Book 24: May 2008
The Conversation in My Head
Voice 1: Oh hey, Day Late, how are ya?
Voice 2: Hi Dollar Short, fine, and you?
Voice 1: Good. So, what have you been doing?
Voice 2: Oh, making ridiculous quantities of cupcakes and trying to keep everyone in clean underwear. You?
Voice 1: Just sitting in the car, waiting for you to post this month's book club selection so I could drive down to the library and pick it up.
Voice 2: Yeah. About that, sorry I'm late. AGAIN.
Voice 1: Well, now that it's past the 1st of the month and all I hope you've picked something short for us to read. Like a pamphlet. Wait, it's the 6th already, better make that a flyer.
Voice 2: I know. It just seems like all my time is sucked up by the effort to keep everyone, well, moving.
Voice 1: Yes, everyone is doing that.
Voice 2: I think I need to hang out with more grown ups.
Voice 1: Apparently, because most grown ups call refer to themselves as adults.
And so, on behalf of my burgeoning split personality, I FINALLY bring to you The May 2008 Selection. Please join me in reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver (note: just came out in paperback at the end of April).
I was so excited when I first read about the release of a new Barbara Kingsolver book. I have loved so many of her novels - The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, The Bean Trees, Animal Dreams, and Pigs in Heaven. Different from her novels, this book is described as part memoir, part journalistic investigation. I wasn't sure if we were ready for another memoir (after the remarkable 2006-2007 Book Club Season where no less than half our books were memoirs), but this one is about food. And other than a love of books, a love of food is something the members of our club really have in common.
Among our members, we have a LOT of good cooks and bakers. We have one professional chef and a few real restaurant foodies. At least four of you have participated (or are currently participating) in CSA programs (community supported agriculture), and many of you grow your own herbs or vegetables. At a minimum, all of you eat.
With all the food love bouncing around in here, what better place to discuss the issues covered in this book? For example, is it wrong to buy Copper River salmon next month when it comes from so far away? Or, is it perfectly acceptable because it's so dang delicious? Is it wrong to buy a single vanilla bean packaged in its own tiny tube, knowing that it could never be grown in my region?
Kingsolver and her family decide to move to a rural community where they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. This type of consumer, known as a locavore(sometimes also called localvore), has created quite a movement as people become more aware of the global impact that making foods not regionally grown widely available. I'm very interested in the topic, and am simultaneously afraid and excited to learn more about it, knowing that it will impact the way in which I cook for my family.
Some reviews from people we don't know:
The Good: "The delightful three person voice of this book can not hide the alarm it sounds for those Americans who eat, prepare or otherwise relate to food. It is a poignant rendering of the brainwashing of Americans in relationship with what they put into their bodies. In gentle tones the warning comes in side bar fashion along with hope, a plan to make positive changes for good healthy eating and is seasoned with some yummy recipes, too. It was an eye opening and life changing read. This book is a gift for anyone who eats and wants to be healthy."
- Gail
The Bad: "It was difficult for me to get all the way through the book. Most of the factual material was no news to me, and I think the book was a big waste of my time."
- Jem
Since we're reading about all things local this month, our pairing this month is based on whatever is local to you. For my part, I'm turning to Schell's Brewery in New Ulm, MN. Only 40 miles from my home, they make a special MaiFest beer, only available in the Spring months. How about you, what's your local pairing? Any wine, beer, soda (pop if you're from my neck of the prairie), mineral water a local specialty?
Voice 1: Oh hey, Day Late, how are ya?
Voice 2: Hi Dollar Short, fine, and you?
Voice 1: Good. So, what have you been doing?
Voice 2: Oh, making ridiculous quantities of cupcakes and trying to keep everyone in clean underwear. You?
Voice 1: Just sitting in the car, waiting for you to post this month's book club selection so I could drive down to the library and pick it up.
Voice 2: Yeah. About that, sorry I'm late. AGAIN.
Voice 1: Well, now that it's past the 1st of the month and all I hope you've picked something short for us to read. Like a pamphlet. Wait, it's the 6th already, better make that a flyer.
Voice 2: I know. It just seems like all my time is sucked up by the effort to keep everyone, well, moving.
Voice 1: Yes, everyone is doing that.
Voice 2: I think I need to hang out with more grown ups.
Voice 1: Apparently, because most grown ups call refer to themselves as adults.
And so, on behalf of my burgeoning split personality, I FINALLY bring to you The May 2008 Selection. Please join me in reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver (note: just came out in paperback at the end of April).
I was so excited when I first read about the release of a new Barbara Kingsolver book. I have loved so many of her novels - The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, The Bean Trees, Animal Dreams, and Pigs in Heaven. Different from her novels, this book is described as part memoir, part journalistic investigation. I wasn't sure if we were ready for another memoir (after the remarkable 2006-2007 Book Club Season where no less than half our books were memoirs), but this one is about food. And other than a love of books, a love of food is something the members of our club really have in common.
Among our members, we have a LOT of good cooks and bakers. We have one professional chef and a few real restaurant foodies. At least four of you have participated (or are currently participating) in CSA programs (community supported agriculture), and many of you grow your own herbs or vegetables. At a minimum, all of you eat.
With all the food love bouncing around in here, what better place to discuss the issues covered in this book? For example, is it wrong to buy Copper River salmon next month when it comes from so far away? Or, is it perfectly acceptable because it's so dang delicious? Is it wrong to buy a single vanilla bean packaged in its own tiny tube, knowing that it could never be grown in my region?
Kingsolver and her family decide to move to a rural community where they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. This type of consumer, known as a locavore(sometimes also called localvore), has created quite a movement as people become more aware of the global impact that making foods not regionally grown widely available. I'm very interested in the topic, and am simultaneously afraid and excited to learn more about it, knowing that it will impact the way in which I cook for my family.
Some reviews from people we don't know:
The Good: "The delightful three person voice of this book can not hide the alarm it sounds for those Americans who eat, prepare or otherwise relate to food. It is a poignant rendering of the brainwashing of Americans in relationship with what they put into their bodies. In gentle tones the warning comes in side bar fashion along with hope, a plan to make positive changes for good healthy eating and is seasoned with some yummy recipes, too. It was an eye opening and life changing read. This book is a gift for anyone who eats and wants to be healthy."
- Gail
The Bad: "It was difficult for me to get all the way through the book. Most of the factual material was no news to me, and I think the book was a big waste of my time."
- Jem
Since we're reading about all things local this month, our pairing this month is based on whatever is local to you. For my part, I'm turning to Schell's Brewery in New Ulm, MN. Only 40 miles from my home, they make a special MaiFest beer, only available in the Spring months. How about you, what's your local pairing? Any wine, beer, soda (pop if you're from my neck of the prairie), mineral water a local specialty?
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