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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
reflective
Excellent, insightful. I have been so disoriented when it comes to non-processed food. This book set my compass and made me less afraid of the produce aisle. That aside, it just read so easily.
Well-researched and easy to immerse oneself in, Kingsolver makes a very compelling case for eating locally as much as possible (and it is possible, she claims). It's enjoyable to follow her family's journey of running their own small farm and garden, and you will definitely want to hightail it to your local farmers' market upon reading this ... or grow some food yourself.
Informative and inspiring. Barbara Kingsolver keeps her sense of humor while exploring one year of locavory.
WARNING...what follows is a long and repetitive rant against all the things that bothered me about this book. Continue at your own risk. You have been warned.
1.5 stars. Premise didn't seem too bad and they made some good points, but I got fed up with the "holier than thou" act pretty quickly. Not as preachy or eye roll inducing as "Eat, Pray, Love" but it's 2x long...so I ended up just as annoyed. The good points were few and far between and buried underneath so much "manure" (sometimes literally as she went into detail about their organic farming methods) it was hard to find them. In fact, I don't remember any in the last half of the book, but alas, at that point I was so sick of her preachy attitude that they would have been lost on me.
Kingsolver and her family decide to go on a journey...a year of local food. Not a bad idea, right? I thought this would be about their story, and it was...to an extent. But their story was too full of idealistic and perfect scenarios where fresh, local food proves the hero and anything else (bananas, oranges) are the villain. Oh we're going on vacation? We just so happen to be staying with all these friends who also grow all their own food. We sit and watch fireflies and discuss only food and farming...just as the average American does. Near the end of the book, Kingsolver does mention that they sometimes slipped-still ate out every once awhile, allowed themselves some treats, etc. Umm...why didn't you tell the reader that sooner...instead of projecting this perfect first attempt?!?
At one point they are staying with friends who milk their own cows and just don't understand how people got caught up in the pesticide movement (umm...more crops in less time...how could they not? I'm not saying in the long run it hasn't proven to have it's problems, but is it really that difficult to see?!?) Kingsolver goes on and on how this family sticks to it's roots-a small farmer making his way. Then casually mentions the family is Amish. And suddenly everything makes sense. The Amish are great. They've stuck true to their beliefs through thick and thin. Good for them. But by no means are the Amish average people. This was not some small farmer. This was a man with the Amish "brand" behind him and a moral clause against many types of technology. Is Kingsolver recommending we go back 100 years?!? How far back does she want to go. Why stop at transporting food? Should we go back to hunting and gathering?!? I realize this is not her point, and if she'd stopped being so preachy I may have let it slide. But the entire time it just came across (from her, her husband, and her daughter) that "our family does it better than yours"
At one point she reprimanded her daughter's friend who wanted a banana at the store?!? Really?!? It's so bad you can't buy one bunch of bananas...or even a single banana for your guest? And her daughter seemed proud of her intervention. I would be mortified. Their project is a lofty one. A good one even. But seriously? You don't think this is taking it too far.
And the point about locally grown food being cheaper than things at the store because you don't have to pay for the travel...and yet they mention time and time again that the money for that travel comes from taxes...so you're paying it no matter what. And now you aren't even eating the food that your paying to transport. Call me crazy but to me that seems like you are paying more for local food. It's a wonderful idea to buy local, but stop pretending like it's so cheap. In the end they spend about 50 cents per person per meal that year on groceries. Umm...what about the cost of animal upkeep? Seeds? Water? Time? Your grocery bill is not the only "cost" of a meal and you know it. Stop pretending like it is so cheap-especially for city folk. It is likely more affordable that some think, but come on, give me a break.
I would have enjoyed a story about a family buying local. A family farming. A family who didn't always win the battle. A family who cheated every once in awhile. Instead I got a glossed over story of what seemed like a pretentious (although they are most likely very nice people) and an unending lecture on food. Animals live in terrible conditions, fresh veggies taste better, varieties of animal and vegetable will go extinct because they don't travel or store well. I get it. These are all wonderful (and true) points. Belaboring them until I want to poke my own eyes out does not help your cause. This book could have been 100 pages shorter (this review could also, I admit, be shorter, but you don't interrupt rants!)
I appreciate the effort, but Kingsolvers, for me you failed. I'll go the farmers market in the April-November like I always did. But I apologize, I'm not giving up bananas, But alas, I'm clearly not as good as you. (Although I will proudly admit to being from Woodbury County, IA-the county you mention made a "strong legislative move" and "even the prisons are serving local food" and described as a "county that truly recognizes the value of community support"). If you'd just come across as more normal and admitted that buying organic and local isn't always cheap (you had a wonderful opportunity to provide some ideas or better yet, solutions, and you completely missed the boat!) I may have enjoyed this book. I didn't. It happens. I apologize. But if it's all right with you, I will still try a recipe or two. Because even those of us who eat our pumpkins canned and enjoy a banana now and then can still appreciate a good recipe when we see it.
