Wednesday, June 13, 2012



Book Review


My Dearest Naomi

Jerry and Tina Eicher


When Eugene Mast leaves his Amish community in Worthington, Indiana, to teach in faraway Kalona, Iowa, he also must leave the love of his life, Naomi Miller.

For the next nine months of the school term, Eugene and Naomi keep their romance alive through love letters from his heart to hers, and from hers back to his.

Eugene writes of his concern that in his absence Naomi may find the attractions of another suitor to her liking. Naomi worries that Eugene may fall prey to the “liberal” Mennonite beliefs in the community where he now lives. Both can hardly wait until the school year is up and they’re finally reunited.

The format of this book is unlike any other that I have read. The majority of the book is in letter format from Eugene and Naomi. It is like reading a diary in letter form. The beginning of the book is a little slow but if you stick with it not only do you follow the lives of Eugene and Naomi but also the family of John and Millie Yoder, they are having marital difficulties and John begins attending an English church, there is talk of excommunication. Darrel Hooley is a englishman who is trying to join the Amish and of course you course you follow the families of Eugene and Naomi.

This is a touching book of  what it is like to have a long distance relationship and your only form of communication is through letter writing. I found it to be very descriptive and I encourage you all to  hang in until the end to find out what happens to John and Millie Yoder, Darrel, and Eugene and Naomi.