Growing Up Amish: A Memoir by Ira Wagler

I've wanted to learn more about Amish life, so this book caught my eye.

Wagler writes about his Amish upbringing and his struggle to decide whether or not he wanted to stay in the Amish community. He left several times and lived in the non-Amish world, and always returned only to feel constricted and wanting freedom. He finally left for good at age 26.

Wagler writes really well about the inner struggle and turmoil he experienced. He writes about his years-long courtship and break-up with an Amish girl, and that was heartbreaking. I was reading that part right before I went to bed, and almost didn't read it because I didn't want to read something so sad before closing my eyes on the day.

I was really into this book mostly because I am curious about Amish life, but also because it's well-written and moves along at a quick pace.