jcpdiesel21's review against another edition
4.0
An informative and entertaining look at one family's quest to live off of their land for a year.
minty's review against another edition
4.0
The introduction was not attention-grabbing, but once she got into describing how asparagus grows, I was hooked. I currently don't have the means to live like this, but I definitely hope to in the future, and listening to this has already changed some of my purchasing choices. As someone who knows relatively little about gardening, it was a great primer; just enough real info to get my head around the concept. If I'd known more about year-round gardening it might have felt a little tedious, but nearly all of it was news to me.
The sidebars/chapters from her husband and daughter were okay enough, but I could've done without them, honestly.
Listened at 1.6x speed.
The sidebars/chapters from her husband and daughter were okay enough, but I could've done without them, honestly.
Listened at 1.6x speed.
pixiejane's review against another edition
Snobbish attitude, very judgey, felt she had little understanding of what it takes for a lot of families to put any food on the table let alone peak season gourmet meals; just out of touch, highly privileged assumptions. Disappointing.
skyring's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of those life changing books. Or lifestyle changing books.
Barbara Kingsolver brings us into the family home for a year as she, her husband and their daughters eat and drink local produce for a year. Only a few luxuries (such as coffee) that wasn't produced either on their farm, at the local farmers markt, or by local suppliers.
The message - to say no to food trucked or flown in from far places at enormous carbon and financial cost. To say no to foods that are designed by marketing nabobs at the expense of taste and goodness. To say no to the destructive forces that are tearing our world and society apart.
I have enormous admiration for Barbara Kingsolver through her novels. They are cleverly written with warmth and humanity, richness of plot and thoughtfulness in setting. She doesn't use cheap Da Vinci Code tricks. She puts hard work into writing and makes it look easy and I love her for it.
This book sends my respect for her into the stars. She makes a great case for thinking and acting about something that affects every one of us. Our food. We are what we eat, and our planet is home to an incredibly diverse and rich ecosystem. We need to take care of ourselves and our home.
The way things are going, we'll be living in cardboard mansions amongst the soybeans and corn fields pushing out bland protein and high fructose syrup. With the odd chemical flavour additive, all wrapped up in plastic and costing the earth.
Her story, month by fruitful month is informative on so many levels. The story of vegetables and fruits. The inside insights into the modern food industry. The counterculture of farmers markts and heirloom produce. The stories and the people of her year of living organically.
Her husband writes sidebars on various more technical aspects of the story. Resource links are provided for further study.
And her teenage daughter writes of food and recipes.
This book is redolent of the farm and the kitchen. You can, I swear, smell the tomatoes cooking down and the turkey roasting. The taste of fresh asparagus and the crisp bite of apples.
Side trips to Ohio and Italy for alternative farmstyles and more rich and delicious cooking contrast the Appalachian life of the family farm.
This is a book to savour. To think about. To buy extra copies and fore them on friends.
This is a book that will change the way you think about food. It will make you taste life.
Barbara Kingsolver brings us into the family home for a year as she, her husband and their daughters eat and drink local produce for a year. Only a few luxuries (such as coffee) that wasn't produced either on their farm, at the local farmers markt, or by local suppliers.
The message - to say no to food trucked or flown in from far places at enormous carbon and financial cost. To say no to foods that are designed by marketing nabobs at the expense of taste and goodness. To say no to the destructive forces that are tearing our world and society apart.
I have enormous admiration for Barbara Kingsolver through her novels. They are cleverly written with warmth and humanity, richness of plot and thoughtfulness in setting. She doesn't use cheap Da Vinci Code tricks. She puts hard work into writing and makes it look easy and I love her for it.
This book sends my respect for her into the stars. She makes a great case for thinking and acting about something that affects every one of us. Our food. We are what we eat, and our planet is home to an incredibly diverse and rich ecosystem. We need to take care of ourselves and our home.
The way things are going, we'll be living in cardboard mansions amongst the soybeans and corn fields pushing out bland protein and high fructose syrup. With the odd chemical flavour additive, all wrapped up in plastic and costing the earth.
Her story, month by fruitful month is informative on so many levels. The story of vegetables and fruits. The inside insights into the modern food industry. The counterculture of farmers markts and heirloom produce. The stories and the people of her year of living organically.
Her husband writes sidebars on various more technical aspects of the story. Resource links are provided for further study.
And her teenage daughter writes of food and recipes.
This book is redolent of the farm and the kitchen. You can, I swear, smell the tomatoes cooking down and the turkey roasting. The taste of fresh asparagus and the crisp bite of apples.
Side trips to Ohio and Italy for alternative farmstyles and more rich and delicious cooking contrast the Appalachian life of the family farm.
This is a book to savour. To think about. To buy extra copies and fore them on friends.
This is a book that will change the way you think about food. It will make you taste life.
pennymine's review against another edition
5.0
Read with caution. It may greatly change your shopping habits. In addition to looking at where our food comes from (I was horrified more than once), the book also looks at a year in the author's life where she and her family attempt to live off the land. Not something us urban folks can do, but she looks at the importance of buying local foods and eating in season. I was surprised at many things I learned from the book. It is written as a team effort. Barbara, her husband and her adult daughter all contribute sections to the book and each one has a unique voice. The sections that Stephen writes are full of resources, websites, etc so you can check up on the facts for yourself. If this does not have you shopping at farmer's markets and wearing birkenstocks, I don't know what will. :)
sshenderson's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
bmore_brooke's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0