A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver (2007-08-01)

I found this to be an extremely informative and eye opening book, one that I had a hard time putting down. I have read Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and to be honest, wasn't all that impressed. Therefore, it was with some hesitation that I reached out to this book. This book is an excellent read for anyone who is interested in gardening, eating healthy, or just being more aware about where you food comes from. I disagree with other readers who thought that Kingsolver was pretentious in the way that she writes. Nothing could be further from the truth. She readily admits that not everyone has access to a huge farm like she and her family did, and I think that's the point of the whole book -- that whether you're living in a rural area on in a high rise in New York City, everyone can benefit from being more aware about food and where it comes from. I live in an urban area and after reading this book, I have become inspired to grow some herbs and tomatoes on my balcony. Nothing drastic, to be sure, but I like the idea of being more self sufficient, saving money, and feeding my family wholesome, healthy food.

Barbara Kingsolver joins with her husband, Steven L. Hopp, and her daughter Camille to tell the story of the changes they made in their lives when they moved from Tucson, Arizona to a family farm in the hills of southern Appalachia in Virginia.
Deciding to grow their own food and only eat what was available within 25 miles of their farm put major restrictions on their meals and lifelong eating habits. Particularly hard for Camille, a teenager, was having to eliminate all junk foods, but her perspective matures through the book as she readjusts to life away from big markets and fast food. Steven is the researcher and adds small essays throughout the book, often with websites, that give statistics on the subject of food. Barbara is more concerned in her account of the actual growing and harvesting of food in tune with the calendar year.
I loved reading this book, and was able to transpose myself to their situation, even with the inherent hardships of their commitment to this new/old farming lifestyle.
I highly recommend "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" to anyone who is wanting to be more in touch with their food sources. Perfect for our changing consciousness.

I waited way too long to read this excellent book. Barbara Kingsolver and her family embarked on a mission to do their best to eat only what they could produce on their small farm, or purchase or trade for locally, for a whole year. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams and did so in grand fashion, eating well and enjoying the journey. My family has been trying to accomplish something of the same sort, and this book was not only an encouragement, but a manifesto for all the good reasons we had hoped to accomplish the same for ourselves.

I love all things written by Barbara Kingsolver. This book provides practical ways a person can become a little less dependent on store purchased foods (especially those out of season) and a little more aware of where the food they are eating is from. Recipes, ideas, and facts are included in the book. While many people reading the book won't make the commitment that Kingsolver makes to eat an entire year using only local and home grown foods, all of us can use the advice and tips she gives. One of the most poignant facts involves how much oil/gas is saved if every family ate only ONE locally grown meal per week. I had never really considered the impact of moving so much food around the country. Some of the stories are humorous, others are very fascinating with the detailed description she provides. I say...give the book a try, it might just make you think a little bit or a lot differently about your food.

I grew up reading Little House on the Prairie, and we had gardens and canned, so a lot of the ideas were not new to me, but I never considered making my own cheese. Now I'm curious to try it. There are some good recipes, and lots of interesting facts woven into the story.

Lovely book. The author writes so nicely that I only read it when I can really sit and enjoy it without other distractions. I adore the family in this book. This would be a great read for high school students and up. Great lessons in self reliance.

Loved this book. Really delved into the ethics of food and our social relationship with it. Reading the book was like going to a farmers market and wanting to cook everything in sight. Pushed my thinking about food (and not just vegetables) and where and how I source it. Would definitely recommend for anyone who wants to think and learn more about those issues. And anyone who wants to be inspired to cook and share great food.

ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE gives the reader the big picture as to where our food comes from and the hidden costs to us, families, our health, and our environment. It's about the author and her family's choice/commitment to live on a farm in Virginia and to grow their own food supply as well as buying
locally (within 100 miles or so) for a year. It's truly an inspiration and has affected my thinking about food. I don't want to duplicate what the author and her family did but I do want to grow more food, put more aside, buy locally, and cook more based on a myriad of reasons the author provides.

