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wherestoriescomefrom · 1 year

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This [The fantasy Map of India in Immortals of Meluha] is a fairly common addition to texts published in the fantasy fiction genre, particularly since it attempts to construct a world whole-cloth for uninitiated readers. Unlike a standard map, the visual technology behind this one is slightly different: it is not part of the colonial project that enables mastery. Instead, this is a map that is deliberately attempting to reimagine a past for the country – reconstructing the territory along fantastical lines that allow the author full freedom over the world of the text. While analysing the iconography associated with the geobody of India, Ramaswamy discusses the “enchanted cartographies” that come to define Bharat Mata. This is a slightly different project: the map is attempting to lay claim to the imaginative space of a fantastical India. This is an India that never was and would never be – but it could be. The text is laying claim to the very possibilities that fantasy represents, and through the image of the map, allows a kind of dominance over the space of the world.

Ramaswamy has noted in her essay that cartographies of this order engender a specific kind of male citizenship, that later changes into iconography that imagines the country as female. That The Shiva Trilogy (and a large number of texts in the fantasy fiction genre) relies on the trope of the promised king says a lot about the mastery that is demanded on this imaginary land. Nor is it an accident that a Hindu God is reimagined for this role. Tripathi’s own leanings towards a pro-Hindutva politics aside, fantasy has long been a repository for right of centre politics. Carroll’s essay contains, perhaps the most succinct analysis of this phenomenon: “Many fascist intellectuals believe that time is cyclical or nonlinear, which means that archaic elements from previous eras might recur again once more when the present epoch is over. Frequently the alt-right draws upon popular media set in ancient history or pseudo-medieval fantasy worlds to try to convey what this might look like. The alt-right fights so hard over these genres because they want to lay claim to imagination’s potential to transcend the here and now” (Carroll).

The question, then, is what kind of world order is the text of The Shiva Trilogy imagining? There is no doubt that the text of the novel posits the grand attempt at civilisation that is Meluha (in itself a very masculine endeavour) as the correct mode of existence. Shiva, coming from mount Kailash and having lived in a homeland that supposedly is caught in strife, says, “‘The tribes in my homeland were no better than animals. They didn’t even want to live a better life!’” (Tripathi 110). And the civilisation with the correct moral order is a Hindu one. There is little to no conversation about this fantasy land being secular or not: this is a world order that is pre-secular to begin with. What requires correction are the hierarchies found in modern Hinduism, which have been reimagined in inventive ways. In this world order, “Tribal” people such as Shiva are easily assimilated into the mould of Hinduism, with some of their traditions and Gods being posited as having been sourced in Upper Caste Hinduism to begin with. For instance, when Shiva describes the concept of Shakti (apparently a common philosophical belief amongst his people), a surprised Brahaspati comments, “‘Interesting. That word has not been used to describe energy for many centuries. It was a term of the Pandyas, the ancestors of all the people of India. Do you know where your tribe came from? Their lineage?’” (Tripathi 74).

In many ways, this hints at a common past for all the socio-religious identities of India. This is a Hindu project, and that it has seen resonances in other texts published in India (see footnote 1) only speaks to a certain kind of anxiety that demands this elaborate reconstruction of India.

- The Promised King: Rewriting India and Other Masculine Fantasies in Indian Publishing

#figured might as well show u all a draft of my paper #since this is the premier literary salon etc etc #also i'm working on a paper i genuinely care about after so so so long #hello void this is ridiculosity #the shiva trilogy #immortals of meluha #amish tripathi #i talk about books for the hundredth time like its a new thing #Some of this is definitely going to get edited out #Because the course is on masculinity so I'll be forced to have a tighter focus #But anyway here's a draft just for you #south asian writing #south asian science fiction #south asian fantasy #hindutva #fantasy fiction

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friendly-neighbourhood-librarian · 4 months

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Fairy Tale February: Week 3 Book Recs

The Forbidden Wish - Jessica Khoury

A magical, imaginative retelling of Aladdin. The first law of the jinn is: Do not love a human. Zahra has already broken it once. Now, with a chance to earn her freedom at stake, her growing attachment to the newest master of her lamp might cause her to risk everything. Every wish comes with a price; the Forbidden Wish has the steepest price of all.

