Book Review – I Am Hutterite
14 May
Acts 2:44-45 And all that believed were together, and had all things in common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
I Am Hutterite: The Fascinating True Story of a Young Woman’s Journey to Reclaim Her Heritage by Mary-Ann Kirkby is an intriguing story of Ms. Kirkby’s life growing up in a Canadian Hutterite colony, and her parents difficult decision to leave their way of life, taking their seven children with them.
Hutterites are somewhat similar to the Amish, with strict rules about dress and modern things such as television and radio, but they are different in that they share everything. Members do not earn money for themselves. They live together as members of the early Christian church did.
Ms. Kirkby fondly recalls her childhood memories of living in the Hutterite colony, and most of them made me hungry. I would love to sit down to some of the Hutterite meals she described! She tells about her family history and a brief bit of the Hutterite history, helping readers understand why her parents would leave their whole social structure behind and start over in the “English” world with no money and so many children to provide for.
Her descriptions of trying to acclimate to her new culture and the teasing she endured at school make you wince. She talks about salvaging brown paper sacks and leftover Saran Wrap so that she and her siblings could take their lunches to school in the same way her school mates did. The story of she and her siblings taking on the whole school in a baseball game had me laughing out loud.
The book is sprinkled with old black and white family photos, and there is even a recipe in the back for a Hutterite pie. The book was simply delightful. I read it in a single day. Women who enjoy reading prairie romances or the Amish books by Beverly Lewis would especially like this book.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Book Sneeze in exchange for writing this review.
That’s interesting. I think one of the couples that still goes to the church where we met grew up Hutterite.
Hmm, I had heard this was slow. But, it sounds interesting.
Thanks for visiting on my SITS day on Monday!
Excellent review. Thank you! I’m about a quarter into this book and it’s a bit boring so far. She is an excellent author though…I’m was born and raised, and still live, in a Hutterite colony so I’ll keep reading it…check out my blog if you can find the time!
You make me want to read it.
Hope you are having a great weekend.