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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book. Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, writes about her family's locavore year. They ate only local food. Of course, it helped that they lived on a farm!
Husband, Steven L. Hopp, and daughter, Camille Kingsolver, also contribute commentary and recipes.
This is a book I would like to own and refer back to, though, I can't imagine that I would ever undertake such a project. I do try to eat as locally as possible, but don't do very well by Kingsolver's standards.
I would like to know what happened after the year was up. I can't imagine that they went back...
Husband, Steven L. Hopp, and daughter, Camille Kingsolver, also contribute commentary and recipes.
This is a book I would like to own and refer back to, though, I can't imagine that I would ever undertake such a project. I do try to eat as locally as possible, but don't do very well by Kingsolver's standards.
I would like to know what happened after the year was up. I can't imagine that they went back...
This is one of those books that I was sad to finish. I was captivated by the way the authors describe the seasons and how the food they ate changed throughout the year. After finishing it I have found myself wanting to find a way to keep chickens and grow tomatoes in my tiny, very urban, garden. What a fabulous book and an inspiring read about going back to nature.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was an enjoyable read. It follows the author's family in their pursuit of local-only food consumption (with a few exceptions) over the course of an entire year. The book is encouraging, and inspires readers to really "eat local." Not just a few items at the local farmers' market, but everything - meats, dairy, grains, etc. The take-home message I got from the book was this: eating local is worth the effort - it supports small farmers and communities and is really an all-around better choice for your health, communities, farmers, and our planet. It was also enlightening to read about how local growers can really get the shaft from grocers when they can buy "cheaper" from these Big Ag companies. One thing I disliked about the book, however, was the author's negative stance on vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. I gritted my teeth through those comments, though and took in the message of the book as a whole.
I think I loved this book, but then I think about Kingsolver's unwittingly self-righteous tone and the twee insertions from her husband and her daughter, and then I don't love it anymore. But then I think about how wonderful it is that she included her family in her work, and how important it is to stand up for things one believes in, and I love it again. Straight-forward and honest, Kingsolver tackles the complicated issue of how we eat-- and discusses why this is such a complicated matter. After all, what could be simpler than putting food in your mouth? Definitely thought-provoking, at times a little classist (Ok, not everyone can just run across the country to their 40-acre farm. In fact, not everyone even has the skills or cultural support to put a seed in the ground and turn it into food.), Kingsolver's attempt to live literally in community with her food is funny, inspiring, informative, and entertaining. Recommended reading for anyone who cares what she eats.
A fascinating read that encourages people to consider the consequences of what ends up on the plate. I did not feel she was asking us all to be farmers, more that we, as a whole, give greater thought in where our food comes from, if it is local and how it is farmed. While the environment is a consideration, the health and economy of local communities could benefit greatly if all people took bits and pieces of this book into practice.
I felt inspired by this book. I am not going to quit eating oranges and bananas or have an occasional out of season cucumber or tomato because I read it. But I found myself being a little more mindful about where my food is coming from. I admire her and her family's resolve to eat so very local and to find joy in their journey. I also admire the reverence and respect they have for their animals. I found I agreed with them on many counts regarding their animals and how they think about them and liked finding someone who raised animals for food but loved them and cared for them in honor of the animal's sacrifice. It was well written, informative and enjoyable.
A soothing listen, made me more interested in eating locally and seasonally. I can't help but think of the critical review I read citing lack of discord between the two children of the family during the project of living off the land! But I suppose the older one went off to college so it makes sense...
While I generally love Barbara Kingsolver, this book was almost unbearably preachy with little to no actual cited evidence for her claims.