The Quakers: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

This book about Quakers is clear and surprisingly comprehensive for a small book. It is, as it says, a very good introduction. A good book for Quakers to share with others who are curious, or perhaps unclear on the concept. I do happen to eat oatmeal, but we have nothing else in common with the cereal. It is interesting to learn of the diversity of types of Quakers, and inclusiveness in their beliefs.

I found it interesting. Lots of information packed into a short space. It is enough to wet the appetite for more if this subject interests you.

This is a very well written introduction to the Quakers. The author and editors are true to their words and keep it short, but the trick is that they managed to craft and very well written and informative book. This is a quick and informative tool to learn about a religion that was formative in the development of the US.

Good quality book, nothing wrong with it. I needed it for class but I must say, it's very dense and hard to follow.

My husband and I have recently started attending a Quaker meeting on Sundays (church services). We wanted to know more about Quakers, and so my husband read the book. I haven't read it yet, but he doesn't write reviews, so I'm writing one for him. He found it to be a quick read that gave him exactly what he wanted, an intro to the Quakers, their beliefs, and history. As a note, the formal name of "Quakers" is the "Society of Friends."

A good and informative book, particularly having left Quakerism last year. I find the material to shed a lot of light on what I knew or felt to be true of the movement and it also shows how far some groups have strayed from their roots.

Repetitive and not very deep

Succinct and outstanding as a work for anyone curious or interested in the Quakers. Pink-Dandelion does exactly what one expects from the title of this book: introduces the reader to Quakerism. History, essential differences, historical figures and their significance, changes over time, and modern day Quaker aspects are all included. What really puts this particular book into a class by itself for me is the author's writing. Easy to read, right to the point, and not an ounce of fat. If I were to select one book for someone wanting to quickly get a handle on who the Quakers are, this might well be the one.

Interessante leitura introdutória a respeito dos quakers, principalmente devido a ausência de material a respeito em português. Autor honesto, oferece não apenas uma visão idealizada a respeito dos quakers.

Concis et très fouillé. Excellente bibliographie. Mon exemplaire est malheureusement défectueux, une partie des pages est brochée à l'envers, tête en bas, et donc progression de lecture à l'envers du livre... Ca arrive!

I've been interested in Quakers for a while now since someone who I admire said that they're a Quaker and I wanted to know more about it. Since then, I've wondered if this is something that I want to be a part of, and this was a great place to start. It was really informative with everything I needed to know.

This book covers the Quakers, including their historical origins in the 17th century, their modern developments, and also a little outlook on „The future of Quakerism“. The „Society of Friends“ is probably most visible as pacifists, and was awarded a Nobel Prize for Peace in 1947 for this commitment.The book points to four main characteristics uniting Quakers: direct encounter with the divine and revelation over scripture and teaching, corporate direct guidance and resulting vote-less decisioning, spiritual equality, and preference for peace and pacifism (p. 2/ 118). Particular attention is given to their interpretation of worship, belief, and „theology“. Quakers originally identified as the „true Church“ (p. 10), and the more recent differences in positions found within the Quakers are perplexing, as the group has differentiated into an evangelical, conservative, and liberal branch which have made specific positions their own (e. g. on priesthood, scripture, worship etc). The chapter on theology highlights the common importance of silence for Quakers and the recognised limitations of language as a vehicle for trancendental truth. Abstinence from a dogmatic theology grounds in this central insights.A summary table comparing the different stances of evangelical, conservative, and liberal Quakers makes it easier to keep up with the analysis of these groups through the main text. One interestingly ambiguous aspect is the interpretation of Quakers by themselves either as a form of protestantism, or as a third stream of Christianity apart from Catholicism and Protestantism. Yet within Liberal Quakerism, a theistic or Christian position is not even mandatory. As a result, it becomes pretty hard to pin down what „defines“ Quakers and Quakerism. The text lets citations from original text sources speak and also draws analytical summaries and statements, which are ultimately well balanced.I picked this volume up to get an overview on Quakers after noticing how little I knew about them at the time. It is easy to read and to follow the arguments, and the summary table and time table help to get an overview. As a result, I learned much more about Quakerism than I actually expected. It seems hard to find a better introduction within similar page limits.

This is an excellent introduction to the Quakers, and makes the reader aware that the Quaker tradition is more complex than it might appear at first sight. The writer takes a global approach to the development of the tradition which emphasises the differences between British and American Quakerism, as well as the Quaker tradition in other parts of the world. British readers might find this a little frustrating particularly if they were expecting an introduction that focused on British Quakerism. Even so, this portrait of the diversity of contemporary Quakerism is useful. Those wanting to examine the social, religious, and political turmoil out of which the British Quaker tradition emerged and survived might find Christopher Hill's "The World Turned Upside Down: Radical Ideas During The English Revolution" helpful supplementary reading.