Your mother and father are running away,"said a voice piercing the warm air.I froze and turned toward home.To a Hutterite, nothing is more shamefulthan that word, running away, Weglaufen... In 1969, Ann-Maries parents did the unthinkable. They left a Hutterite colony inCanada with seven children, and little else, to start a new life. Overnight, the familywas thrust into a society they did not understand and which knew little of theirunique culture. The transition was overwhelming.Desperate to be accepted, ten-year-old Ann-Marie was forced to deny her heritagein order to fit in with her peers. chronicles her quest to reinventherself as she comes to terms with the painful circumstances that led her family toleave community life.Rich with memorable characters and vivid descriptions, this ground-breaking narrativeshines a light on intolerance, illuminating the simple truth that beneath everyhuman exterior beats a heart longing for understanding and acceptance. A superb memoir . . . this has the makings of a prairie classic. --AWARD JURY, SASK BOOK AWARDS Honest, strong, clear, direct, it opens the door on what has beenfor so many of us a completely closed world. --WINNIPEG FREE PRESS