© Columbia University Press
The Quakers in America
Paper, 304 pages, 30 illus.
ISBN: 978-0-231-12363-1
$28.00
/ £19.50
November, 2003
Cloth, 304 pages, 30 illus.
ISBN: 978-0-231-12362-4
$80.00
/ £55.00
"With its broad approach to the topic, this scholarly yet readable book deserves careful reading by anyone interested in Quakerism." — Library Journal
"Thomas D. Hamm's immensely valuable book presents the ongoing complexity of this unusually potent sect with maximal clarity." — Booklist
"[A]n eye opening book . . . [that] describes the history of Quakerism in America from 1640 to the present and introduces the reader to such prominent Quakers as William Penn and John Woolman. It also describes some of the schisms that have taken place in Quaker beliefs and practices that resulted in the current divisions of Quaker organizations." — Wilmington News- Journal
"Tom Hamm's latest book furthers his valuable contributions as a leading Quaker historian. . . . It would be a valuable addition to the library of any meeting unafraid to countenance the wider family of Friends today." — Doug Gwyn, Quaker Life
"This book is both readable and scholarly...which would be just right for those wanting to know more about the how, why and what of American Friends today. It would also be an excellent introduction for anyone interested in more serious research." — Eileen M. Fowler, The Friend
"Hamm has an established reputation for clear expository writing, always well grounded in sources and characterized by judicious conclusions." — H. Larry Ingle, The Journal of American History
"The Quakers in America is a welcome update...Hamm manages impressive breadth, as well as surprising depth." — Journal of Religion
"This is an exceptional book. It is simply one of the best books ever written about American Quakerism - high praise indeed, but deserved... This reviewer commends Hamm for producing a remarkable guide book to the maze that is contemporary Quakerism." — Steven Jay White, The Historian
"The Quakers in America presents a concise, highly readable account of American Quakerism toady. From the first pages Hamm draws the reader into the text... Hamm's work, part of the Columbia Contemporary American Religion Series, offers a concise and engaging introduction to Quaker history and to Quakerism today." — Elizabeth De Wolfe, Nova Religio
"Worth reading by anyone seeking knowledge of religion in the contemporary United States." — Peter W. Williams, Indiana Magazine of History
"Although scholarship is rich on the history of the Quakers, brief, reliable guides are hard to find. Thomas Hamm's carefully crafted book thus meets a real need in supplying an authoritative introduction. It is one of the book's special merits that it makes not only the ins and outs of Quaker history, but also the bewildering variety of intra-Quaker differences as interesting as they are clear." — Mark A. Noll, McManis Professor, Wheaton College
"There has long been a need for a study of American Quakers in the twentieth century. With meticulous scholarship and a graceful style, Thomas Hamm has filled this need admirably. He treats various forms of contemporary Quaker belief with remarkable evenhandedness and compassion. The Quakers in America will become a classic." — Margaret Hope Bacon, author of The Quiet Rebels: The Story of Quakers in American
"Hamm has written a superb portrait of modern Quakerism, drawing on the latest historical research, wide reading in contemporary Quaker sources, and extensive interviews, as well as visits to many varieties of meetings. Readers will learn how past beliefs influence recent Quaker practices and controversies over worship, theology, pacifism, marriage, family, women's rights, and education. Hamm has the rare ability to write in a manner that is informative for academic specialists and appealing to lay men and women. If a person wishes to read only one book about the Society of Friends, this is the one I would recommend." — J. William Frost, Jenkins Professor of History and Reasearch, Swarthmore College