Young Amish homemaker Marianne Jantzi invites readers into her family’s life on the snowy plains of Ontario.
The mother of four young children and wife of a storekeeper, Jantzi writes about her daily routines and heartfelt faith with equal measures of wit and warmth. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and helping to manage the store take up most hours in her day, but Jantzi finds time to pen columns for the Connection, a magazine beloved by Amish and Mennonite readers across the United States and Canada. Never sugarcoating the frustrations of motherhood, Jantzi tells it like it is, broken washing machine and bickering children and all. But through her busy days, Jantzi finds strength in simple pleasures of family, fellowship with her Amish community, and quiet time with God.
GENRE: Nonfiction, Memoir
PUBLISHER: Herald Press
RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2016
PAGES: 192
Simple Pleasures by Marianne Jantzi feels like sitting down and reading a letter from a cherished friend. Anecdotal glimpses into her life as a mom, a wife, a sister, and an Amish woman provide a delightful way to spend a few hours curled up in your favorite reading spot. Though I am neither Amish nor a mom, I was easily able to relate to Marianne’s life because we do share two important things – womanhood and faith in Jesus.
And that brings me to what is the highlight of the book for me. Through each snippet of Marianne’s life, through the ebb and flow of her thoughts and the congenial conversation we had as reader and author on the page, came also the reminder that, for all our differences, we aren’t really so different after all. A truth that our world could stand to remember more often.
Bottom Line: Easy to read & perfect to accompany your morning hot beverage of choice, Simple Pleasures by Marianne Jantzi gives a refreshingly authentic glimpse into Amish life. It’s in turns heartwarming and convicting but always enjoyable and sure to put a smile on your face! Perfect for fans of Amish fiction as well as anyone who loved the writing style of Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House books.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Enjoyed it!
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Marianne Jantzi is an Amish writer and homemaker in Ontario, Canada. Formerly a teacher in an Amish school, Jantzi now educates and inspires through her “Northern Reflections” column for The Connection, a magazine directed mainly to Amish and plain communities across the U.S. and Canada. She and her husband have four young children and run a shoe store among the Milverton Amish settlement of Ontario.
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