There are no details regarding transitioning from such things as no electricity, cars, television, telephone, etc. Unfortunately, the Amish lifestyle and faith are bashed throughout this book.
The first few chapters were interesting in that is describes how the Amish live. The rest was boring.
It was a strange book. The author left her sheltered community for a three time divorcee who was 25 years older than her, and she said her reason was passion for her husband- sorry not believable! He was so much older and very overweight, and there’s nothing about the marriage- just her new church. Pass on this! Now that her husband passed, …
A different look at the Amish view of God and the Bible . Apparently they use the parts of the Bible that fit with the Ordung and not as the Bible is translated by Christians. Very interesting and informative.
I expected and received an interesting insight into the Amish culture at the beginning of the book.. But I was so disappointed when the cultural information ceased and the “soft porn” story began. I understood that the author didn’t feel love from her father and male family members but I was shocked that she abandoned her faith completely. I …
For many years I lived a short distance away from two Amish communities and have long been fascinated by them. Whether seeing them on the roads in their horse and buggies, passing by their roadside vegetable stands, or buying a well made back yard shed from them, I find the Amish very intriguing.
Reading “Crossing Over” took me back to those …
Very quick read. It was interesting but did not satisfy. She fell for the first non Amish guy she met and he was more than twice her age. She was very strong to pursue a different life and missed her family but she says she found happiness. Eh?
Interesting story of an Amish woman who left the Amish life to marry a divorced man. I enjoyed the documented thought process of the main character, but felt that some obvious problems were glossed over.
I enjoyed the book, but at times the plot moved a little slowly