Scan barcode
mechthild's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
kathrinpassig's review against another edition
5.0
Die fünf Sterne haben eventuell nicht so viel mit dem Buch zu tun, meine letzte Lektüre liegt schon wieder ein paar Jahre zurück. Aber ich habe es zuerst als Kind und danach noch mehrmals gelesen und würde es jederzeit wieder tun. Wenn man Bücher über das Erlernen von Landwirtschaft aus Broschüren und Schuhcreme essende Ziegen grundsätzlich unseriös findet, wird man leicht übersehen, dass hier stilistisch interessante Dinge passieren, das geht mich aber nichts an, denn ich mag bereits Schuhcreme essende Ziegen. Es ist schade, dass ihr Mann so viele Bücher geschrieben hat und sie so wenige.
lindseysparks's review against another edition
4.0
This memoir reminded me a bit of my parents, who bought 15 acres after their home was destroyed in a tornado and now they have cows, goats, chickens, guineas, dogs and a large garden. They had lived in the city all my life and moved while I was in college. The couple in this book where fleeing Hitler and ended up in a farm in Vermont when their daughters were in college. Her stories about their animals and their desire to be self-sufficient reminded me of my dad. Her singing the praises of the US government did not. The couple are likeable and you root for them to succeed as they learn how to take care of a farm and wonder if they'll ever return to their homes in Germany or Austria. I think it probably helped them having so much work to do on the land. It kept them distracted from the war. It was nice to read a different sort of WWII book, one that focused on the everyday lives of people.
shaychestnut's review against another edition
4.0
A good reminder that despite the heavy romanticism surrounding farm life and homesteading (ahem cottagecore) this lifestyle requires so much physical and emotional labour. The chapter titled "Drude" was written so beautifully, it made me cry. I knocked off a star simply because I skimmed the chapters about Dartmouth college. Overall, it was a really gentle and lovely book.
oldpondnewfrog's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
Characteristically short paragraphs, often only a line or two long, describing her life as an immigrant on a farm near Barnard, VT, about seventy-five miles north of me.
Fascinating to hear what life, what winters, were like only seventy years ago.
The party line.
Visits to the university library at Dartmouth.
The war against the rats. Animal caretaking.
Stoic Vermont neighbors.
Expansive mood, of starting over and facing many challenges.
Fascinating to hear what life, what winters, were like only seventy years ago.
The party line.
Visits to the university library at Dartmouth.
The war against the rats. Animal caretaking.
Stoic Vermont neighbors.
Expansive mood, of starting over and facing many challenges.
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
5.0
May 2017 NYRB selection.
So wow. Herdan-Zuckmayer's memoir about her time on a farm in Vermont is wonderful. You meet her goats. More importantly, are the wonderful descriptions of the surrondings as well as mediations on the difference between European and American cultures - in particular trains, women, and libraries.
Wonderful.
Especially about the gander and his duck groupies.
So wow. Herdan-Zuckmayer's memoir about her time on a farm in Vermont is wonderful. You meet her goats. More importantly, are the wonderful descriptions of the surrondings as well as mediations on the difference between European and American cultures - in particular trains, women, and libraries.
Wonderful.
Especially about the gander and his duck groupies.