Ella - Sarah Price

Another sweet, lovely little Amish romance, this one with a Cinderella twist! Navigating life with her awful, unappreciative stepmother and stepsisters, Ella feels the first glimmer of happiness she has felt in a long time when a young man comes to town on business — and stays for her.

Hunted - Meagan Spooner

The second Beauty and the Beast retelling I've read this month. When her father doesn't return from a hunting trip, Yeva sets off into the forest to search for him, and encounters instead the Beast her father had been raving about. Taken captive for an unknown purpose, Yeva finds the lines blurring between animal and human, hunter and hunted, fairy tale and reality. A captivating retelling!

Sadie - Sarah Price

The third and final book of the Amish Fairytale series is a retelling of Snow White! Sadie Whitaker meets a kindred spirit in the woods near her house and soon begins her first courtship. Meanwhile, her life at home becomes increasingly troublesome as her stepmother's true colours start to show. I love how human Sadie's stepmother is! From the beginning, her pain and anger are very real and empathetic, and the way she chooses to direct her jealousy toward her stepdaughter is understandable, as wrong as it is.

Amish Fairytale series: Belle | Ella | Sadie

Fairy Tale February: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Masterpost

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portraits-of-unreal-america · 1 year

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Where the Blueberries Roam

Author’s Note: This is an archived article from July 2022.

7:30 AM on a Saturday. On assignment for the Cheek Expositor.

Having just left that calamitous Fourth of July celebration in Emmitsburg, I journey across the border into Pennsylvania. Now in the Keystone State, I head east to Draycott Valley, where I am expected to cover their annual Blueberry Harvest Festival. A brochure at the visitors center describes the borough as a temporal gateway of sorts, ushering newcomers back in time and into the heart of Amish country. Little did I know, there are dark forces at work, doing their damndest to close those gates forever. Keeping outsiders out, sure enough, but also keeping insiders in.

Leaving my cozy room at the Stout House Bed & Breakfast, I met up with Elaine Mullins. Aside from teaching fourth grade mathematics and serving on the city council, Mullins is also a single mother of three, music director for her church, and the event manager for the harvest festival. If anyone deserves to be called a superhero, it’s the Mighty Ms. Mullins!

“The harvest festival is vital to our community,” says Mullins. “It brings folks together. It cuts across generational divides. It’s also the only time of year the Amish community gets involved.”

Indeed, the Amish community east of Draycott Valley is one of the most insular in the state. Despite the numerous road signs warning me to watch for their signature black buggies on my way into town, I never came across anyone. The festival is the only time of year they make their presence known, mostly to sell their handmade rugs, furniture, and blueberry delectables. Mullins shows me where they typically erect their old-timey market: East of the center stage, mirroring the regular food stands. She’s noticeably surprised not to see anyone from the Dutch Country present. Maybe they’re running late.

Elaine gives me a thorough tour of the festival grounds. Most of Draycott Valley is watching the parade, giving me unfettered access to the food vendors. I sample blueberry pancakes, muffins, and scones. Some younger vendors have trendier offerings, much to the dismay of old timers and traditionalists. I try their newfangled flatbread - which attempts to serve blueberries in a savory pizza-like context - and wash everything down with a bussin blueberry bubble tea.

I inquire about a pair of husky men who appear to be the only other festival goers not at the parade. Vendors tell me they are a father and son duo who traditionally bypass the procession entirely to focus on getting as much festival food as they can carry. They have several styrofoam coolers and tupperware containers balancing precariously in a rickety red wagon. Their sight is a welcome one. Much like Punxsutawney Phil on Groundhog Day, the “Tupper Boys” are an important portent for the profitability of the festival.

“If I see the Tupper Boys, I know it’s going to be a good payday,” says self-appointed Pancake Master Zack Hardy. “No one will admit it, but I’m sure there are more than a few stands here who orient their menus around them. Not mine, of course!”

