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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Completely changed my thoughts on where my food comes from and that it's not only a sustainability issue for our world but also a taste issue. Vegetables and fruits and meat could be more delicious if I hate local and in-season!!
I loved the book. And now I want to own chickens, cow-share, and make my own cheese. Too bad I live in Chicago and own NO land for my garden.
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
a REALLY good book. so interesting, and very inspiring. i suggest reading it during the summer when farmers markets are everywhere. only problem was that it was occasionally hard to pick up (but always worth it). if you need to be convinced regarding local/organic food, read this book!
I remember when this book was new, it came out in 2007. It's timeline has lapsed.
From the perspective of 17 years later, it feels like 100 years have passed. There has been a recession, a global pandemic. Property prices have swayed, but are now several times more expensive than they were pre-2008 collapse. The farmers market isn't an affordable resource, but a luxury. Locally sourced meat, eggs, and dairy are out of reach for most budgets.
The lens doesn't feel relevant or relatable or attainable. It's leaning toward privileged. I don't think I'll learn anything, which is too bad. I was looking forward to this title that has been on my TBR for ages. Too long, I think.
From the perspective of 17 years later, it feels like 100 years have passed. There has been a recession, a global pandemic. Property prices have swayed, but are now several times more expensive than they were pre-2008 collapse. The farmers market isn't an affordable resource, but a luxury. Locally sourced meat, eggs, and dairy are out of reach for most budgets.
The lens doesn't feel relevant or relatable or attainable. It's leaning toward privileged. I don't think I'll learn anything, which is too bad. I was looking forward to this title that has been on my TBR for ages. Too long, I think.
This book was such a pleasant surprise. I hate The Bean Trees, but Barbara Kingsolver writes great nonfiction. She crafts very well written sentences and seamlessly integrates facts with hilarious anecdotes. I enjoyed the mixed author format as well as the audiobook format which include sound effects and narration from all three authors. I'm left very impressed and inspired!!
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle documents Barbara Kingsolver and her family's attempts to eat foods grown and produced locally over the course of one year. If you can get past the name of the movement's participants- locavores- it's a solid idea based on supporting your local economy, eating better with organic, naturally-grown, nutrient-rich foods.
The good parts of the book- it's inspiring to see an entire family come together to make the project work, they raised their own chickens and Kingsolver makes a good case for responsible animal husbandry, lots of good resources throughout the book, and plenty of warm fuzzy moments canning tomatoes, watching eggs hatch, and making bread.
The bad parts of the book- Kingsolver's loquacious descriptions, random interjections from her husband and daughter, an entire brown-nosing chapter on how amazing Italy is, and way too many bucolic country scenes. Also, while the experiment is admirable, it is wholly unrealistic for someone like me to do exactly what they did. Their garden was 3,524 square feet. Who in San Diego has that kind of land, let alone enough room for animals? I'm pretty sure my landlord would poo-poo a henhouse in the back yard.
I would still recommend this book. Kingsolver does a good job not just of explaining the physical and economic benefits of eating locally, but of pointing out the emotional and relational benefits as well.
Also, if you're interested in this subject but have the same space/time constraints as myself, you might want to check out The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon. They're a Vancouver couple who tried to eat locally too but less through growing their own stuff and more through being an informed, responsible consumer.
The good parts of the book- it's inspiring to see an entire family come together to make the project work, they raised their own chickens and Kingsolver makes a good case for responsible animal husbandry, lots of good resources throughout the book, and plenty of warm fuzzy moments canning tomatoes, watching eggs hatch, and making bread.
The bad parts of the book- Kingsolver's loquacious descriptions, random interjections from her husband and daughter, an entire brown-nosing chapter on how amazing Italy is, and way too many bucolic country scenes. Also, while the experiment is admirable, it is wholly unrealistic for someone like me to do exactly what they did. Their garden was 3,524 square feet. Who in San Diego has that kind of land, let alone enough room for animals? I'm pretty sure my landlord would poo-poo a henhouse in the back yard.
I would still recommend this book. Kingsolver does a good job not just of explaining the physical and economic benefits of eating locally, but of pointing out the emotional and relational benefits as well.
Also, if you're interested in this subject but have the same space/time constraints as myself, you might want to check out The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon. They're a Vancouver couple who tried to eat locally too but less through growing their own stuff and more through being an informed, responsible consumer.