Snow Hill: In the Shadows of the Ephrata Cloister by Denise Seachrist, 2010.

Seachrist tells the story of the Ephrata Cloister’s daughter colony at Snow Hill, near Waynesboro, PA.  Seachrist spent time cataloging the music collection housed there, but eventually got involved in the intrigue, division, and characters that make up this unique site.  The Snow Hill site was undergoing a transformation as factions within the group struggled for control.  She writes something of a memoir mixed with the history of the commune.  Anyone interested in the history of the Ephrata Cloister would enjoy reading this book for its historical scholarship, while anyone with musical inclination would enjoy it for its insight into the music of Snow Hill.

Keith Greenawalt