I am Hutterite

I admit I had never heard of the Hutterites (an Anabaptist religious order originating in Austria), their social communities, beliefs, or customs before reading I am Hutterite:  The fascinating true story of a young woman's journey to reclaim her heritage.  As they are detailed by the author, there is a resemblance to the Mennonite and Amish communities familiar nearby.  Author Mary-Ann Kirkby tells about her happy childhood in Fairholme colony in Manitoba, Canada where the religious, moral, and social values ingrained from birth greatly influenced her life within the colony and in the outside 'English world'.  Her parents decided to leave the colony when she was 10 and she was forced to reassess everything she had been taught.  Her formative teen years were a time of soul-searching and learning about the outside world.  The descriptive passages seem unreal as the author describes being 10 and amazed by her classmates' lunches.  She had never eaten a sandwich or seen Saran Wrap.  Dancing, radio, and meeting multicultural individuals are some of the activities she had never imagined being a part of her world.  Although she praises the colonies for their peaceful, orderly, and fair lifestyles, the author now lives in the 'English' world and has a career in storytelling and journalism.  This well written account takes a look at the rarely publicized Hutterite population, their old world ways, and their interactions with today's society.  I found it riveting and difficult to put down.
More info:
Website of the book I am Hutterite
HutteriteBlog.com Setting the record straight!