February 18, 2011

Book Review: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress


Mennonite in a Little Black Dress is a memoir by Rhoda Janzen. The book starts with her husband leaving her for a man & her getting in a car wreck that results in having to move back in with her Mennonite parents until she gets back on her feet.

She obviously writes about her ex-husband & their 15-year marriage, mostly about how bad it was in hindsight, but the book is more about her reconnecting with her parents, her siblings, & her Mennonite roots. Her relationship with her mother is the best part of the book. Her mother is hilarious.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think a lot of women will identify with the relationships between her, her sister & her mother. It's a lot shorter than it seems as the last part of the book is kind of a 'Mennonite for Dummies' section with history, definitions, recipes, etc. It's a quick read & well worth it in my opinion.

Thanks for the recommendation, Kathy!

5 comments:

Stephanie said...

Sounds delightful - I just ordered a copy.

Eva said...

Interesting! I live in a VERY Mennonite community (albeit a modern one). My husband is 1/2 Mennonite. My highschool was called the "Mennonite Educational Institute". There were so many Janzen's there I couldn't count them on my fingers.
Needless to say, this book intrigues me.

The Blonde Mule said...

Thanks, ladies! You both should definitely read it. Let me know what you think!

--Kim

Stephanie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Stephanie said...

I really enjoyed this book. Rhoda Janzen is very funny – and her stories about life in a Mennonite community were refreshing. Her marriage to a bi-polar personality however… That was tough.

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