Posts by Saloma Furlong
Book Reviews
It often feels like many years since my books were published. So when there are new book reviews that come out of nowhere, I am reminded that it is actually less than two years since Bonnet Strings was published. That is a very long time for a book these days, I know. But when you…
Read MoreAmish Man Suing Federal Government
In my home community in Ohio, I was taught that you are either Amish or not — there simply is no in between. One could not pick and choose which of the rules or traditions to follow and which ones to ignore. Amish have a long memory for the martyrdom that their ancestors endured in…
Read MoreWhat to Do about the Seneca White Deer?
Once in a while our advanced technology helps us to discover something new in nature. That happened last week, when something unexpected came up in my Google alert set at "Amish." There was a story in the Inquistr by Patrick Frye about a white deer population at the army depot in Seneca, New York called…
Read MorePride or Humility?
Amish have received many exemptions for their religious beliefs over the years — from compulsory education, from child labor laws, from installing fire alarm in their homes, and from paying social security taxes and health insurance to name a few. They have been granted these and other exemptions partly because their culture is perceived by…
Read MoreThe Rewards of Being an Author
I did not realize until this past year, that the impetus for writing my first book, Why I Left the Amish, was essentially to find acknowledgement of the struggles of my childhood. Both my parents died without acknowledging the difficulties all seven of their children endured. My siblings and I have dealt differently with the…
Read MoreMealtime Prayer Traditions
I grew up with the tradition of saying a silent prayer before and after each meal in my Amish family and community. Once we were gathered around our kitchen table, my father would say "Händt nunna" (Hands down) and we would all put our hands in our laps and bow our heads. When we heard…
Read MoreA Porch: All Shiny and New (Looking)
I think I've mentioned before that David and I bought a house in 2008 that was built in 1921. Seven years later, we are still renovating it. For the past three or so years, we've been looking at the rafters of our porch. We decided to do something about that before the snow flies. Several…
Read MoreAnother Soul-Restoring Trip to Vermont
I finally submitted my Fulbright application. It has been an intense, yet very rewarding process. Everyone who applies for a Fulbright Scholarship grant needs to find at least one affiliate researcher who agrees to oversee the candidate's project. I am fortunate to have not one, but four professors who have offered to support and oversee…
Read MoreTravels to Cape Cod
Last week, David and I traveled to Cape Cod to visit friends for several days. They are well-traveled and generously showed us around to sights we'd never seen before and to restaurants where we ate delectable meals. We had a great time eating fresh seafood, swimming in the ocean, swimming in Long Pond, watching birds,…
Read MoreOp-Ed in Cleveland Plain Dealer
I hope you will click on over to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where a new op-ed I wrote was printed this morning. A lively discussion has already started, and I hope you will join it. The piece is called Amish Buggies Leaving a Smelly Issue in their Wake. Here is an excerpt: I grew up…
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