1.5 stars. Premise didn't seem too bad and they made some good points, but I got fed up with the "holier than thou" act pretty quickly. Not as preachy or eye roll inducing as "Eat, Pray, Love" but it's 2x long...so I ended up just as annoyed. The good points were few and far between and buried underneath so much "manure" (sometimes literally as she went into detail about their organic farming methods) it was hard to find them. In fact, I don't remember any in the last half of the book, but alas, at that point I was so sick of her preachy attitude that they would have been lost on me.
Kingsolver and her family decide to go on a journey...a year of local food. Not a bad idea, right? I thought this would be about their story, and it was...to an extent. But their story was too full of idealistic and perfect scenarios where fresh, local food proves the hero and anything else (bananas, oranges) are the villain. Oh we're going on vacation? We just so happen to be staying with all these friends who also grow all their own food. We sit and watch fireflies and discuss only food and farming...just as the average American does. Near the end of the book, Kingsolver does mention that they sometimes slipped-still ate out every once awhile, allowed themselves some treats, etc. Umm...why didn't you tell the reader that sooner...instead of projecting this perfect first attempt?!?
At one point they are staying with friends who milk their own cows and just don't understand how people got caught up in the pesticide movement (umm...more crops in less time...how could they not? I'm not saying in the long run it hasn't proven to have it's problems, but is it really that difficult to see?!?) Kingsolver goes on and on how this family sticks to it's roots-a small farmer making his way. Then casually mentions the family is Amish. And suddenly everything makes sense. The Amish are great. They've stuck true to their beliefs through thick and thin. Good for them. But by no means are the Amish average people. This was not some small farmer. This was a man with the Amish "brand" behind him and a moral clause against many types of technology. Is Kingsolver recommending we go back 100 years?!? How far back does she want to go. Why stop at transporting food? Should we go back to hunting and gathering?!? I realize this is not her point, and if she'd stopped being so preachy I may have let it slide. But the entire time it just came across (from her, her husband, and her daughter) that "our family does it better than yours"
At one point she reprimanded her daughter's friend who wanted a banana at the store?!? Really?!? It's so bad you can't buy one bunch of bananas...or even a single banana for your guest? And her daughter seemed proud of her intervention. I would be mortified. Their project is a lofty one. A good one even. But seriously? You don't think this is taking it too far.
And the point about locally grown food being cheaper than things at the store because you don't have to pay for the travel...and yet they mention time and time again that the money for that travel comes from taxes...so you're paying it no matter what. And now you aren't even eating the food that your paying to transport. Call me crazy but to me that seems like you are paying more for local food. It's a wonderful idea to buy local, but stop pretending like it's so cheap. In the end they spend about 50 cents per person per meal that year on groceries. Umm...what about the cost of animal upkeep? Seeds? Water? Time? Your grocery bill is not the only "cost" of a meal and you know it. Stop pretending like it is so cheap-especially for city folk. It is likely more affordable that some think, but come on, give me a break.
I would have enjoyed a story about a family buying local. A family farming. A family who didn't always win the battle. A family who cheated every once in awhile. Instead I got a glossed over story of what seemed like a pretentious (although they are most likely very nice people) and an unending lecture on food. Animals live in terrible conditions, fresh veggies taste better, varieties of animal and vegetable will go extinct because they don't travel or store well. I get it. These are all wonderful (and true) points. Belaboring them until I want to poke my own eyes out does not help your cause. This book could have been 100 pages shorter (this review could also, I admit, be shorter, but you don't interrupt rants!)
I appreciate the effort, but Kingsolvers, for me you failed. I'll go the farmers market in the April-November like I always did. But I apologize, I'm not giving up bananas, But alas, I'm clearly not as good as you. (Although I will proudly admit to being from Woodbury County, IA-the county you mention made a "strong legislative move" and "even the prisons are serving local food" and described as a "county that truly recognizes the value of community support"). If you'd just come across as more normal and admitted that buying organic and local isn't always cheap (you had a wonderful opportunity to provide some ideas or better yet, solutions, and you completely missed the boat!) I may have enjoyed this book. I didn't. It happens. I apologize. But if it's all right with you, I will still try a recipe or two. Because even those of us who eat our pumpkins canned and enjoy a banana now and then can still appreciate a good recipe when we see it.
Lacking an understanding of the complexity of sxs of oppression with respect to its subject
informative
reflective
fast-paced
fuck. now I want to make my own cheese. I've always wanted chickens. might as well just move to a farm.
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
sipping ms kingsolvers koolaid HARD
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism