Nautie Books :: The Dirty Life

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The Dirty Life: A Memoir On Farming, Food and Love

This book drew me right in.  

A couple years ago I watched the movie Food, Inc. It graphically imaged what I already knew about food...that we can no longer trust where it comes from. Shortly after seeing the movie I picked up the book The Omnivore's Dillema (which I highly recommend).  Right on the tail of suddenly feeling incredibly paranoid about where my food was coming from I hopped on a container ship. Reading the cargo manifest one day I realized we were shipping 'organic soybeans' in one of the refrigerated containers from China to California. I was horrified. I mean, seriously, the rain in China is probably toxic!! 

This book warned my heart - I knw. So cliche.  I felt so proud of these two young farmers. Like, take that you impossibly organic soybeans being repackaged and rebranded being bought up by the masses at Trader Joes!!!  Boom!  Essex Farm makes their own compost!  Take that!

Plus, there's a love story and recipes. I mean seriously. A farm. A man who cooks. A woman who drives a team of horses. Maple syrup.  

I'm currently at sea and I have to say there's something about reading about dirt in the middle of the ocean.  

Kristin Kimball couldn't have done a better job telling this story.  

Here's a great article about the book if you'd like to read more before picking it up! 

What's on your nightstand these days? 

 

 Remember way back when we had a book club?  I miss those days...I just don't miss them enough to commit to a book a month. How's that for honest?  That being said, I love a good book!  I also love when a friend recommends a good book. Let's do that sometimes! 

Nautie Books :: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Wrap Up

Judging from the lack of interest I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume this one didn't grab you.  I understand.  Really, I do. I got a lot out of this read but, here are a few of my favorite quotes:

“Like the Bible said,' Gary whispered, 'man brought nothing into this world and he'll carry nothing out. Sometimes we care about stuff too much. We worry when there's nothing to worry about.”

“When he asked if she was okay, her eyes welled with tears and she said, “Like I’m always telling my brothers, if you gonna go into history, you can’t do it with a hate attitude. You got to remember, times was different.”

“She's the most important person in the world and her family living in poverty. If our mother is so important to science, why can't we get health insurance?”

Vocabulary:

Henrietta Lacks

HeLa

Nautie Books! Let's select a new one!

Nautie Friends, it's time to select a new book for the Nautie Books Group! I'm going to make a list of books (with links to their Amazon write ups).  Please drop a comment with your vote.

Unlikely Friendships.  Shall we read heartwarming animal stories?  It sounds strangely appealing.  It also has received lots of stars.

Dreaming in French:  The Paris Years of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis.  This one is dedicated to my Mother but really, hasn't everyone dreamed of Paris?

The Night Circus.  This one reminds me of Water For Elephants.  I liked that one a lot.  Love and the Circus?  Sign me up.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  Historiauntie suggested this book.  I've read it and loved it - and I'll read it again if you pick it!  It's charming.

A Game of Thrones.  I really want to read this one.  I hear it's good.  I've watched some of the HBO series and think it's quite impressive.  Battles, Paranormal Activity, Romance....everything a good saga requires.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.  This one is actually my first pick.  I've been on a majar Non-Fiction kick and I'm not sure that I'm ready to break my stride.  I wanted to pick a light hearted happy go lucky book for this selection - I thought the family could use something happy however; I'm really drawn to this one.  Am I allowed to sway the vote?  Does my vote count for more than one?

Help me choose!

(p.s. I haven't forgotten about the other suggestions....I'm just going with what I currently have on my ebook reader...)

 

 

More Summer Reading?

Okay, I have another book suggestion. For the record - I've never seen an episode of 30 Rock and I can never stay up late enough for SNL.  All I knew when I picked up this book was that Tina Fey is supposedly pretty funny.

I now know this....Tina Fey isn't funny....she's HI-LAR-IOUS.

Also, I've been called bossy many times in my life - so I think she and I would get along very well :)

I've been thinking Nautiemermate may need a little book club.....do any of you have any reading suggestions?

 

(via A Cup Of Jo)