Quilts have become a cherished symbol of Amish craftsmanship and the beauty of the simple life. In her book “Amish Quilts,” illustrated with more than 100 stunning color photographs, author Janneken Smucker explores how these objects evolved from practical bed linens into contemporary art.

Smucker will be signing copies of her book at Better World Books from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11. A limited number of new copies of Smucker’s book will be available. Smucker will also be speaking at a Goshen College convocation, and to the Mennonite Historical Society during her stay.

In her new book, Smucker traces the history of Amish quilts from their use in the late 19th century to their sale in the lucrative business practices of today. Through her own observations, as well as oral histories, newspaper accounts, ephemera and other archival sources, she seeks to understand how the term “Amish” became a style and what it means to both quilt makers and consumers.

She also looks at how quilts influence fashion and raises issues of authenticity of quilts in the marketplace. Whether considered as art, craft, or commodity, Amish quilts reflect the intersections of consumerism and connoisseurship, religion and commerce, nostalgia and aesthetics.

Smucker is an assistant professor of history at West Chester University. She is coauthor of “Amish Abstractions: Quilts from the Collection of Faith” and “Stephen Brown and Amish Crib Quilts from the Midwest: The Sara Miller Collection.” She is also a quilt maker.