Since its publication in 1989,
The Riddle of Amish Culture
has become recognized as a classic work on one of America's
most distinctive religious communities. But many changes
have occurred within Amish society over the past decade,
from westward migrations and a greater familiarity with
technology to the dramatic shift away from farming into
small business which is transforming Amish culture. For this
revised edition, Donald B. Kraybill has taken these recent
changes into account, incorporating new demographic research
and new interviews he has conducted among the Amish. In
addition, he includes a new chapter describing Amish
recreation and social gatherings, and he applies the concept
of "social capital" to his sensitive and penetrating
interpretation of how the Amish have preserved their social
networks and the solidarity of their community.