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Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.)  | 
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Authors: Barbara Kingsolver, Camille Kingsolver, Steven L. Hopp
Creator: Richard A. Houser
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $7.55
You Save: $7.40 (49%)
New (58) Used (14) from $7.15
Avg. Customer Rating:  278 reviews
Sales Rank: 87
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 400
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0060852569
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.0973
EAN: 9780060852566
ASIN: 0060852569
Publication Date: May 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Also Available In:
| • | Audio Cassette - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Library Edition | | • | Audio CD - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, Library Edition | | • | Kindle Edition - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle | | • | Hardcover - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life | | • | Audio CD - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle CD: A Year of Food Life | | • | Paperback - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle LP | | • | Paperback - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (P.S.) | | • | Audio Download - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life (Unabridged) | | • | Hardcover - ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE: A YEAR OF FOOD LIFE |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they'd only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an enthralling narrative that will open your eyes in a hundred new ways to an old truth: You are what you eat.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 273 more reviews...
 Incredibly Disappointing August 5, 2008
I was a fan of Kingsolver until reading this book. I loved her insight about pesticides in The Poisonwood Bible, and I've read all of her other novels. A, V, M was terrible - describes a year of eating locally. But, this was no challenge to Kingsolver. She easily has the means to do this, and had apparently been doing this anyway for years. It would have been great to read a memoir on this theme by people who actually are like the rest of us - now that would have been a hoot. This is also is not a feel-good book. Although there are some things in there I'd like to do (I like the Friday night homemade pizza tradition), after reading it, I feel bad that I'm not baking my own bread, making my own cheese (yes, really!), raising my own chickens, etc. Reading this is way, way worse than watching or reading anything by Martha Stewart. Moreover, Kingsolver just comes across as a nerd, sorry to be so crass. I am sorry I wasted money on this - wish I spent it at the farmers' market.
 Great information, may turn off the masses August 4, 2008
As I read this book, I found myself turned off by the pious tone Kingsolver took in the first chapter. I am a passionate locavore to the extent possible, and my family is devotedly organic, but this conversion only took place over the last four years of my life. The first chapter reminded me how I felt when my preachy acquaintences tried to push that lifestyle on me. I agree that Americans need a good dose of the truth when it comes to food policy, but it can be delivered without making anyone feel defensive. Also, I must state that Kingsolver does not exactly qualify as "everywoman" when she speaks of the challenges of incorporating this life as a working mother...I'm not sure that being a full-time writer is quite the same as running home from an 8-5 job to get dinner ready.
If you can get past that first chapter, however, the rest of the book is quite enjoyable, and very informative. I found myself intrigued by the incredible storage vegatable bounty and on the edge of my seat to learn whether heritage turkeys would indeed reproduce. Despite my initial misgivings, I will make this book part of my permanent collection simply because I hope to incorporate much of its wisdom in my personal garden.
Bottom line: great info, but please do not recommend this to your friends and family who don't already subscribe to the locavore liturgy; it will probably only reinforce the inaccurate perception that the local food movement is home to uppity snobs out of touch with the realities of middle class America. Michael Pollan is a much better read for the masses.
Animal, Vegetable, What? July 29, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
As a fan of Barbara Kingsolver other books, I expected an insightful, warm story about her year. Instead it is nothing but a boring lecture on the state of food in this country. I have more than enjoyed coming to those realizations through Michael Pollan's, In Defense of Food and the Omnivores Dilemma without being brow beaten and lectured to. Her tone is so high and mighty that I had to resist throwing the book out of my window more than once. This is an important topic for all people who eat to be aware of, but books like this make you want to run to the closest fast food restaurant.
 Local Grown is Best! July 28, 2008
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.
Pompous and Demeaning July 27, 2008
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book was a true disappointment.
While I understand and agree with many of her ideals, such as growing one's own produce and eating locally, this book is written from the perspective of a wealthy millionaire who can gaze with disdain on the masses eating at the 99cent menu at Taco Bell from her the inside of her airconditioned $40,000 hybrid car while munching on her organic self-canned tomatoes that actually cost more in energy than purchasing them at the local den of evil, Kroger.
The fact is, if you live in subsidized housing in a large city, and survive on food stamps, or a tiny food budget, you probably are not going to trek across the city to the chi chi farmers market to buy heirloom tomatoes, even if it does take food stamps. The more likely scenario is making your purchases as close to home as possible, for as cheaply as possible. When the organic, locally grown apples are twice the price of conventional, then that is half as much food that can be provided to a family struggling to get by.
Tell me something I didnt already know, Ms Kingslover, local is better. Now show me how to afford it.
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