Martyrs Mirror: A Social History
David Weaver-Zercher
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2016
The definitive history of the martyr book that’s shaped Amish and Mennonite life for nearly four centuries. Martyrs Mirror: A Social History examines the book’s compilation and publication in the 17th century and tracks its fascinating journey as it’s translated, disseminated, read, and discussed in Europe, North America, and beyond. The book’s chapter on the Anabaptist martyr Dirk Willems, titled “The Most Useable Martyr,” is a must-read for anyone who wishes to understand the varied nature of Amish and Mennonite life today.
"A definitive book about a definitive book…Required reading for those interested in religious history.” – Choice
"Well-conceived, well-written, and well-researched, Martyrs Mirror: A Social History is a terrific book and an absolute pleasure to read." – Paul C. Gutjahr, Indiana University, author of The Book of Mormon: A Biography
“Masterful…both ambitious and impressive. It constitutes an overview-in-miniature of Anabaptist history.” – Benjamin W. Goossen, Harvard University, author of Chosen Nation: Mennonites and Germany in a Global Era
“Beautifully written and meticulously researched, Martyrs Mirror: A Social History provides an invaluable service to anyone open to learning about the journey of the book and the faith that reveres it.” – Mennonite Quarterly Review
“An intricate and sophisticated history of a book and its reception.” – Journal of Mennonite Studies
“Definitive and accessible,” Weaver-Zercher has “a gift for provoking his readers’ curiosity to dig deeper into a fascinating subject.” – Mark L. Louden, University of Wisconsin-Madison, author of Pennsylvania Dutch: An American Language
Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy
David L. Weaver-Zercher, Donald B. Kraybill, and Steven M. Nolt
Jossey-Bass, 2007
Award of Merit, Christianity Today 2008 Book Awards
Publishers Weekly 150 Best Books of 2007
In October 2006, a non-Amish gunman entered a small Amish school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and proceed to shoot ten Amish girls, killing five of them. In the midst of their deep grief, the Nickel Mines Amish community surprised the world by offering grace to the gunman’s family and forgiveness to the gunman himself. The award-winning Amish Grace tells that story and explains the Amish response which, to them, was simply the right thing to do.
“Remarkable….this anguished and devastating account of a national tragedy is itself a marvel of grace.” – Booklist, Starred Review
“A superb book—a model of clear, forceful writing about a tragedy and its aftermath.” – National Catholic Reporter
“In plain and beautiful prose, Amish Grace recounts the Amish witness and connects it to the heart of their spirituality.” – Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking
“Covers the subject in a superb way. It gave me a private tutorial in Amish culture and religion.” – Fred Luskin, Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Projects
The Amish Way: Patient Faith in a Perilous World
David L. Weaver-Zercher, Donald B. Kraybill, and Steven M. Nolt
Jossey-Bass, 2010
This second book by the authors of the award-winning Amish Grace sheds further light on the Amish, this time on their faith, spirituality, and spiritual practices. The authors interpret the distinctive practices of Amish spirituality in their cultural context, connect them to well-known features of Amish life, and explore their applicability for the wider world. They conclude that patience lies at the heart of Amish spirituality and thereby shapes nearly every aspect of Amish life.
“The Amish Way is enlightening, practical, and well-researched. A wonderful read.” – Beverly Lewis, New York Times bestselling author of Amish fiction
"The Amish Way is a treasure―educating as it enlightens, inspiring as it informs, unparalleled in its authenticity and accuracy."―Erik Wesner, author of Amish America blog
“A beautifully written book…as close to the inside as one can get.” – Mennonite Quarterly Review
“The three authors bring a rare combination of expertise and understanding to the religious beliefs and practices that shape Amish life.” – Karen Johnson-Weiner, author of The Lives of Amish Women
The Amish and the Media
Edited by Diane Zimmerman Umble and David Weaver-Zercher
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008
Of all the religious groups in contemporary America, few demonstrate as many reservations toward the media as do the Old Order Amish. Yet these attention-wary citizens have become a media phenomenon, featured in films, novels, and television shows―from Witness and Amish in the City to the intense news coverage of the 2006 Nickel Mines School shooting. With essays from experts in the fields of film studies, poetry, anthropology, and history, this groundbreaking collection shows how the relationship between the Amish and the media provides valuable insights into North America’s most renowned counterculture.
“The Amish and the Media represents the best in sensitive scholarship, approaching a people apart in ways that attend to ‘the dignity of difference.’” – Journal of Media and Religion
“A finely crafted volume…The authors write with a knowledge and sensitivity to the topic that is refreshing and that scholars and students should appreciate." – Church History
“The Amish and the Media should be of great interest to scholars and generally educated readers drawn to North American religion and the media." – Mennonite Quarterly Review
“This book will be of interest to anyone who is interested in the media portrayal of the Amish, and to those who want to know more about the issue of religion and the media.” – Conrad Grebel Review
Writing the Amish: The Worlds of John A. Hostetler
Edited by David L. Weaver-Zercher
Penn State University Press, 2005
From the early 1960s to the late 1980s, John A. Hostetler was the world’s premier scholar of Amish life. Writing the Amish both recounts and assesses Hostetler’s Amish-related work, which he addressed to both scholarly and popular audiences. The first half of the book contains four essays, including a biographical essay by David Weaver-Zercher that situates Hostetler in his personal and professional contexts. The second half of the book reprints in chronological order fourteen key writings by Hostetler, with commentaries and annotations by Weaver-Zercher.
“Insightful and important…offers a carefully nuanced description of Hostetler’s ‘man in the middle’ status.” – Mennonite Quarterly Review
“Informative and insightful…the book brings into focus many facets of Hostetler’s life and work and relates them to one another in an effective and compelling survey.” – Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography
“These essays will appeal both to scholars who are fascinated by the role of academics in constructing the lives of the people they study and to those who simply want to know more about John Hostetler, his life, and the Amish.” – Western Pennsylvania History
The Amish in the American Imagination
David L. Weaver-Zercher
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001
In The Amish in the American Imagination, historian David Weaver-Zercher explores how diverse 20th-century Americans―ranging from Mennonite ministers to Hollywood film producers―understood and represented the Amish to their respective audiences. Utilizing a wide variety of visual and textual sources, Weaver-Zercher shows how "English" Americans appropriated what they viewed as exotic, rural Americans for a variety of ideological, commercial, and spiritual purposes.
“One has to be impressed with Weaver-Zercher’s nuanced and sophisticated interpretations…a rich text worthy of contemplation.” – Simon J. Bronner, Penn State University, author of Folklore: The Basics
“A well-written and theoretically sophisticated text…The author asks important, compelling questions that dovetail with those of other scholars who study religion on the American landscape.” – Church History
“Comprehensive, insightful, and balanced…” – Mennonite Quarterly Review
“Not the least of this book’s fine qualities is its abiding good humor.” – Christian Century
“Fascinating and informative…For students of American culture, The Amish in the American Imagination offers much to ponder.” – Journal of American History