How can a memoir about food possibly be so enthralling, so inspiring? This is a book for every American. It is a key component to a more sustainable and responsible future, to living more in sync with our planet. I have made subtle changes in my diet over the years, trying to "eat right," but this book was the nudge I needed to go all the way. You will laugh about turkey sex and cry over poor farm children (and swear at the agribusiness conglomerates). Don't miss this life-changing book co-written by Barbara Kingsolver (my favorite author), her husband Steven Hopp (who adds thought-provoking inserts), and her daughter Camille Kingsolver (whose brief narratives and recipes left me begging for more).

This book was quite inspiring! Not only did it bring to light how in the dark I was on where the food we eat comes from, it also brought up the point that we don't really want to think about the proccess our food goes through. She is right on several points. I had my first basically local purchased Thanksgiving meal. I was inspired to make bread and become more mindful of what is availible in my own community. I now by local milk, butter, cheese, eggs, cream, and all within 5 miles of my home. Who knew?

I bought Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsglover on the recommendation of my Farmer's Market Manager. I was writing an article on family farms and as part of the effort was attempting to eat only food bought at Farmers' Markets, for a week or two. Barbara Kingsglover and her family went 50 weeks better - they moved to a farm in Western Virginia, and committed to a year long experiment in eating only what they produced.

The book is a season by season description of the foods they grew, the animals they raised and the meals they cooked. Barbara makes it look, if not easy, then doable, complete with the simplest of recipes that anyone can follow and no need start a farm either - just support your local farmer.

Supporting your local farmer is a big part of this book and Barbara writes eloquently and passionately about the injustices of agribusiness and the food industry - we obligingly give $85 percent of our every food dollar to the processors, marketers, and transporters and just 3 nickels per buck to our local farmers. Does that seem fair?

Since I embarked on my writing project and read Barbara' book, I wince at the endless aisles in the grocery store and have eschewed all foods that come in cardboard, cans or glass except for local bottles of wine. If I have to shop for produce in the supermarket, I look for locally or even regionally grown fruit and vegetables. Sometimes it is difficult to walk away from the 99 cent Peru Avacado or Roma tomatoes in November, diet staples I will need to change out.

Read the book and take a tiny leaf out of Barbara's wonderful year. I did and I feel so much more part of my community and ecosystem. And yes, I lost a couple of pounds in a couple of weeks, eating all I wanted but mostly whole, farm fresh foods.

Wow...what a book! Chicken owners will love it! It is wonderfully written and chock full of incredibly interesting research about our food supply. However, it is couched in a very real story of how one family went off the grid...mistakes and all! GREAT RECIPES!

Wow...what a book! Chicken owners will love it! It is wonderfully written and chock full of incredibly interesting research about our food supply. However, it is couched in a very real story of how one family went off the grid...mistakes and all! GREAT RECIPES!

where those delicious green beans you got a Trader Joe's came from? Israel, perhaps? how much energy, resources and fossil fuel was spent to get the ingredients of your last meal to you? This wonderful and insightful account of one families journey to find the answers to these questions, and better yet, some solutions to the answers they found is thought provoking.
If you enjoy this book, consider reading The Omnivore's Delimma as well. Then go out and plant a small garden of your own, find and buy some local farmer's produce, see if your daily intake can become more local, better balanced and (probably) healthier.
Better eating habits can benefit all of us and Barbara Kingsolver explains with charm and warmth just how.
Enjoy!

I found this book an interesting read, although slow going due to lack of action. However, the recipes are goofy. I tried a couple of them and the measurements do not work well plus the expected pleasant taste is not there. I would recommend this book only to those very interested in organic gardening and subsisting on the land but be wary in trying the recipes.

I highly recommend everyone read this book. Not only does it spark the fire of interest and passion about gardening - even to a newbie - but it provides really helpful info about the growing season, great seasonal recipes, and philosophical ideas about the future of our food in America.

Barbara Kingsolver moves me to laugh, to tears, to action. I am always waiting for her next words. Here they are. Well written as always. They are filled with wonderful lessons, inspiration for us and the earth. She and her family are walking their walk in a big way and inspiring me (and I hope others) to follow in her foot steps.

This should be a must read in schools. Most of us are all so clueless about how our food buys affect the universe. She does not preach. She educates in words and by example. Ms. Kingsolver allows us a year in her life which sounds magical, full of dirt, work and the incredible rewards of being close to the earth. Wouldn't I love to share a meal with this family!

