Elaine Sommers Rich (1926–2020)

I am disappointed that this book only covers Mennonites of a "Swiss" origin (Amish or Old Order Mennonites who originally came from western Europe) or Pennsylvania Dutch origin and not any Mennonites at all whose families immigrated from Prussia or what was called "South Russia" (Ukraine). Other than 1 initial story of someone in 16th century Netherlands, all of the stories and examples are of people who immigrated to the United States or were born in the US. There isn't much more than 2 pages per woman, and some women are only covered in list form, so don't expect a lot of biographical detail. If you are interested in the history of women's involvement in Amish and Mennonite churches in the United States or in missionaries sent from these churches, this encyclopedia of notable Mennonite women would be a great addition to your library or research materials. It would be a good starting point for generating a list of women to study further in other resources for people pursuing or researching Mennonite feminist theory. Genealogists of a Swiss or Pennsylvania Dutch background might find more information (though brief) on the life of some female relatives and ancestors since any documentation on women can be hard to find.… (mais)