But food is not the only attraction. There are several events to participate in, but the one that consistently draws the most attention is the blueberry cobbler contest. The blue ribbon winner gets a cash prize of $100 and - more importantly - bragging rights for a year. Until last year, those rights were exclusively held by local wedding planner Darlene Becker, who is celebrating her nineteenth consecutive 48th birthday next month. She was defeated in 2021 by Shawn Hopper, an apprentice electrician who picked up baking during the pandemic. Mrs. Becker took the loss in stride, but vowed that she would reclaim her title in this year’s rematch. Much speculation has been placed on who will win, with the community largely self-sorting based on age.

The contest, which usually has at least a dozen entries, only has five contestants this year. Four of the challengers, including Becker and Hopper, are regular faces, but this year also features the first Amish contestant: Nathaniel Stoltzfoos. Stoltzfoos, 24, describes himself as an “Amish Nationalist”. From beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat, he claims to want a “sovereign Amish enclave” in southeast Pennsylvania. There, he says, his people could live “uncomplicated lives unmolested by modern ways”. He tells me he entered the contest to bring awareness to his campaign.

Crowds gather as judges sample each entry. Anticipation grows as the judges quietly discuss their results. Family and friends discuss whether Becker or Hopper will win the blue ribbon. The contest is quickly being dubbed the “Showdown at the Fairgrounds”. Becker and Hopper wait patiently to hear the results. Stoltzfoos looks into the distance stoically, as if he already knows the results. The judges request more samples. Ten minutes pass, then fifteen. No winners declared yet. I speak to the Coffeys, a local family. Husband Rudy and wife Kara are certain Darlene will win. Their daughter, Eva, isn’t so sure.

“I graduated high school with Shawn. I’ve been watching his uploads on TikTok,” says Eva, “and I’ve watched how much he’s grown. I think he’s here to stay.”

Kara mentions their son had been a participant in years past, but his recent run-ins with the law left him at home grounded. We discuss the unlikely victory of the other contestants. On stage, it is clear that only Hopper and Becker are attentive to the judges’ movements. There’s light discussion in the audience as to whom they think will take third place.

After 23 minutes of deliberation, Head Judge (and Draycott Valley Mayor) Floyd Brown approaches the microphone to announce the winner. He goes through the complicated scoring system, highlighting categories such as presentation, crust texture, flavor, mouthfeel, and originality. Third place goes to familiar face Jenna Hockersmith. Second place goes to perennial competitor and local radio personality Bud Knight. This sends shockwaves through the crowd. Certainly Hopper or Becker should have placed second!?! Just as murmurs were reaching their zenith, Brown announces that the blue ribbon will be shared between Darlene and Shawn this year. Both winners look relieved. Stoltzfoos, however, is dismayed.

“I knew it!” screams Stoltzfoos. The young Amish man approaches the microphone and clears his throat. “This contest was rigged from the beginning! The judges were paid off!”

Mayor Brown shares a puzzled look at the other judges. They attempt to wrestle the microphone away from Stoltzfoos and usher him off the stage, but the curiosity of the crowd is palpable. All eyes turn to Stoltzfoos looking for an explanation.

“We’ve never had a tie for the winner! They orchestrated all of this for that journalist!” says the visibly angry Amish man, as he points accusingly at me.

Elaine Mullins, my guide for most of the day’s events, takes to the stage to calm the crowd. She tries to reassure everyone that the outcomes of the contest are never known beforehand. Judges are selected randomly except for the Mayor, and all judging is done freely and fairly.

The festival goers begin discussing amongst themselves. Several dirty looks are thrown in my direction. The cobbler contestants remain on stage, too nervous to descend. Over the next few minutes two camps emerge. One, believing the contest to be rigged, begins to loudly question the integrity of the vote. The second, believing Stoltzfoos to be a sore loser, spend their time mocking the contest deniers as “loony”. Stoltzfoos continues to whip up the crowd.

As we approach the afternoon, it becomes clear that no one is going anywhere until one side prevails over the other. Discussions become arguments. Brother turns against brother. Some citizens begin comparing the contest to the last mayoral election, where Brown won a razor thin victory. Soon it devolves into talking points one might hear on cable news. The glares at me become more overt. I don’t think I’m welcome anymore.

