Almost Amish

February 13, 2012
After years of consumption, Sleeth and her family decided to live more simply. From eliminating a car to gardening and line-drying laundry, her life began to resemble that of the Amish—a greener, calmer existence. Sleeth (Go Green, Save Green), cofounder of the nonprofit Blessed Earth, offers ideas for a simplified lifestyle backed by biblical principles and Amish and Mennonite ideologies. In much the same vein as the Mennonite classic Living More with Less (Sleeth wrote an introduction for its anniversary edition), the book serves as a guide for a range of earth-friendly practices.The author idealizes days gone by, when children played outside and respected their elders. “Being behind the times can indeed have its advantages,” she writes, as she warns about the use of cellphones, video games, and motorcycles. While Sleeth does not totally condemn progress, the book may not connect with younger audiences for whom technology is an indisputable fact of life. She is at her best when she sticks to the subject of sustainability, an important topic in a down economy.

March 1, 2012

Sleeth (Go Green, Save Green), inspired by Amish practices that prioritize faith and simplicity, assesses the glut of information and opportunities that overwhelms many American families, and she recommends that we reduce our exposure to technology and other temptations of modern life, focusing instead on nature, family, service, and faith. The Amish have a perennial fascination for harried moderns, and Sleeth and her family, who have radically diminished their "footprint" to one-tenth the average electricity use and one-third the average fossil fuel use, are effective spokespersons for this adoption of Amish values among a wider group of Christians. VERDICT While not a scintillating reading experience, this should prove a useful handbook for those reconsidering their engagement with contemporary modalities; good for Christian families and individuals.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2012
In chapters focused on the home, mastering technology, saving and spending, gardening and the outdoors, lifestyle simplicity, serving others, spiritual security, community, family, and faith, Sleeth shows others, especially people of faith, how to live better by adopting Amish ways. She uses herself and her family first for practical exemplification of purging clutter, breaking technology dependencies, and patronizing local businesses to improve personal commerce. She also frequently cites the Bible, very naturally, because to do so is to honor how the Amish think about the world, and she does so without sounding preachy. It was a classic Christian conversion experience on the parts of first her husband, then Sleeth herself and their children that triggered their adventure in simplicity by jolting them out of their supposedly American-dream lifestyle. Whether conversion is needed for living almost Amish, however, she wisely and piquantly leaves an open question.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)