And Once Again, Your Favorite Books?

18 years ago

Hi all,

I searched the archives to make sure this thread wasn't readily available, and since it wasn't (at least with the keywords I used) I thought I'd ask for your favorites. I'll go one further though- I have a hard time finding farming books in bookstores, so list the areas you tend to browse in addition to your must-have books!

Ok, my favorites thus far are:

Anything by Gene Logsdon (usually found in the gardening sections)

50 acres and a Poodle (found in the "woman's" section)

and I'm about to read The Egg and I (found in the literary essays section).

Next?

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Comments (10)

breezyb
18 years ago
You'll enjoy "The Egg and I", although it's not exactly as idyllic as the Fred MacMurray/Claudette Colbert movie (which is one of my favorites).
melee_AL
18 years ago
Oh my, I love the used bookstore! I usually look there for old high school ag textbooks on livestock and poultry breeds. My husband worked in a bookstore in college - one of my favorite gifts from him is the book "Country Women: A Handbook for the New Farmer" by Sherry Thomas - which he rescued from the scratch-and-dent table. He said it looked like it deserved a good home - whatta guy!
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velvet_sparrow
18 years ago
Oooohhh, do NOT get me started on how much I love used book stores! *L*

In addition to the bird/chicken books I mention on my 'My Page', here are a couple of others that discuss birdkeeping in a more anecdotal, very enjoyable reading format:

"Adventures With Talking Birds" by Catherine Hurlbutt, some personal stories by a little old lady wild bird rehabber, with darned good insights and advice.

"A Hummingbird In My House, The Story Of Squeak" by Arnette Heidcamp, another book sritten by a lady who raised orchids and one day found a baby hummingbird, whom she successfully raised.

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"A Field Guild To Little-Known And Seldom Seen Birds Of North America" by Ben, Cathryn and John Sill. There is also a sequel to this book, both are howlingly funny. John Sill is an honest-to-goodness Audubon and Stokes guides illustrator, who in these totally tongue-in-cheek books has helped create a field guide parody to a whole flock of imaginary birds with names such as Eastern Spider Spitter and Prairie Molter. The Audubon-style illustrations, coupled with hilariously funny species names (in Latin, too) and descriptions, will have you laughing so hard it hurts. :)

Velvet
twinsmom_OH
18 years ago
I second the Gene Logsdon. It helps that he is a "local" - he lives about 100 miles away from our new place - so most of his advice is very specific to our needs. Currently I'm poring over "All Flesh Is Grass." He is also quite entertaining!

That's it for me so far. Melee, I have been looking for "Country Women" for a little while now, it sounds wonderful!

~Lori
mulchwoman
18 years ago
Oh Boy is this ever hard to do. There are so many!
Anything by Ruth Stout "How to Have a Green Thumb Without an Aching Back", the "No Work Gardening Book" etc.
"The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis "The Care of the Earth" by Louis Bromfield and anything by RR Rodale.
I know there are tons more, but that's all I can think of for now.
Pat
bramble_farm
Original Author
18 years ago
LOL Breezyb, that's the book I'm reading right now. She *was* local, and I just found out that she was the author of the Piggle Wiggle books which of course brings me back to my 8 year old self who decided that someday, I would live on a farm with LOTS of animals! :) I hadn't realized that she was the same author, or that she was largely responsible for the zoo we live in now until I read the forward her daughters wrote on the book. Life can be funny. Oh, and I found this book in the "Literary Essays" section as well.
ceresone
18 years ago
mulchwoman, i'too have tried to collect anything by Ruth Stout, i have 4 now--one too many, lol--i should never have read the one on her personal history. hard to find feet of clay on your idol! but--i have lots of gardening books, Stouts, lasagna gardening, herb book-- seems i buy anything that comes out on a easy way of gardening.BUT-- this is titled "your favorite books" since hubby and i are both avid readers, i'll have to say anything in john patterson style, murder/detective style.i know i SHOULD have named a gardening book--but they're for "work" lol--these are for leisure time.
mulchwoman
18 years ago
Hi Ceresone
We love those mystery detective books too. Right now we are revisiting Agatha Christie whose writing is timeless.
Pat
mulchwoman
18 years ago
Hi Ceresone
Happy almost birthday! You have really piqued my curiosity about Ruth Stout.
What's the story?
You can send me an email.
Thanks
Pat
lesli8
18 years ago
Farm books? I like "Storey's Guide to Basic Country Skills", It has everything from Adirondack chairs building to apple trees, canning and cheese making, renovating old houses, root cellaring, sausage making, small barns and sheds, solar energy, soap making, stain and spot removing, water gardening veternary tips, Wild turkeys and woodburning--- you name it. A great read.

And Once Again, Your Favorite Books?

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