I try to look at anything other than the folks around me. Looking west of the center stage I spot the Tupper Boys, munching happily on their victuals, unaware of the conflict that threatens to tear Draycott Valley in two. Looking east, I see a handful of horse-drawn wagons and black buggies. It appears as though the Amish have arrived. Elaine rushes off the stage to greet them.

All eyes turn to look at the new arrivals. The Amish begin unloading their goods and setting up their stands. Ms. Mullins attempts to introduce me to the Amish clan, but the crowd is far more vocal. The two camps are interested in their opinion of the contest results. Jonathan Stoltzfoos, an older gentleman with a long beard and wide-brimmed straw hat, tries to grapple with the timeline. He reminds Mayor Brown and Councilwoman Mullins that his group has just arrived. After some back and forth, I interject to ask why Nathaniel had arrived so much earlier than the rest of the family. Jonathan explains that Stoltzfoos is a common last name in the surrounding Amish community. He also states that no one named Nathaniel in their community had left ahead of them.

Attention immediately shifts to avowed Amish Nationalist Nathaniel Stoltzfoos, now sweating profusely. The previously vocal Nathaniel was tongue tied. Elaine asks where the Amish clan had been this whole time. Jonathan explains that a young man told them the festival was starting in the afternoon this year. Taking notice of Nathaniel, Jonathan says it was a boy that looked a lot like Nathaniel, but he was dressed in modern clothing.

“Okay, you caught me!” says Nathaniel. He removes his hat and (apparently fake) beard to reveal a round, sweaty, clean shaven face.

Nathaniel Stoltzfoos is none other than local prankster Troy Coffey. Rudy and Kara are red with embarrassment. Eva has pulled the hood of her jacket over her head. He explains that he waited until his family left before taking his bike to the festival. His entry was a store bought cobbler, which he thought would fare better (thanks to added sugar and preservatives) when compared to the homemade offerings of other contestants. The Amish costume would disguise his appearance. Once his cobbler won, he would reveal himself and embarrass everyone, showing once and for all that the contest isn’t worth anyone’s time.

The Coffeys apologize to the crowd and to the real Stoltzfooses. Troy is arrested for disorderly conduct. With all questions of cobbler contest integrity quashed, the crowd rejoices and congratulates Shawn and Darlene. The festival continues as planned, ending with a spectacular fireworks show.

As I pay the gas station attendant and refuel my car for the long trip back to Texas, I take note of the Tupper Boys waiting in line inside the convenience store to buy several rolls of antacid. I came to Draycott Valley in search of family fun and blueberries galore. So much attention and emotion is given to the cobbler baking contest, but I wonder if more people should be more like the Tupper Boys: Here for fun and nothing more! Who needs competition when you can eat your weight in blueberries? Just food for thought.

- Trapper St.Thomas

#unreality #misinfo #blueberries #where the blueberries roam #amish #july 2022 #creative writing #writeblr #fiction #journalism #newspaper #gonzo journalism

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doodlesink · 1 day

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Dating an Amish Flirt by Rachel J. Good -- A Book Review

Happy Thursday! Dating an Amish Flirt by Rachel J. Good will be out on Tuesday, April 23. Pop by to learn more about the sixth book in the Surprised by Love series. Happy Reading!

https://bibliophileandavidreader.blogspot.com/2024/04/dating-amish-flirt-by-rachel.html

#theavidreader #book review #kensington books #amish romance #the avid reader #amish fiction #datinganamishflirt #rachel good #kensington publishing #surprisedbylove #surprised by love

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wintersmischief28 · 2 years

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Some of he books i have brought.if you got any book recommendations be sure to let me know😄.

#book photography #booktiktok #booktok #book lover #booooks #ink black heart #war of lanka #explaininglife through evolution #hamnet #all things wise and wonderful #JamesHarriot #amish #robert galbraith #maggie o'farrell #fiction

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meezcarrie · 11 months

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June 2023 New Releases

What do May flowers bring? Well, maybe Pilgrims but also a bunch of great June 2023 New Releases that are on my radar - and should be on yours too!