As a vegetarian whose trying desperately to eat healthier I found this book pretty fascinating (it's also the first one I've ever read by Kingsolver). While I did have a few issues with it, I found it a pretty solid read.

Positives = Organic, Pesticide Free, Grown in Backyard
- The idea of trying to eating locally and doing so much of it yourself is impressive, no questions asked.
- I appreciated how Kingsolver brought her family both into the project at home, and into the writing of the book. It was a nice gesture and her daughter and husband offered different perspectives.
- Kingsolver's writing made me want to read her works of fiction- there's a fluidity of language and an ability to describe that I definitely can appreciate
- I learned a lot about growing your own food, eating locally and the politics behind agriculture. Learning is good.

Negatives = Hamburgers from McDonalds, GMOs, and Twinkies
- I try so hard to eat my fruits and veggies, but after reading this I felt a little discouraged. It's not enough to eat them! You had to buy them from the right places! Or grow them yourself! You have to make sure they're organic! You have to have the farmer who grew them sign in blood that they're not genetically modified (not really)!
- There are parts that get a little boring, to be honest. Kingsolver gets a little romantic in terms of her farm or a little wordy when up on her soapbox.

All in all a great read; for those that are conscientious of their diets a must.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is easily the most fun, informative and life-changing book I have read in a long time. It tells the personal story of the Kingsolver family as they set out to truly learn where the food they eat comes from, and the effect it has on the planet. Part biology, part economy, part politics, part history, part biography, this book is well researched and delivered in a way that is both meaningful and informative; it does not read like a report on agriculture. It should be read by every one who shops at grocery stores, everyone who has never pulled a carrot from the ground, who has never milked a cow; in short, it should be read by most Americans. I learned more about food growth, production and consumption than I thought possible, and enjoyed every minute of it. After finishing the book, I am both inspired to change the way I look at the food I eat, where it comes from and how it got to my table, and to strive to make a difference in the world through making better food choices. Fantastic.

Amusing and entertaining, instructive and educational, this book fulfilled my expectations on a number of levels.
Our house has been gardening organically for years, but we only planted what we knew we would use in a season. Tomatoes, some zucchini, herbs, beans and recently, collards. I did not attempt the 100 mile diet - and probably would not "officially" do it. Yet this book helped me to understand what my carbon footprint is in regards to food consumption.
I've purchased 3 additional copies and have had them sent to friends.
I had my husband read the book.
I have begun to make radical changes in how I buy food (more Farmer Markets), I've learned about CSA, I'm considering looking for real estate where I can raise egg laying hens.
I learned about Alice Waters and have now got a couple of her books. We've bought our own bread machine and now prepare our own bread weekly. I've got an electric dehydrator for tomatoes and veggies.
All in all, it is one book which has had a huge impact on our lives, both in and out of the kitchen.

If you have seen the movie Food Inc. Kingsolver book is a good follow up read to inform you of what you can do to help make a change in the way; we as "Americans" eat, the way our chickens and beef are raised and toxicly treated, and ultimately how you can eat better, more nutritious and rewarding food. The book takes you through the one year experiement/experience that her family took to see if they could totally live off the land, through their own gardens, local farmers market or by sourcing out local organic manufactures. She gives a month by month account of what plants grow when, when you can harvest their tasty rewards, how the family dealt with not having store bought prepared foodstuffs in their homes and raising turkeys and chickens from peeps.

I first read "Animal Vegetable Miracle" when it came out in 2008. I just re-read it, and five years later I find it to be as inspiring and impressive as I did the first time. I'm reasonably well-educated about food and have worked in farming, and I try hard for our family to eat seasonably, locally and above all sustainably. This is a great book not only to teach everyone and anyone the "whys" of doing this, but to remind those of us already trying how important it is to keep at it. None of us need asparagus from Peru or raspberries from Chile when waiting a little while will get us the same thing, grown nearby and tasting infinitely better. Thank you Barbara Kingsolver!

