An Amish Boy And A Mother’s Prayer: The Founder Of Gerber Post Buildings Tells His Story, by Glen S. Graber

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Aneko Press in exchange for an honest review.]

Like many good books, this one begins in the middle of things, where the author’s mother is dying and she gives her oldest son a responsibility as well as giving God a prayer that he would be able to provide for his younger siblings and have a business to do so. The memoir then returns to the family history of the author, looking at his parents’ courtship, at their struggles with nine children, and with the difficulties of fitting in, which seemed to be a particularly difficult problem for the author. The memoir itself is mostly chronological (apart from its introductory chapter that sets the stage for explaining the title), and the book as a whole can be said to be an appreciation of and reflection of divine providence and the seriousness of a deathbed blessing. The book itself does not pull any punches, but it shows respect for the author’s parents even as it reflects upon some of the less than pleasant aspects of the upbringing of the author.

One of the more curious and noteworthy aspects of this memoir is that the author tells it in the third person. Whether this is out of habitual modesty or some sort of tradition among the Amish that I am not familiar with, it is striking to read such a personal account written at arms length by referring consistently to “Glen” and not to “I.” This is clearly not an accident, but is a deliberate choice that presents the author’s story at arm’s length, even if one can often still feel the intense shame and embarrassment felt by the author at social exclusion as a young man by his unkind peers and by the humiliation over being considered uncreditworthy on his father’s reputation, which led him to long avoid borrowing and in the end made his business more successful, even if it was a slow and gradual process to developing Gerber Post Buildings, which I must admit I had not heard of prior to reading this book, not being someone from Indiana.

There is much to praise about this particular book. It offers insightful comments about the need for congregations to be more focused on love and helping members feel as a genuine family with mutual love and respect than legalistic regulations enforced rigidly and harshly, it makes comments about the harm that is caused by ridicule and calling others bad names, and about the importance of family presenting a united front and working together for mutual success and well-being. This was not only an individual memoir, but it provided thoughtful if brief and telling glimpses into the lives of the author’s brothers and sisters, including a humorous and dramatic plane trip shortly after 9/11, and the way in which the author’s sister helped him budget when he was scarcely aware of the term. By showing how a focus on quality work and integrity in one’s dealings led to success and the building of an excellent reputation not only in the local community but in wider spheres, the author gives others encouragement how to do the same in their lives, while telling a dramatic life story full of love for God and for family. This is a memoir not to be missed, even if it could use a catchier title.