A review by dorhastings
Blessing the Hands That Feed Us: What Eating Closer to Home Can Teach Us About Food, Community, and Our Place on Earth by Vicki Robin
4.0
I found the title and short description of this book to be very intriguing. I've read a lot of Michael Pollan's work, and Powell's had been featuring this book. And if Powell's recommends it, I take it into serious consideration. And the book is, in general, up my alley.
I was uncertain about the book about 10% of the way in. There's only so many times that an author can repeat "my bestselling book" before I get annoyed. But if you want a quick little book with tips for how to "bless the hands that feed you", this is not the book for you. And I don't think it should be a short little book, but it's certainly not long.
The book is, in part, a reflection of Robin's experiment to eat super-local food within a 10-mile radius from her house. But it's not like a series of diary entries (which you can probably find on Robin's blog). Instead the book is almost a light history and explanation of the island where Robin lives with her community. There is a deeper message about getting invested in your local community, and there are several strategies and questions to answer that help the reader do just that. It isn't an easy process, but I think Robin gives a lot of useful guidance and advice for how to take the path.
I like that the book is understandably focused on Robin's story, but she doesn't spend so much of the book on specific details (again, the blog probably serves that purpose). I also think the book is fairly balanced; Robin thoroughly examines why people might not want to (or can't) eat local. And she's not particularly judgmental. There is a bit of spirituality in the text, which I suppose could turn people off, but it's not heavy and actually makes a lot of sense in the context of the book. And I really liked the emphasis on resourcefulness and spending more time and attention on food. There are a lot of side topics ("eat everything on your plate" and licenses and regulations for farms, etc) that are really interesting and useful to know.
Most of all, I like that Robin seems to practice what she preaches. She recognizes that she's no spring chicken (har) but still does her part. She pushes for change and participates in activism. Really interesting read. I'd recommend it.
I was uncertain about the book about 10% of the way in. There's only so many times that an author can repeat "my bestselling book" before I get annoyed. But if you want a quick little book with tips for how to "bless the hands that feed you", this is not the book for you. And I don't think it should be a short little book, but it's certainly not long.
The book is, in part, a reflection of Robin's experiment to eat super-local food within a 10-mile radius from her house. But it's not like a series of diary entries (which you can probably find on Robin's blog). Instead the book is almost a light history and explanation of the island where Robin lives with her community. There is a deeper message about getting invested in your local community, and there are several strategies and questions to answer that help the reader do just that. It isn't an easy process, but I think Robin gives a lot of useful guidance and advice for how to take the path.
I like that the book is understandably focused on Robin's story, but she doesn't spend so much of the book on specific details (again, the blog probably serves that purpose). I also think the book is fairly balanced; Robin thoroughly examines why people might not want to (or can't) eat local. And she's not particularly judgmental. There is a bit of spirituality in the text, which I suppose could turn people off, but it's not heavy and actually makes a lot of sense in the context of the book. And I really liked the emphasis on resourcefulness and spending more time and attention on food. There are a lot of side topics ("eat everything on your plate" and licenses and regulations for farms, etc) that are really interesting and useful to know.
Most of all, I like that Robin seems to practice what she preaches. She recognizes that she's no spring chicken (har) but still does her part. She pushes for change and participates in activism. Really interesting read. I'd recommend it.