Happy June! A new month brings new books, and there are SO MANY great books on my radar in June! There are over 90 titles on this list of June 2023 New Releases, and they comprise a range of genres – contemporary, historical, cozy mystery, suspense, Amish fiction, children’s books, YA, speculative/fantasy, and even a few nonfiction. And, of course, expect to see lots of romance because it’s me,…

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#Amish fiction #children&039;s books #Christian nonfiction #coming soon #contemporary romance #cover love #cozy mystery #fantasy #historical fiction #historical romance #mid 2023 #mystery/suspense #new releases #picture books #romantic suspense #TBR #time travel #women&039;s fiction #YA fiction

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brucedinsman · 5 days

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What are you reading? Weekly bookshelf

2019: 79; 2020; 159, 2021;194, 2022; 268, 2023; 250. I have exceeded my goals all 6 years 63 books read so far in 2024 The Vengeance of Mothers (One Thousand White Women, #2) Fergus, Jim * 3.91 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars currently-reading[edit] not set [edit] Mar 16, 2024 edit view » The German Wife Rimmer, Kelly * 4.38 1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of…

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#Bible #2024 #Adventure #Amish #Amish Romance #Apologetics #Fantasy #Horror #Mystery\#romance #Science Fiction #Theology #Thriller #What are you reading

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ultrajustjo · 2 months

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Of Loving Grace

Anabaptism, evangelical white women, and Amish novels: how history and fiction affect our neighbors and ourselves

The arts I'm examining this week are film and written fiction, and how they play together to illuminate harm and to reflect changed experiences.

This week, I caught part of a docu-video on Mary Byler, a woman who shares her trauma from living Amish in the United States in the late 20th/early 21st century. You can view it at the link below. I was curious enough about her story to find her public socials. Recently, Ms. Byler hosted several ex-Amish or Amish-related women for a discussion on the harm they say is done by the publishing industry on the psyches of Amish women and how they are perceived in American culture. You probably already have a stereotyped caricature in your mind of an Amish woman right now: demure, happy without electric power or personal agency, part of a loving community. Unless...you live near an Amish community and shop at Walmart with your Amish neighbors. If you've stood in line after work with an Amish neighbor, you might have a different mental image, particularly as there are 50 states with Amish communities and the Amish population is growing, according to both Wikipedia and Lancaster Online. If you hold that caricature in your mind, it's probably time to get rid of it. Byler says it's more than past time because the image is damaging to abused women who seek help outside of the Amish communities but are denied due process because of the perception that the culture-within-a-culture takes care of itself. (Any misunderstandings or misrepresentations of her stance are my own, and I encourage readers to follow the links and determine the stance, themselves.) Unfortunately, court cases like the ones Byler was involved with are proof that there is trouble within a very human community, and, also unfortunately, the ways abuse is dealt with in some Amish communities is to punish the victims.

Anabaptism is on my radar: I'm struggling through taking Church History at Duke Divinity School and reading about Reformation on the European continent. The bloody persecution of Anabaptists is part of that history, and, like their modern-day counterparts, the Amish, there are cultural, economic, and social elements at play along with religious expression. Does the broader American culture that pushes into and drives the economies of many Amish regions remain hands-off on the abuse of women and children with a unique heritage? Is it American patriarchy partnering with Amish patriarchy that leaves women vulnerable to abuse? Probably. In 2024, American women of all cultures and ethnicities face abuse and lack of due process.

Part of the lived cultural experience today, Byler says, is widespread abuse that is obscured by the Amish romance industry's depiction of Amish women. Some novels may describe sacharrin-vanilla characters empty of drive, intelligence, or autonomy. Has a fictionalized depiction of a small demographic caused harm? Byler says it has. Is that depiction limiting the help available to young girls and women living Amish who face abuse on what Byler says is a regular basis? Her panel says it is. You can see both videos below.

youtube

and, this one:

https://fb.watch/qkPqCyyRqK/?

