Another Life Is Possible

Insights from 100 Years of Life Together

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Pub Date 15 Sep 2020 | Archive Date 15 Sep 2020
Plough Publishing | Plough Publishing House

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Description

A stunning photo essay paired with 100 stories of members gives a rare glimpse into an intentional community that has stood the test of time.

Yes, it is possible to create a society where there are no rich or poor,
where children and elderly are welcome, where no one lives alone. Meet 100 individuals from diverse backgrounds who have ventured everything to build a life together where everyone belongs and everyone can contribute. A cross-section of the Bruderhof community’s international and intergenerational membership, they have pooled their income, possessions, talents, and energy to take care of one another and to reach out to others.

This is a community that works. As they reflect on 100 years of community, these Bruderhof members reveal why they personally have chosen this radical was of life and share insights they have gleaned along the way.

With photography by acclaimed British photojournalist Danny Burrows, this book is a celebration of what is possible when people take a leap of faith and dare a change. It’s a window into a lived example that will inspire and encourage anyone working to build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future.
A stunning photo essay paired with 100 stories of members gives a rare glimpse into an intentional community that has stood the test of time.

Yes, it is possible to create a society where there are no...

Advance Praise

This is a beautiful book on several levels, beautiful in the images it gives of simple and harmonious relation with an environment, but beautiful also in its chronicling of lives that have been held and healed in this shared enterprise of the Spirit. It is a gift, and a welcome one – but above all a gift that speaks of the first and greater gift of the presence of the Bruderhof in the Christian life of this world.
Our friends in the Bruderhof are witnesses to the “peaceable Kingdom” – not merely people who believe peace is an ideal worth pursuing, but men, women and children who trust the God of peace sufficiently to give their lives to incarnating the peace of God. I hope this book will help all its readers learn something of how such trust becomes possible and real. —Rowan Williams, former, Archbishop of Canterbury
This is a beautiful book on several levels, beautiful in the images it gives of simple and harmonious relation with an environment, but beautiful also in its chronicling of lives that have been held...

Marketing Plan

Dedicated website with supplemental stories
Advanced review mailing to 200 influencers and reviewers
Featured in Plough Quarterly, circulation 15,000
Giveaways on LibraryThing, GoodReads, Amazon
Promotional messaging to Plough and print and online subscribers and social media followers – combined print, email, and social followers 150,000.
Feature on www.plough.com (300,000 visitors/month)
Dedicated website with supplemental stories
Advanced review mailing to 200 influencers and reviewers
Featured in Plough Quarterly, circulation 15,000
Giveaways on LibraryThing, GoodReads, Amazon
...

Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780874863161
PRICE $40.00 (USD)
PAGES 300

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

The Bruderhof, an Anabaptist community was started by Eberhard Arnold in the 1920s. Based on the tenets of the Sermon on the Mount and the community lifestyle of the first Christians, they now have communities in 26 countries around the world.

Another Life is Possible is a beautiful coffee-table book which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the first community created by Ebohard Arnold in the 1920s in Germany. It contains the stories of over 100 community members from diverse backgrounds, who tell what drew them to become a part of the community where each member gives up everything to (as the publisher's book blurb states) "build a life together where everyone belongs and each can contribute, pooling their income, possessions, talents, and energy."

Accompanied by pictures by photo-journalist Danny Burrows which show the members of various Bruderhof communities at work, at play, at worship and at rest, this is a book one will linger over. A most interesting read!

My thanks to NetGalley and to Plough Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions stated here are my own.

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I've always wanted to try to live the way Jesus taught us to, to truly follow Him, but while I love my church, it never seemed like enough. I have too much and so many have nothing, let alone enough. I feel inadequate to be His hands and feet. I'm too wrapped up in the world and my desires. Then I saw this book offered on NetGalley and was drawn in by the picture on the cover. Requested it and was granted it.

And wow has my life changed, just in knowing the Bruderhof exist. After this whole Pandemic thing has calmed down enough to travel responsibly and safely, I am visiting one of these communities. I want to see it for myself. "Come and see."

They've been around for 100 years and still going strong. To me, that's not a commune, that's not a cult, that's REAL.

I probably sound a tad off saying all of this, but the title of the book is so TRUE. Another life IS possible. The stories in the book aren't all about how perfect life in the Bruderhof community is, they are real people with real problems, sorrows and joys, but I've always thought it wonderful that Believer's have an invisible means of support. In this community, it's visible as well as invisible. It's beautiful.

Now, it doesn't all seem perfect, for example, the women all wear skirts/dresses, in EVERY picture, so I can imagine that's how they dress all of the time. I personally HATE skirts and dresses, so should I want to actually join a community, that will be a great way for me to get over myself and my desires. I'm good with the floor-length of said skirts and dresses, it's just the lack of pants wearing at all that irks me.

The pictures are absolutely gorgeous and, obviously, the people all appear to be happy, but would you put any unhappy mugs in a book about your community? I'm sure they are all pretty peaceful though. I want to see for myself.

5, I am so glad that I finally learned about this community of Believers now, stars. Highly recommended book, for all.

My thanks to NetGalley and Plough Publishing House for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

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This is a beautifully produced coffee-table book, with some gorgeous illustrations, featuring 100 stories of individual members of the Bruderhof in their own words. It’s a delightful, feel-good read and I very much enjoyed browsing through it. Not surprisingly, it’s hardly a warts and all portrait, not least because it’s published by Plough Publishing, the Bruderhof’s own publishing house, but taken for what it is, an idealistic and rather rosy selection of profiles, it’s interesting, enjoyable and illuminating.

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A most interesting read! I found the book to be good in its objective and its bias. Many people have found belonging, purpose, and joy in the Bruderhof communities, and their stories are told here. Another life really is possible, and the broader Christian church has much to learn from the communal witness of the Bruderhof.

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Another Life is Possible is a great example of collective memory and heritage captured in print and photograph.

Through my limited interaction with the Bruderhof via their Plough Magazine and publishing house there is no doubt an attractiveness about their way of life.

This book is a great introduction to the Bruderhof and in a sense is their welcome to those picking the book up.

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