Fascinating discussions of sect's origins, villages, and religious faith accompany 83 photographs of Shaker chairs, dining tables, chests, storage cabinets, wash stands and sinks, desks, and many other fine examples of the sect's handiwork.

A comprehensive illustrated anthology of material about and by the American Shakers.

Shaker handicrafts' dignified simplicity is perhaps our greatest example of form following function. An off-shoot of Quakerism, the Shakers sought to create a heaven on earth through both worship and diligent work. Practical yet attractive, the furniture, textiles, tools and machinery of the Shakers are utterly distinctive and became famous the world over during the twentieth century, with certain Modernist architects and designers finding unexpected common ground with this decidedly non-modern sect. 'Shaker Handicraft' – the first Shaker exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1935 – was only the first of many exhibits, and today the spirit of the Shakers – and the clean lines, solid construction and honest functionality of their crafts – make it one of the most popular and timeless design categories in the US and beyond.

The Mount is a ragged little stump in the woods, a lonely child with three minivans, an asthmatic yellow bus, a grimy cafeteria and a collection of dorms that could only be described as fixer-uppers.Jeff Green has been teaching there for eight years, talking to Shaker ghosts and planning his great escape. But now that he is the interim head of the English Department, his last year on The Mount is going to be plagued with unwanted responsibilities, unforseen romance and rivals who will stop at nothing to usurp his throne.

The first general history of the Shakers, from their origins in 18th-century England to the present day. Drawing on written and oral testimony by Shakers over the past two centuries, Stein offers a full and often revisionist account of the movement. 57 illustrations.

A history and study of Shaker chairs. From oral traditions, provenances and re-examination of original sources it analyzes Shaker chair-making. Offering descriptions of typical chairs, it dates various forms, considers manufacturing processes and analyzes construction details.

Although there are currently only a handful of members of the Shaker faith and one active community in the world today, Shakerism at its peak comprised thousands of members living in communal villages across the eastern United States. Kentucky's iconic Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill was one of these communities, and it remains an enduring cultural touchstone. The history of the Shakers is often reduced to the handmade objects they produced and sold, but their lives were so much more than their material culture. Their efforts were suffused with their religious beliefs: each piece's sturdy simplicity memorializes the Believers' devotion to God and how it guided their every action. Shaker Made is photographer Carol Peachee's love letter to the cultural artifacts—the architecture, furniture, and crafts—of one of America's most notable utopian societies. Peachee has photographed Pleasant Hill for more than four decades—from small items such as eyeglasses, embroidered handkerchiefs, elixir bottles, and bonnets, to the distinguished furniture and architecture of the more than 260 buildings that the Shakers built at Pleasant Hill. The curator of collections at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Rebecca Soules, provides an informative foreword to the photos, while Peachee herself offers a lovingly written introduction explaining her personal connection to the subject. The attention to detail in the simple yet beautifully composed photographs serve as an elegant and respectful tribute to the history and legacy of the Pleasant Hill Shakers—an often-misunderstood people who sought to honor the divine in all aspects of life.

Having lived and worked with surviving Shakers of Maine and New Hampshire, June Sprigg has drawn objects from forty collections to celebrate the Shaker tradition.

An exploration of the Shakers' innovative spirit that informed their legendary craftsmanship and led to a broad array of creations

These essays cover a range of topics, including art and architecture, religion, and literature in a collage of ideas, commentary, and criticism from snake handling to Wallace Stevens.