Kingsolver's book is a guide to sensible living. Few of us will convert to growing/producing all of our own food, but all of us can make a few changes that could improve our health, our community, and our ability to lessen dependence on oil. My family is preparing the bed for a small Shaker garden (a result of staying at Shakertown, Pleasant Hill, when we drove to Kentucky to hear Kingsolver speak in Lexington). Our own garden, combined with an 1840s Swiss garten we tend for the local Swiss Historical Society, and visits to our local farmers market will make a small difference for our family. If many make these kinds of small efforts, it could make a big difference for our country and our planet. Kingersolver's book is an inspiration and a guide for life changes.

I purchased this book because I was interested in the idea of living off of local foods only for a year and was not disappointed in reading the novel. This book is not a step-by-step guide, but a work of prose giving some tips and stories along the journey of local foods. I found this book to be pleasant and enjoyable. I've referenced ideas from this book, but haven't tried any of the recipes yet.

Anyone that has ever considered homesteading or sustainable gardening should pick this book up immediately. Kingsolver is a great storyteller and recounts her families transition to a more sustainable life! Great practical information!

Having gobbled up and enjoyed half a dozen of Kingsolver's novels, I had high expectations for Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. The book begins with a long, drug-out rant about monoculture farms, feed lots, and genetically modified corn. Like me, most people who choose this book probably already are knowledgeable and concerned about these issues. It's "preaching to the choir." Also the format of splicing segments written by her husband and by her daughter into Kingsolver's own narrative is confusing and disruptive. Kingsolver's own voice is lost. It would have been more enjoyable if it had been 100% memoir and 0% preaching/teaching.

This book is not full of citations, however, it provides a great deal of information about where the food on our table comes from. Without being obsessive, it suggests ways of considering our diet and how if effects not only us but our planet. The book is presented as a one year experiment by the Kingsolver/Hop family. This recorded copy offers each writer's contribution read by them. Good enough that I finished it and then read it a second time. The added interview gives far more insight into the writing of the book then do many of these author interviews.

This book is one of Kingsolver's best! The language and imagery are luminous, and the tale of her family's attempts to "live and eat green" is compelling and humorous.

It not only entertained, but moved me to be more aware of how I eat and where my food comes from. Next summer, I'll try to grow more of my own food and to buy more food locally.

I highly recommend this book!

Love the book, have got it in hardcover and paperback and now bought it in kindle format (as my own paper books have been lent to others). Even the little vignette pictures work well, but there is one formatting error - "1/3" is consistently and annoyingly replaced with "?". Please correct, in the recipes this makes them useless...

Great book!!! The author reads the audiobook. I appreciate that she's very down to earth, acknowledging that while she and her family are on this locavore quest, they aren't trying to be absolute purists - it would be practically impossible to continue to function in the modern world otherwise. She also includes great recipes. The chapter about heritage turkey reproductive habits (or not) is particularly entertaining. Highly recommend for anyone interest in the local food movement, the slow food movement, nutrition, the environment, small business, and general foodies.

I really enjoy and am challenged by her writings. I never know what new adventure she is going to take me on. Her writing style is wonderful, In this book she appeals to a wide range of readers. She writes about global warming, farm life, food supplies for the future of the country and the world. The story line revolves around her move with her family to the appellations and their experiences learning to provide almost all of the food for the family from their own farm. There is lots to learn from the food cycle for a year when you grow your own to interesting recipes that are all downloadable
Jacque Wisman

Kingsolver gives us the backstory of our supermarket products on which we depend for survival in this entertaining, amusing, factual story of living on locally produced foods. Inspires the reader to do something, if nothing else than reading all the labels and choosing accordingly. Loved it.

As usual, Barbara Kingsolver has written a winner! Her book is a wonderfully readable combination of personal narrative and scientific facts. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am using it as an inspiration for examining and changing the way I eat. It was a real page turner, and filled with fun and fascinating tidbits, recipes, and wonderful glimpses into the personalities of the author and her family. I highly recommend this book to anyone who eats!

This book is both informative as well as very entertaining. It may not be possible for all of us to raise our own chickens and turkeys but we can better appreciate our small, local farmers who do. As well as gain an understanding of the nutritional benefits of sourcing local food. This book is also very entertaining and even suspenseful at times!

I love this book! It is funny, informative, and inspiring. It neatly steers away from the self-righteousness that sometimes plagues similar experiments (read: it didn't make my eyes roll like Walden). While I haven't moved to a farm since reading it, I have expanded my garden and learned to make cheese. A delight!

