You have a Shaker Knowldege Gift

July 9, 2008 7:57 PM

Good books on Shaker history?

I am looking to expand my knowledge of Shaker history. I recently watched a performance based in a fictitious Shaker community which used a large number of Shaker songs and I'd like to know more.

Please recommend media that looks at all aspects of Shaker theology, lifestyle, community, music, design aesthetic, influence, etc - whether it be fictional or factual.

Though I think I would like to start with the factual and move into the fictional after I have a better grounding. The type of media does not matter - I am looking for books, movies, cds, plays, podcasts - anything and everything.

So please set me on the road to further random knowledge to cram into my cranium.

posted by Julnyes to religion & philosophy (8 comments total)

Shakertown in Kentucky has a museum of sorts, and there are some history links with a listing of related publications on their website.
posted by dilettante at 8:15 PM on July 9

Ken Burns did a documentary on The Shakers. It's available on Netflix and quite possibly at your local library.
posted by donajo at 8:27 PM on July 9

Here's a text put together by a well studied trio of Shaker historians.
posted by Agamenticus at 8:35 PM on July 9

It's probably the Ken Burns one, but I saw a great documentary on them on PBS a couple of years ago.

I have to laugh, though: is there really a such thing as Shaker-oriented fiction?
posted by rhizome at 12:46 AM on July 10

Sabbath Day Lake is, according to the website, the only Shaker community that's still active.

The website has some information, but if you could make it up to Maine, it is definitely worth a visit!
posted by suki at 4:56 AM on July 10

Ann the Word : The Story of Ann Lee, Female Messiah, Mother of the Shakers
posted by scruss at 7:44 AM on July 10

Well the play I saw was a fictionalized account of a historical event

As it is in Heaven

so I theorized that there may be more like that out in the wild... I don't know.

Oddly enough, I saw the performance at the Stonington Opera House in Maine and if my visit had been a little longer a trip to Sabbathday Lake would have totally been cool.

Thanks for the links, they should definitely get me started.
posted by Julnyes at 7:46 AM on July 10

I renovated a Shaker cemetery for my Eagle project (cleared out brush, put planters up, righted gravestones, etc.) ... if memory serves the religion is fairly rare nowadays because Shakerism requires them to be celibate, meaning that new Shakers are almost always converts.

I don't think much of Wikipedia but its article on Shakers has a great deal of references, links, and "for further reading" suggestions.
posted by WCityMike at 11:05 AM on July 10