What I've Been Reading: Early Spring 2019

My attempts to actually keep up on my favorite books I've been reading!

Plenty: Eating Locally on the 100-Mile Diet by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon 

A young urban couple in B.C., Canada made the decision to only eat food grown within a hundred-mile radius of their house for a year, and this is the tumultuous story of how they succeeded. They take turns writing chapters (both are excellent wordsmiths), giving two perspectives on the challenges and joys of eating only locally. Along the way, we learn a ton about the natural history of the Northwest, analyze the broken industrial food system, and see that bread solves everything. My favorite part of the book were J.B. Mackinnon's lush descriptions of the pre-industrial Northwest, encouraging readers to consider how much has been lost in terms of biodiversity, yield, and resilience. Also, the couple just seemed like nice people. Highly recommended.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

Okay, yes, it's a dumb title— and both the title and some vehement critiques I'd read kept me from this book for far too long— but it's one of the most approachable and comprehensive books about food issues that I've read yet. People criticized Kingsolver for being arrogant and pushy, for trying to tell everyone that they had to be exactly like her. However, when I finally read the book, I found it to be nothing of the sort.

Written in the same year as Plenty, it has the same premise, except a four-person family on a homestead in Virginia, with a 250-mile radius, and a much less purist attitude. It's part memoir, part explanation of various agricultural practices, part calm and steady rant about everything that's wrong with our food system. Her tone is friendly and approachable, and although hints of smugness show up from time to time, mostly she stays focused on a heartfelt argument for us to stop destroying the planet through the things we eat. She's also really funny. If you're new to food issues, this book is a perfect place to start learning.

Plus: 

10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works— a True Story by Dan Harris  News anchor Dan Harris's memoir about everything that led up to his nervous breakdown on the air, and how non-religious meditation helped him get control of his life. Honest and engaging, a thought-provoking read.

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott

Lamott's sardonic and beautiful advice for learning to tell the truth through writing. Recommended for anyone who wants to write, either professionally or just for themselves.

The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I had never actually read it all the way through. Neville Longbottom is my hero.

What have you been reading? What should I add to my list?

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