The Amish are a fascinating and quaint society that has maintained an air of idyllic innocence—living off the land, away from cell phones and the 24-hour news cycle. But beyond the barn raisings and the bonnets, one girl found a hypocritical and unforgiving society that stifles individualism, worships a vengeful, punishing God, practices corporal punishment —and worse.

At the age of 24, suffering from depression from living under the threat of eternal damnation and years of trying to be someone she simply wasn’t, Anna Dee Olson left her family and the Amish community for modern life. She went to college, got a job, married and had children. Today, she lives a full and happy life. And she’s ready to reveal what it was like to grow up Amish.

Articulate and honest, Anna will take calls from listeners and answer questions about:

• Courtship and marriage in the Amish world.

• A typical day without electricity, running water, phones, computers, television, buttons, or zippers.

• Her rebellious teenage years, when cameras and radios were considered contraband.

• How she found the courage to abandon all she had ever known.

• How our hectic culture could benefit from the Amish lifestyle.

Go to www.GrowingUpAmish.com

CREDENTIALS: Author and lecturer Anna Dee Olson has shared her experiences with the Amish culture with thousands of people. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and children. GROWING UP AMISH is her first book.

AVAILABILITY: Minnesota, nationwide by arrangement and via telephone
CONTACT: Tom, (218) 385-2363 (MN); info@GrowingUpAmish.com