Hutterite Diaries a Litfuse Book Review

hutterite_diariesAbout the Book:

What would it be like to share all your possessions and live in Christian community? In Hutterite Diaries, Linda Maendel offers a rare glimpse into the daily routines and communal faith of her people, the Hutterian Brethren. From stories of working together to bring in the fall potato harvest to laugh-out-loud tales of sisterly love laced with revenge, Maendel invites readers into her Bruderhof, or colony, nestled on the prairie of western Canada. Here children and adults work, play, eat, and worship together, crafting a community of goods and living out an alternative to the individualism and consumerism of mainstream society.
Few outsiders know anything about the Hutterites, a Plain Christian group related to the Amish and Mennonites. Maendel’s story invites readers into deeper understanding of this community of faith, calling us to take seriously the example of Jesus and the early church in our daily living.
Hear straight from plain Christians as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book in the series includes “A Day in the Life of the Author” and the author’s answers to FAQs.
 


My Review: I love reading about the plain lifestyle. I think it’s fascinating to read about how other’s live etc.  On the Hutterites I haven’t read much , just a little.

I think Linda does a good job of getting across how much she enjoys and appreciates her lifestyle and heritage. In each post you get glimpses of community life, and there are several chapters on the rich Hutterite history.

But while this was an interesting book it was kind of all over the place. I understand that it’s taken from her blog but in one post she would reminisce something about Hutterite history and then in another we would be brought to the present.  We would go from Christmas to planting season and back again. That left me a bit confused and frustrated.

The reader had to kind of piece together what Hutterite life and beliefs are all about because there is a little mentioned in each post. I’m kind of strange in that I would like a primer before diving in. For example even though they fall under the “plain” title I gather they are not as plain as the Amish with much technology being allowed. What other things set them apart and make them unique? What does a full day in a Hutterite woman’s life look like? What does the home look like?

But all in all an interesting read and glimpse into the Hutterite lifestyle. I’m glad to have this glimpse. And now that I know she has a blog I’ll have to subscribe (see bottom of this post for a link and to her twitter feed).

About the Author: Linda Maendel is a Hutterite author, blogger, and educator who lives in Elm River Colony outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba. 

Find Linda online: website,  Twitter

Read more Litfuse Reviews of Hutterite Diaries

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the Litfuse Group as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

 

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