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A review by beldaran1224
Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
It is difficult for me to articulate everything that this book brought me. First, I must recommend the audiobook, narrated by the author. The way in which the book felt like a conversation - meandering in seemingly disconnected ways, until you see a broader picture of the interconnectedness of each of the various passages, is nothing short of masterful.
Dungy touches on a number of topics with this book. It is, all at once, a memoir, a story about many gardens, a political book and a history book. The history and politics in this book are intensely personal - they are driven by personal experiences and, I suspect, meant to remind that reader that ultimately ALL history and politic are personal.
It is a story that takes place nominally during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it isn't really about pandemic at all.
On a personal note, I simply could not stop talking about this book the entire time I was reading it. I became obsessive in my devotion to the topics it touches on, and my family, friends and coworkers were all brought on a bit of the journey with me. I learned things about places that I've been and that are intensely dear to me, and things about places I'd never even heard of before this book.
Dungy touches on a number of topics with this book. It is, all at once, a memoir, a story about many gardens, a political book and a history book. The history and politics in this book are intensely personal - they are driven by personal experiences and, I suspect, meant to remind that reader that ultimately ALL history and politic are personal.
It is a story that takes place nominally during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it isn't really about pandemic at all.
On a personal note, I simply could not stop talking about this book the entire time I was reading it. I became obsessive in my devotion to the topics it touches on, and my family, friends and coworkers were all brought on a bit of the journey with me. I learned things about places that I've been and that are intensely dear to me, and things about places I'd never even heard of before this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism