Although this is a quick read, I was a bit disappointed by this book. I guess I was looking for more insight into the differences between mainstream folks, Mennonites, and the Amish (although I figured this would be tangential). The story was really the author's musings about her childhood and coming of age, finding herself, her mentors, and her writing aspirations. I just didn't find that as interesting, and there were several very gruesome passages that I don't think I will soon forget. Those parts -- I wish I had never read. The author seems authentic and friendly in her perspective but, because I don't know her yet, I was not as invested in her backstory as I might have been for someone like Beverly Lewis. whom I've read for years. The book could benefit from more details like the appendix: A Day in the Life of the Author, and her experiences with perceptions of people outside her Mennonite communities.

This is the second book I have read from the Plainspoken series. The other book was about an Amish woman's life, which I am more familiar with than the Mennonite faith, so I was excited to read this book. I do know that Mennonites are also Plain people like the Amish, but that they have a more relaxed approach as far as modern day conveniences. Beyond that I do not know a lot about the Mennonites, so I was excited to read this book. There is something really cool and also quite educational about reading someone's memoir about their day to day life. It's just a book about Lucinda Miller's life, but to me it's a peek into another world. I appreciated Ms. Miller's candor about her faith and her honesty in her struggles. I enjoyed reading about her relationship with a feisty elderly lady and then with another spitfire atheist. Most enjoyable for me, a ferocious reader and wanna be author of a *someday I will write it* novel, I loved reading about Lucinda's adventures in writing. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in stories of every day people or who would like to learn more about the Mennonite faith.

Luci has grown up in a Mennonite family and community. In this book Luci is wanting to become an author. She spends time and effort writting a book, but cannot get it published.
She is given the idea of putting something in her book about what make the Mennonite people unique. Of course, the Mennonites are a simple people. They live their lives as plain as possible.
One night after another hard day at work, teaching children, helping her parents clean two buildings, coming home fixing dinner, and finally collapsing in bed. We realize their life is anything but simple.
Well written, informative.
5 Stars

Anything but Simple is a look at the life of a Wisconsin Mennonite woman. I find the lifestyle interesting and the differences between them and the Old Order Amish. Her story is basic, unadorned, and authentic.

“But if you try for simplicity, is it simple anymore?” another friend asked. And truthfully, I have seldom seen such a complex code of laws, both written and unwritten, as exists within my denomination. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day might be an excellent comparison: a Jewish sect so dedicated to following the holy Law of Moses they developed many traditions of their own.

With this introduction we are brought into the world that Miller abides in in her Mennonite church. She begins her story with explaining that Plain people are people standing with a foot in two different worlds. The have the world into which they are born, considered simple and they are surrounded by the outside world with all its charms and foibles.

People from the outside often seem too have the idea that one is born Mennonite and remains that way, on a level with being born black or Jewish or female. … Plain people experience a real battle between cultures. They make a conscious decision to embrace their parents’ lifestyle or not, according to their own deeply held beliefs.

Miller takes us back to when she was the age of ten or eleven and shares some of her memories, such as listening to her father preach a sermon in her simple Mennonite church and recalling the impact if it on her both as a child and now as an adult. She gives us an overview of how her parents met and when they got married, the family they produced and the work that they did to make a living. She takes us through her short lifetime of memories of being part of the Mennonite church and what that meant to her family and herself. She shares memories about her life growing up and how she felt, as a shy girl, like an outsider in her faith group.

I am different from anyone in my family, in my church, in my world. When I was younger, I thought it might be a special different. Now that I am almost a teenager, I know it is not special, but alien.

Miller seems at pains to show that people of the Mennonite faith are no different from other Christian faith groups. She repeatedly tries to show that they face the same issues and temptations, that they have the same faith of any other people.

….I had been thinking of her question: “How are Mennonites different?” – and now I thought I knew the answer. “It’s mostly in church that we’re different,” I told her on the way to the Grand Canyon. “In our communion service and our foot washing and our holy kiss. Anywhere other than that, we live pretty much the same as everyone else.”

The problem is that as an outsider I wanted to know about the rules that make them different to
everyday western church groups. Often Miller would give examples of what she thought would be a regular family of faith, and yet there would be odd examples of things that are not routine in western church actions. One example of church rules that I didn’t understand and that wasn’t expounded upon was that Mennonites aren’t allowed to watch television or have a radio, yet Miller talks about how everyone in her family spent the evenings tapping away on their mobile phones. It was an odd dichotomy to the idea that they lead a simple life.

The themes of love and family unity are strongly expressed in this memoir. It also daringly takes the chance to explore personal faith and doubt and what the implications of such thoughts were. Miller comes across as a girl who is different to other Mennonite girls and their ‘usual’ life paths and is stronger for it. This is a comforting read about a young woman searching for and finding her faith and assuredness of her place in her church. It makes me want to read the rest of the Plainspoken series.


1) Chasing the Amish Dream by Loren Beachy
2) Called to Be Amish by Marlene C. Miller
3) Hutterite Diaries by Linda Maendel
4) Simple Pleasures by Marianne Jantzi

This is a rich memoir about a young Mennonite woman. It is not a primer, just a description of what it means to be a Mennonite (though there is a brief Q & A section at the end of the book). It is more than that, an honest examination of a young woman's life lived as a Mennonite in a Mennonite community, her day-to day life, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Her writing is lyrical and lovely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Herald Press for allowing me to provide an honest review based on my opinion.

I enjoyed a rare nonfiction account regarding the lives and beliefs of the Mennonite and Amish people..

I learned by reading Lucinda Miller's account of her Mennonite life. that we all have generally, the same thoughts and goals in life.

I really enjoyed reading Lucinda's first hand account of what it was like growing up in a conservative Mennonite family and congregation. Many of their values are quite similar to my Jewish faith and values, particularly the emphasis placed on the importance of family. That is something I closely identify with.. Lucinda Miller writes in such a way that the reader can truly identify with her family members, who come across as every day mom and dad, every day siblings. I think my only disappointment is that the book ended abruptly without letting the readers know what would happen next for Lucinda after teaching, and whether she would find someone she wishes to marry.

I found myself unable to put the book down. I am avid fan of Amish and Mennonite fiction but have seldom read nonfiction regarding their lives and beliefs.

Without sounding common, they have the same issues as everyone else. What is my belief in God? How do I live my life to the fullest and stay humble?

I learned a lot from reading Lucinda Miller's account of her Mennonite life. I am looking forward to reading her children's book, The Arrowhead.

Thank you to NetGalley and Herald Press for an ARC to read and write an honest review based on my own opinion.

What an interesting memoir on growing up a Mennonite. I have always enjoyed reading about people growing in the Mennonite community but there are not many books about it. This one was very good it was not one of those oh the severe abuse that happened just the normal life. It was very interesting and I highly recommend it.