Part of my ministerial training

...involves listening. I need to listen to these women speaking their truth now. For my training, I also need to listen to the voices of the past, the probable ancestors of these women (culturally, if not genetically). Anna was drowned and then burned, as were many Anabaptist martyrs. See if your heart doesn't break reading this:

As a Christian scholar and leader, I need to listen to these women of the present and of the past to acknowledge that harm is done and has been done. After acknowledgement, what do we do? Do we act with justice? Do we turn our eyes away? Do we use our voices in print, or carry them forward in song? Do we march? Do we pray in silence? Does our response matter? To Byler and her guests, our response does matter.

The first response from us, after prayers for humanity, is to buy Byler's book. Just buy it. Rush to buy it, then buy it, and then read it. Tell your friends to buy it and ask your libraries to buy it. Byler has a story that is part of humanity's history and it cannot be ignored or erased. Read her story, mindful of triggers. This is your trigger warning, ok? Buy it here:

THEN,

Go to her website and any of the websites for non-profits she is supporting and support them, too. In these ways, we can actively listen and actively respond with care.

Here is where it gets sticky.

Byler's guest panel discussed an author, Beverly Lewis, known for writing in the current fiction genre. They called out evangelical white women as the audience for the industry, and questioned the readers' motives such as imagining a fairy tale of a simple farm life. Their description reminded me of a 2020s version of the 1970s Little House on the Prairie phase, but with Amish religion instead of Methodist. A complaint I thought I heard from Byler and her guests was the theology infused throughout the books -- white-washed Evangelicalism, not Anabaptist American Amish or Mennonite.

Additionally, they complained of being erased in identity when they expressed their lived experiences, because the fiction is affecting the reality. One panelist was told by a male, non-Amish-related professor that he knew more about being Amish than she. Mansplaining at its finest, right? The lude requests they also received as Amish-related women were really over the top, and yet, so very familiar to any woman in nearly every culture. Fetishism is everywhere and in every time. Who is surprised?

I heard their anguish at professional diminishment. I heard their anger at being traumatized and ignored. And I heard their appeal to other women like me, readers of fiction. They asked us to boycott the Amish novels the way we boycott McDonald's for Palestine and Starbucks for unions. I am willing to boycott, but I've been boycotting Gillette for 30 years for vivisection and Dole for 30 years for violence over vegetable fields, and I, as a single individual, am really, really tired. Also, I was really annoyed that I got lumped into a group of people whose motives were speculated on, but isn't that just life? Can I let that minor annoyance go to prevent true harm against a people? Isn't that part of listening and choosing wisely and with care? Sure, yes.

But.

Is the fiction harmful?

This is the "ourselves" part

On the personal history side.

My grandmother loved novels by Grace Livingston Hill.

She had a set just like the ones pictured below. I'll include a link to buy them, too. Enjoy.

Want to read some? Try this auction:

Grace Livingston Hill novels were Christian fictional novels, clean and full of fluff, and Grandma loved them. She was Church of Christ, through and through, and five generations of our family have followed Church of Christ rules: no female teachers; and women cannot read in Church, serve communion, lead a prayer, or make a financial decision for a church. Women are to let their husbands be the head of the house, which means that men make the decisions for both the church and individual households. All Churches of Christ are independent, but my family had the knack of knowing which CoC was a "true" CoC and which wasn't -- some had pianos, and you know that wasn't going to fly! In my mother's era, no one divorced, no one danced, no one smoked, no one drank, and no one cussed -- in public. Countless relatives have their vices, but we all look the other way, or shame them, depending on who they are, how old they are, and what leadership roles they hold. It was an interesting life, full of love and faith, but not quite "right" for me, and sometimes, quite harmful. Abuse was hidden here, too. Whispers stayed in corners. Let's get back to Grandma.

Grandma was a spitfire, but she followed the rules, for the most part. She did divorce her wayward, violent husband and then remarry a gem of a man, and the couple had many early meetings with church heads before it was all through and they were allowed to marry. The Church of Christ, while no longer my cup of tea, is still full of caring people, and they cared for my grandparents for many years.