Purchased as a "thank you" gift, this book delighted my friend, just as I knew it would. Anyone who wants to know more about the whys of buying or growing locally grown food will be interested in Kingsolver's account of her family's year of doing just that.

I had great expectations and there are nuggets of really usful stuff within this book but overall I'd skip purchasing it

It seems more an opportunistic endeavour to generate a 'new' book than a real story

Money oozes throughout the book making the experiment easy- experts flock to assist, etc

The meat eating aspect and environmental aspects are covered but as asides which is my main problem

This book is a fantastic look at our food industry and ways to become independent of chemicals used to produce both plant and animal foods, as well as ways to connect with the earth through gardening. Although most people would not have the garden space or time to totally turn their backs on the grocery store, I was inspired to try to do what I could to grow my own vegetables and frequent the local farmers market. I would recommend this book for anyone striving to eat in a healthy manner and gain a greater understanding of the food chain in America. Once again, Barbara Kingsolver brings us closer to the earth and the earth's systems that sustain us.

My husband even enjoyed it - skipped last part of disc 8 because of description of chicken "harvest" still getting into disc 9 after she spilled on defending how animals for agriculture can't be "used" for anything else.... with all the broadness of mind before it is jarring but the first part is very much worth it - enjoyed hearing her husband on legal issues and daughter on recipes and nutrition is cute and can tell she really got into her part after a few of her take outs from the story. I like King solvers voice, and the sounds of birds etc on the recording makes it more real

Barbara Kingsolver hits another home run with this wonderful look at where our food comes from. Funny, entertaining, and filled with great information. Thought provoking, and incredibly well researched, but written in a way that makes it easy to ingest what she's sharing.

I loved everything about this book. I think it was really well written, her language is goregous. The way she described their farm life made me feel like i was there & made me want to start out on this adventure myself. I think there is a lot to be learned from this book. It has many important underlying messages. Specifically the importance of the local food movement/supporting farmers and the importance of family meals/cooking together. Along with trying to be "greener" etc. I also enjoyed her husbands pieces which were more science/fact based and her daughters pieces with recipes. I have nothing negative to say about this book.

Very informative with thought-provoking information, but lightened with enough humor to keep it from being too dry. Barbara Kingsolver is a great author anyway, but this book helped me remember why I try to buy local and organic. I'd recommend it to anyone with an open mind that's looking to get healthy.

Anyone who happens to eat should read this book. While I had already joined the growing movement to buy locally, it has sharpened my focus and determination. This book is a splendid endeavor to encourage all of us to not take the food we purchase/consume and the people who are dedicated enough to care about feeding us, for granted.

This book could change your life. Barbara Kingsolver is a wonderfully witty writer who invites you into a year of life as she and her family eat food which is grown locally using sustainable agriculture. Much of the food they grow themselves. In inserts throughout the book, her husband, Steven L. Hopp, contributes pertinent information about various agricultural issues and suggestions for action. In each chapter Barbara's college age daughter, Camille Kingsolver, tells about their cooking experiences and includes recipes. I have never had so much fun learning about what's good for me.

Great recepees, great story of a families year off the corporate food chain. Lots of good studies and research info, seed and breed info... had to take a few breaks because i got so worked up about the evils of consuming mass produced and transported foods / meets...

I love anything by Barbara Kingsolver and this book was no exception. She made a believer out of me and many of our bookclub members. Even though many of us do not have gardens (this year anyway), we're all haunting the farmers' markets in town and stocking up on organic, locally grown produce, meats, eggs and dairy. The writing was just as mesmerizing as any of her fiction -- one of those books that you just don't want to finish because you don't want to not be reading it.

To start, I love Barbara Kingsolver's writing style. She's an excellent writer, researches her subject and makes you want to keep reading. Having said that, this book is a bit of a slow start. You've got to hang in there, keep reading, and you'll be glad you did. The views are not extremist. There's something for almost everyone in this book: information about the food industry, our nation's agriculture and economy and farming practices, eating healthy, home cooking, sustainable living, vegetarian and/or humane and responsible meat-eating, and on and on. I really, really liked this book and have shared my copy with several people.