Plain

“An excellent meditation on faith and community.”—Publishers Weekly

“[A] slim and graceful memoir.”—Ms. Magazine

“Engaging and reflective, Plain is a complex memoir about moving beyond the Mennonite faith while maintaining an integral connection to its lessons.”—Foreword Reviews

“An authentic and evocative story. . . . These moving, tenderly rendered essays straddle the line between Hostetter expressing a fervent desire to leave her upbringing and way of life, while also finding pride and nostalgia for where she came from.”—Shelf Awareness

“Hostetter’s writing is lovely and evocative of place and emotion. Readers will enjoy sinking into this quietly empowering story of coming into one’s own.”—Booklist

“A deeply honest, forthright, and forgiving account of finding one’s way as a gay Mennonite. Plain shows how we the misplaced faithful take the truths of our upbringing to create beautiful stories, homes, and lives.”—Joanna Brooks, author of The Book of Mormon Girl

“A wise and wonderful memoir about breaking away from tradition, then finally discovering its value. This clear-eyed yet affectionate coming-of-age story will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to separate from their family and find their true, authentic self.”—Sharon Harrigan, author of Playing with Dynamite

“Filled with a familiar equanimity, grace, and droll humor. This book is as simple and nourishing as fresh vegetable soup and as complex as a Tibetan mandala. It will leave you pondering the depth of a single word: plain.”—Shirley Showalter, author of Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets a Glittering World

“While Plain is a quiet memoir, it’s not a slow read. Mary Alice uses humor, yearnings, and curiosity to build dramatic tension within the mundane experiences of farm life. . . . The care she uses to develop this world in early chapters gave me a deep appreciation for the culture in which she grew up and deep empathy for the longings she faced within this world that served her yet didn’t fully see her. . . . Not all rebellions need to be loud and in your face. Sometimes the quieter ones have the greatest power.”—Lisa Ellison, Hippocampus Magazine

“[A] powerful memoir. . . . Very highly recommended.”—Midwest Book Review