Grandma lived on an isolated farm as a young bride, and some of her children, including my mother, were born in a log cabin in the Ozarks. They had rusty trucks to take them to town, but on the farm, they used wagons. In the picture below, this couple is supposed to be my young grandparents, the wayward one and the spitfire, riding away on the wagon. They eventually sold the farm and migrated north to do factory work in Michigan, settling in Indiana. The family has been in northern Indiana for 70 years now. We have brunches at the Blue Gate Inn and spend occasional Wednesdays at the auctions. My grandpa, the one below, used to buy random lots from the Shipshewana auction and refurbish and resell them in front of his house in his retirement. This region holds our shared, intergenerational history.

The original of this photo hangs on my living room wall along with three others of people long passed. We don't remember their names but we still know their faces and their lineage. In 50 years, where will my photos be seen? It won't matter to me!

Grandma loved to take her grandkids to Nappanee to see the Amish tourist places. We didn't go because the people were Amish, though. We didn't gawk at them because 1) we were taught early in school about our Amish neighbors, 2) we shared the roads with the Amish, and 3) if someone wasn't Church of Christ, they weren't saved (in Grandma's book), and the Amish seemed to be set in their ways so staring at people without converting them would be rude. Grandma took us to Nappanee to see the tools she used to use on her farm. She showed us the sewing machines, the butter churns, and the wax-dipped candle strings. She would take a turn milking a goat to show us that she still could, and she'd reminisce about her old horses that used to work her father's farm and her own, too. Then she'd thank the young girls working that day and we'd leave.

On the way home, she and grandpa -- the second, not the wayward -- would split a hamburger and fries because "they were old and didn't eat much," and besides that, they could pinch a penny harder than anyone. And when she got home, she'd nap or re-read a Grace Livingston Hill fluff fiction that wasn't her religion but was close enough -- GLH was Presbyterian, but the books were "clean" and happy. I miss my grandma. I've run off on a few tangents already, so let's get back on track.

Was the fiction harmful? Is today's fiction harmful?

Grandma has now passed but she allowed that GLH was not harmful. My aunts and I don't read GLH, but we do read Amish novels -- many are romances, but some are mystery novels, and some feature DOGS. Yes, dogs. Cute little mutts. We read about fictional women taking care of their homes they way we still take care of our homes -- and yes, I live on an old farm. We read about fictional women who butt heads with stubborn men the way we do sometimes with our husbands. We read about fictional women who have limitations imposed on them by religion, or about fictional women who willingly participate in religious limitations. Members of my family fracture off into groups and leave one church community for another over disagreements, and when we come together at funerals we acknowledge the loss and then go our own ways. Religion both binds us together and rends us apart, and we identify with the situations in these silly, fictional books that let us read about the happy endings we wish we had.

Does anyone really have happy endings? Or do we gratefully acquire, or create, happy moments? Is a choice of fiction going to give a happy ending, or a happy moment? Will that choice cause a bad ending for women?

I want to be a listener, but I also want to be a discerner.

I don't want to consume graphic, dark novels. I don't want to buy or read porn. I don't want to read or watch anything that is going to have a trigger warning. These materials are harmful to me and to my psyche, but I am not going to call for their censorship for two reasons: 1. Censorship has dire consequences, and 2. Other morally decent and intelligent people do want to consume those materials. I have discerned that I feel better without associating with them. I argue that they can reflect violence in our society, but I also argue that they do not cause violence. Humanity is capable of violence on its own.

I don't know if I'll read any more Amish novels, but I may -- there are very good authors out there trying to make a living. I want to say that the novels are the modern day equivalent to GLH books -- harmless, fictional, and a trend that will wane. I'm not sure I can say that, so I ask more questions. What is the intentionality of the authors writing about Amish romances? Is it to harm a group? If the group says they are harmed by a false image, does a positive intent matter? Are the Amish depicted in books similar to the blonde in blonde jokes -- an annoying part of pop culture that is unfortunate for how actual blondes are perceived? Or, are they a misused cultural appropriation like Native American sports team mascots?

What will you do?

I'm going to finish Church History, then spend a month baking Grandma's bread recipe every week and crocheting a new sweater, or maybe a cross doily.

You should go buy Byler's book.

#Youtube #duke divinity #duke #reformed #church #notre dame fighting irish #amish #fiction #farms #christian faith #christianity #film #wagon #indiana

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