ARU

Once again, I stepped out of my comfort zone and found a book I thoroughly enjoyed. ‘I Am Hutterite’, a true story that reads like fiction, details both the joys and trials of living in a Hutterite community. I have to be honest, I had never heard of Hutterites before reading this book. I guess that’s why I found it so intriguing. Learning about different religions and cultures is one of the reasons I love reading so much. Usually it’s in the form of historical fiction, but every now and again I find a book like this one that really fascinates me.

The story is told from the viewpoint of Anne-Marie Dornn (now Mary-Ann Kirby) who grew up in the Hutterite colony until her parents decides to leave in search of a new life, with seven children in tow. Amazingly, despite the constant struggles of her family and others within the community, Anne-Marie’s view of the colony is always positive. The love and respect Kirby has for her culture and background is apparent through her writing. After leaving the colony, she has difficulty adjusting to modern life and misses the day-to-day routine and communal closeness she felt within the colony. Nonetheless, the Dornn family manages to overcome many obstacles while trying to adapt to a culture that is completely foreign to them. I love how Kirby displays the powerful bond within this family.

I highly recommend this book. If you want to know more about this culture, visit here.