Ira Wagler on Growing Up Amish

Ira was born in Aymler, and moved from there to Bloomfield, to Pinecraft, FL then on to Indiana, he has since settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in the 1990s. Lancaster County contains some of the most enlightened Amish to some of the most sternest Old Order Amish there is. Ira lives on the outskirts of the community, he is not part of the Amish Order but is accepted by them.

Growing up Amish seems to be about the relationship with your family as well as the struggle you deal with dealing with the Amish Order. He has some very close friends who are Old Order Amish, he stops by their homes weekly to sit and have coffee, this gives him the opportunity to beg for bread and food from the goodwife. Especially since he's a single they take favor on him and give him part of what they cook that week.

I have always had an interest in the communal life of the Amish, and reading the portion of Ira's book has inspired an interest in his life and the Amish way of living, as well as how he didn't get excommunicated from the Amish Order.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in non-fiction and in the life of someone who lives a life totally different that you do. Ira has done a wonderful job of describing his life and way of living to others.