Raymond Bial's lyrical photographs and sensitive text depicting homes, traditions, and handiworks show the strength and practical optimism of the Amish. There are no pictures of people here; self-effacing, the Amish don't believe in having photographs made of thsmselves. but the work of their hands is in itself a revealing portrait of this hardworking and gentle people. The quiet countryside washed with sunlight and peppered with the sounds of horses' hooves and buggy wheels holds a society whose traditions of community and careful husbandry deserve respect and consideration. Selectively using technology rather than being used by it, the Amish follow a way of life that preserves much of the best of both worlds, old and new.
