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Green Home Book Club: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

11-02-20007kingsolver.jpgIt's official! The first book read by the AT: Green Home Book Club will be Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

To get everyone excited, here's the very favorable NY Times review. FYI: Reviewer Janet Maslin calls the book "both folksy and smart."

If you didn't vote for AVM, we hope you'll join in anyway. And, remember, we'll try to get to your first choice as soon as possible.

Now, your assignment for the weekend:

 
 

Get your hands on a copy of the book.

A few green ways to do that:

• Borrow from a friend.
• Pick up (or reserve) a copy at your local library.
• Try using a book swapping service like BookMooch (we never have, but we're intrigued).
• Or buy it from a local bookstore. Is it green to support local business? We think so.

Then, start reading. We'll check in on everyone's progress sometime next week!

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Comments (17)

Eep - now I have to find a way to work this into my reading schedule :O

posted by Victoria E on November 2nd 2007 at 2:31pm
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Ouch! Some book club around here is apparently reading this book, making library copies somewhat of a challenge to get. I hate to buy a book I'm not going to keep.

posted by wende in the twin cities on November 2nd 2007 at 2:43pm
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This is weird: I was reading this post and happened to turn on the tv, and NOW is on my PBS station. Kingsolver and her book are being profiled! I'm looking forward to reading along with the rest of the club.

posted by WendyInIndy on November 2nd 2007 at 4:32pm
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I am 131 of 131 on the NYPL reserve list. I only do library for non-refence/cookbooks (and even then sometimes I do library first as a trial!) so I probably won't get to read this in time for the book club unless I can find someone to lend it to me.

posted by jesse@humanerecipe on November 2nd 2007 at 6:37pm
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wow. i was kind of hoping we'd wait a few weeks on this... both my life schedule and my reading schedule are too busy to run out and get this within the next couple days. Which is dissapointing because this was my top choice, mainly because I've been intending to read it and this would give me an excuse.

And I've just finished The Omnivore's Dilemma, too! Had we picked that, I would be prime to discuss it and able to lend my copy to someone in the NY area...

posted by the opoponax on November 3rd 2007 at 5:51am
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Given the comments so far... is it possible to declare this a fantastic idea and start the actual reading group in early January?

That seems a long way off, but most Americans do something with Thanksgiving, which is right at the end of Opoponax's "a few weeks" and about when Jess and I finally get off wait lists. And rounding people up between Thanksgiving and New Years is usually impossible.

Admittedly, you may have 70 people raring to go, compared to a handful expressing dismay -- but a poll could determine that.

posted by wende in the twin cities on November 3rd 2007 at 6:17am
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Well, if it's January I'll have to be out (depending how early we do it), as I'm taking a HUGE trip right around then.

But I think it's a great idea for everyone else. And obviously I wouldn't ask the whole blogosphere to put it off because of my 2 month backpacking adventure.

Perhaps I'll just have to sit this one out, and read the book on my own time.

posted by the opoponax on November 3rd 2007 at 7:17am
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Here's a link to the show WendyInIndy mentioned--you can watch it online.

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/344/index.html

posted by erin79 on November 4th 2007 at 1:01pm
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I missed the first post about the book club...how will it be discussed? How often will it be discussed? About how many pages per week are we shooting for?

I'm excited!

posted by st@cy on November 4th 2007 at 4:32pm
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I'm not getting the book until I know this is starting for sure.

This book is so new, it's only out in hardcover! The libraries in DC suck and brand new books are quite a bit harder to get in my used bookstores. This presents serious obstacles!

posted by Pixie on November 5th 2007 at 7:39am
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I am lucky enough to have read & returned my library copy, but actually am thinking about purchasing once it's out in paperback because it's really a great touchstone. Will stay tuned to see what happens with a group read; anyone know when the paperback is slated for release?

posted by jessicat on November 5th 2007 at 11:12am
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I put a copy on hold at the DC Public Library this past weekend. As Pixie mentioned, the DC libraries suck, so it could be a while before I get my hands on a copy... (I spent quite a bit of time at the library trying to track down the copies that were supposed to be there, they were not.)

posted by J-fer Rose on November 6th 2007 at 7:24am
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J-fer Rose - thanks for confirmation with recent experience on the DC library suckage. I don't even bother checking at the DC libraries anymore, because I've been so disappointed for so long (esp. after living in such great library cities in the past). The city has a huge project beginning to redo the entire DC library system, but that's going to take a while. Won't be in time to get this book.

posted by Pixie on November 6th 2007 at 10:58am
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They have two copies at my school library but both are on reserve. Must be a part of some course curriculum.

posted by universal mod on November 7th 2007 at 2:07am
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My local stores also have waiting lists for this book; however, I was able to borrow from my aunt. My aunt initially read a library copy, but loved it so much she bought the book, so that she could re-read it at her leisure. The book includes recipes and reference info on eating green and buying locally, so I imagine a few readers may want their own copies.

My local book club usually swaps books among members, so only a few of us have to buy a book. Those of us that do buy usually get used books through a local store or Amazon. I checked the moochers site listed above and their are currently not any copies available. Perhaps we could instead arrange our own book swap, just asking the borrower to pay priority mail shipping via paypal or whatever our individual agreements might be...

posted by Green Me on November 7th 2007 at 5:31am
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I'm working on this book right now and I LOVE it!
JetSetBaby
2ciaos

posted by Jetsetbaby on November 7th 2007 at 8:14am
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i'm also on hold at the nypl. it would be great in the future if we announce the book a few months ahead of time so people can prepare...

posted by dahlia on November 7th 2007 at 10:31am
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