Josiah for President by Martha Bolton ~ review

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; Original edition (October 9, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310318726
• ISBN-13: 978-0310318729

This book is also available as an e-book.

Release Date: October 9, 2012

When former Congressman Mark Stedman throws in the towel on his presidential campaign, his only choice is to return to his home state and decide how to spend the rest of his life ... until he meets Josiah Stoltzfus, an Amish farmer from Pennsylvania. Stedman learns more from Josiah in a few hours than in his many years in office. He comes to the conclusion that someone like Josiah should be running the country. Not a career politician, but someone with a little old-fashioned common sense, someone who's not afraid of rolling up his sleeves and getting his hands dirty. Someone like Josiah Stoltzfus. Using his old campaign headquarters for a base, Mark Stedman determines to introduce a new candidate to America. He pledges to do everything in his power to make sure Josiah gets elected. But can a plain man of faith turn the tide of politics and become the leader of America, and what will he have to risk to do it?

My take on this book:

"Josiah For President" was such different yet delightful twist on the Amish fiction that I normally read. What's more it's one of those stories that sort of captures the imagination, and while you know it isn't very plausible that the plot would ever take place, it really did have me wondering what if!

After twenty years in Washington D.C. Mark Stedman, a fifty year old Congressman is disillusioned and disappointed after he realizes that his run for president was just a dream that was never intended for him . Unsure where he will go with his life he decides to head back home to Wisconsin and take the time to get to know his youngest son Marcus and reconnect with his wife. When he gets lost in Lancaster PA, he winds up in a ditch and is rescued by  Josiah Stoltzfus, an Amish farmer. Mark sees the qualities in Josiah that he feels the country needs, and decides to encourage him to run for president! Will Josiah go along with it, and is America ready for someone like Josiah?

I really enjoyed this one. The humor was wonderful, and because of the subject it certainly was a timely read. I loved the character of Josiah, he was honest and stuck to his morals. Anyone who is fed up with politics and enjoys humor woven into your not so typical Amish read will certainly enjoy this story. I know that I did!

A complimentary copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest review.