The Life of Daniel
An Inquiry into Nature versus Nurture
 

The US Review of Books

"...The Ordnung was not written anywhere except in our hearts."

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This title is a quiet, unassuming family drama that compares and contrasts the community, morality, and spiritual foundations between Amish life and the outside world. When Daniel Kleinhaus, a successful accountant of German American ancestry, loses his beloved wife in a tragic accident caused by a drunk driver, he looks to the nearby Amish farming community for solace and the opportunity to live more simply.

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Daniel settles easily into Amish life, transitioning gracefully from the complicated, chaotic modern life of the "English" to the Amish Ordnung, the unwritten rules that "cover everything from plain dress in clothing, to the avoidance of technology, to humility and simplicity in social interaction." Following Ordnung to the letter allows entry into the Amish church, a sign of full acceptance by the community. Daniel marries, and the couple is soon blessed with a son, Eli. But his new wife is soon struck down with brain damage caused during a farm accident. Years pass as Daniel and Eli learn to cope without Sarah, the gentle, devoted wife and mother. But as happens in any community, there are tensions swirling under the calm surface of domestic tranquility, and doubts lurking, even in the hearts of the faithful.

Author Canfield explores the philosophical question of "nature or nurture" by comparing and contrasting the differences between being born into a spiritual community and choosing to convert and blend into it. He also examines the remarkable differences between living for service to God and community and enjoying life based on individual choice and desire. His writing is clean, simple, and accessible, and with its many young characters, the novel is also suitable for young adult readers. The author brings his experience as a native of a small Pennsylvania town into his writing, making his characters, their speech patterns, and their conflicts feel authentic.

Online Book Review - 5 Stars

.𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘭 by Curt A. Canfield is a thrilling philosophical novel that takes the reader on an adventure following one key character named Daniel Kleinhaus. The novel examines the balance between nature and nurture, showcasing two distinct worlds that Daniel lived in. 

Daniel, an accountant, leads his life in the English world, attending to clients like Rocco and Louise. In the English world, he endures a rather noisy life, as he puts it; people there care mostly about who they are. As his wife Sandy dies, Daniel seeks to find peace with himself. He resorts to joining the traditional Amish community, where he was received by Levi. The Amish community believes that by taking care of the crops and animals, they are keeping God's order in the world. They believe that laboring on the farm is a direct way of honoring God, a way of maintaining a divine order. Upon joining the community, Daniel is baptized to uphold 𝘖𝘳𝘥𝘯𝘶𝘯𝘨 and thus becomes a member of the church. But will Daniel survive the change of environment from the English world to an Amish community where life is kept simple? Will his previous English lifestyle haunt him and make him influence and cause change of life in the Amish community? Find the answers in the book!

As I enjoyed the author's seamless narration of this story, I indeed kept on asking myself questions of nature versus nurture. The nature versus nurture question lingered as I saw Eli, the son of Daniel, look at the situation simply and find simple solutions. Daniel, on the other side, flipped things over and over as he tried to find an optimal solution. 

I felt emotional reading about Sandy and Sarah. Sarah is the wife Daniel married after the death of Sandy. At some point I asked myself why Daniel found a bad lack in marriage.

One more thing that I loved very much about this book is how uniquely the author put together the story. Many parts of the story contain a recollection of Daniel's past life, as Daniel meditated upon them. These were skillfully woven into the current happenings. 

There is absolutely no negative side of this book. The author narrated the story in simple language, making the story a page-turner. 

I rate 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘭 𝟓 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬. This book was professionally edited. The few typos noted did not move me away from the story. The story is interesting and engaging from the beginning to the end. I recommend this book to people who like philosophical novels and memoirs, as they will find this book interesting.
 

Future Review

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