Thursday, August 25, 2011

Book Review: Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher + Giveaway


The Amish live a simple life. In her new book, Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne Woods Fisher shares stories from the Amish folk about their lives and values. The book is divided into four sections, each filled with wonderful tales of Amish life: Children Are Loved but Not Adored, Great Expectations, Daily Bread, and Letting Go. Being a new parent, the section that I found most interesting was Children Are Loved but Not Adored. The title at first seemed a bit off-putting. I do adore my child. I love him with all my heart. But that isn't so much what the title means. It refers to how modern parents tend to spoil their children, they "love" them so much that they cannot stand to have their kids not have the latest and greatest toys and gadgets. Amish parents, on the other hand, love their children, but rather than spoiling them, they teach them valuable life lessons and skills.

One story that particularly points out the Amish way of teaching skills to their young is called "The Rabbit Hutch."  It is about two fathers and sons, one Amish and one English (non-Amish). The Amish father wants to buy the supplies and have his son make their hutch. The English father says that there's "no need to reinvent the wheel" and that they will just purchase one. To which the Amish father replies "Unless you're trying to teach your son how to use a hammer and saw" and "to give your son skills he can use for a lifetime." I believe this story illustrates the English folks habit (a bad one I might add) of having things now and getting them easily. Why make something if you can just buy it?

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction book. "It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby
Read the reviews here.

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.


One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)


Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to giveaway.

But, wait there's more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contestAmish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Giveaway

One My Kansas City Mommy will win a copy of Amish Values for Your Family! This giveaway will end on August 31 at 11:59 PM Central time.

To enter this giveaway:

First, leave a comment on this post - tell me one value/skill you want to pass on to your kids! Then fill out the ENTRY FORM. Completing these two steps counts as one entry.

You can also receive additional entries for the following (you will check these off on the entry form - please do not leave additional comments relating to these! They will NOT be counted unless they are filled in on the form.):

* "Like" Suzanne Woods Fisher on Facebook
* Follow Suzanne Woods Fisher on Twitter
* Subscribe to My Kansas City Mommy's feed or email subscription
* Publicly follow My Kansas City Mommy with Google Friend Connect
* "Like" My Kansas City Mommy on Facebook
* Follow My Kansas City Mommy on Twitter
* Tweet about this contest! Use this: I just entered to #win Amish Values for Your Family - you can too! Ends 8/31. Enter #giveaway  via @MyKCMommy


Don't forget to click here to fill out the entry form. Please note that this prize can only be shipped to a US address!

Looking for more stuff to win?  Check out the Giveaways page for current giveaways and past winners!

Thanks to Revell Publishing & Litfuse Publicity for providing my review sample and the giveaway prize! I received no other compensation and all views expressed are my own. For more information, you can read My Kansas City Mommy's Giveaway Policy.



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26 comments:

  1. To treat others as you would want to be treated.
    sunniewoodyplus2 atmsn.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am trying to teach my children the value of life. How important it is to celebrate everyday, every accomplishment, every failure, because they have done it for themselves!
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Suzanne Woods Fisher Facebook Fan
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Suzanne Woods Fisher Twitter follower
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Email subscriber!
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. GFC subscriber
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Facebook Fan!
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Twitter follower
    alklong at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Honesty, definitely.

    kdunn@mriglobal.org

    ReplyDelete
  10. I want to pass on the value of finding joy in each day of life!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I want to pass on the values of compassion, thankfulness, and integrity
    robinlscott4 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. There are so many values I want to pass onand the one already listed are onmy list. I want my kids to be them selves and don't let others change than we are influenced by somany people andthings sometimes we get lost or loose sight of who we truely are

    ReplyDelete
  13. I want my kids to remember how important it is to help others. Thanks
    mrspoofa(at)aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Julia! Thanks so much for being a part of the blog tour for Amish Values. I'm glad you brought out points about the rabbit hutch story--that was my editor's favorite story! (Hence...why it was first!). I'm impressed with how many comments you have! A terrific blog, I can see. Warmly, Suzanne Woods fisher

    ReplyDelete
  15. I want my children to value faith and freedom to ask questions.
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. "Like" Suzanne on FB
    Jennifer Billey Crum
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Follow Suzanne on Twitter
    jenlcrum
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Follow you via GFC
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Like your blog on FB
    Jennifer Billey Crum
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Twitter follower
    jenlcrum
    jenlcrum@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'd like to teach my children the values of faith and patience.

    mrs.marcus2 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am trying to teach my children that complaining about a problem is pointless, that instead they should take those emotions and turn them into creating a solution for the problem.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thriftiness is a great value to learn.

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  24. do not complain, don't expect too much from life or other people
    gala
    galyettina at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  25. I hope to teach them how to budget, how to give, and compassion.
    bwalker1123 at gmail dot com

    I would love to learn about the Amish way of life - thanks for the chance.

    ReplyDelete

 

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