An Amish Girl in Manhattan: Escaping at Age 15, Breaking All the Rules, and Feeling Safe Again (A Memoir)

How far would you go for freedom, love, and safety?

An Amish Girl in Manhattan is the tale of a girl whose childhood was so crushing that she literally escaped in the middle of the night at age 15, without telling anyone goodbye. She left the only world she had ever known, crash-landing into one that didn't speak her language, wear her clothes, and understand her problems.

She gave up everything—family, security, community—in the hopes that one day her dreams might come true. 

This is her story. If you think you're trapped with no way out, read this to:

• Know that you're not crazy and not alone
• Become accepting of your PTSD and triggers
• Understand the trauma recovery process

***Each chapter is designed to be read on its own. If you read the book from beginning to end in order, you'll get a more in-depth and complex feel for the author's life story. But it's not necessary to read it chronologically.***

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"Easy to digest, yet masterfully written. Absolutely a must-read." - Melanie Jones, C-PTSD/Trauma survivor 

"This book kept me riveted until the end." - Tina, Reader Review

"Torah's work is a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit. Her fierce determination to claim her story while simultaneously not giving up on her people is what saints are made of! We Amish are lucky to have her." - Elam Zook, Amish Scholar

"Engaging. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for inspiring true life stories about overcoming trauma, self-empowerment, and succeeding in life despite all odds." - Kara Lexington, Writer + Women's Advocate

"Torah's tale is one of immense trials followed by towering triumphs. She guides us through various moments in her life with such honesty and artistry that I felt like I was there by her side.  I don't re-read often but this is a book with chapters and sections that I will read again just to remind myself that if Torah can get through what she has, then I can, too." - Brian Young, Navajo Writer + Filmmaker

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"At age 15, I escaped in the middle of the night without telling anyone goodbye. I left with only what I could carry: the clothes on my back and $170 USD in my pocket."

Torah Bontrager is, to her knowledge, the first Amish person to graduate from an Ivy League school. She has a BA in Philosophy, with a focus on Tibetan Buddhism, from Columbia University in New York City. Her story has been featured on MTV, best-selling Tim Ferriss' blog, Forbes.com, and HuffPost, among other outlets.

Torah hosts a podcast,* Amish Entrepreneur Show*, with the goal to collect 1,111 sexual assault survivors' stories. She's also the Founder of The Amish Heritage Foundation (AHF). Invite her to speak on Amish issues or to provide training in cultural awareness, female-driven entrepreneurship, and sexual assault survivor advocacy.  

"The survivors of trauma do not have time for karma to come around. We need justice now." - Torah Bontrager

You can find her on social media and her website.