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The Bucolic Plague

June 10, 2010 by Jennifer

When a book causes me to laugh out loud twice — before I even get to page one — I’m pretty sure that I’m going to like it.

From the page after the dedication page:

“This is a memoir of a certain time in my life. The names of some characters have been changed, and some are composites of various people, experiences, and conversations I had then. If you think that’s unfair, you’ve obviously never lived in a small town and written a memoir about your neighbors.”

Author’s caution (from the page after that):

“This book is not about living your dream. It will not inspire you. You will not be emboldened to attempt anything more than making a fresh pot of coffee.”

Josh Kilmer-Purcell goes on with that quote to compare The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentleman Farmers, an Unconventional Memoir to other memoirs that are “written by courageous souls who have broken with their past, poetically leaving behind things such as drugs, career ennui, and bad relationships.” Of course he’s writing with tongue firmly in cheek, and as an advertising exec, he’s learned the value in setting the bar low so as to exceed expectations.

In spite of his disclaimer, this book does address career ennui, relationships, and does inspire one to figure out how to live “Your Best Life Now.”

After buying a mansion and farm with his partner Brent as a weekend getaway from their busy lives in Manhattan, Josh was inspired after attending an Oprah taping to figure out how he could really live his best life. He decided that his best life would be living full time in the bucolic setting of their new country home, growing vegetables, raising goats and becoming a part of the local community.

His partner Brent receives his inspiration from another media mogul: Martha Stewart, for whom he works as a “wellness expert.” After an appearance on her show, their goat’s milk soap business and their Beekman1802 “brand” takes off, causing what was meant to be an escape and a place of restoration to become a plague — on their relationship and to their time off.

The humor in this book kept me flying through the pages, as did Brent and Josh’s struggles and extraordinary experiences (like creating and cooking from an heirloom garden). Kilmer-Purcell is right that he is not writing to change the reader’s life, as some memoirists seem to set out to do. The fact that he’s just sharing his experience helps it to avoid that completely self-important trap that many memoirists fall into.

I came to care about this farm, the community, and its owners. I wanted to see them succeed, because their effort and intent was valiant, but also to prove to myself that it was possible to go for it and achieve your dream.

I loved this book. I’m surprised at how much I loved this book. It seemed to end somewhat abruptly (maybe because I just wanted it to go on and on?), but I was reminded that real life doesn’t tie itself up neatly with pat resolutions. It earned the 5 Stars Read label.

The good news is that the Fabulous Beekman Boys can be followed on the small screen starting June 16 on Discovery’s Planet Green (follow the link to read my review of the two episodes I previewed).

The other good news is that I have a copy of The Bucolic Plague to give away to one of you. Please leave a comment if you’d like to win. We’ll announce the winner on June 23.

Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

After being raised in the suburbs of the 4th largest city in the U.S., Houston, Jennifer Donovan loves her bucolic existence in small town Connecticut. She blogs at Snapshot about her life as a mom, but never about goats or heirloom gardens.

Filed Under: 5 Star Reads, Home, Humor, Jennifer, Memoir

« Books on Screen: The Fabulous Beekman Boys
White Picket Fences »

Comments

  1. Megan B. says

    June 10, 2010 at 12:27 am

    That sounds really funny!

  2. Just Mom says

    June 10, 2010 at 7:00 am

    Please enter me, thanks!

  3. Kayo says

    June 10, 2010 at 7:41 am

    I would love to read this book. And June 23rd is my birthday too!
    Enter me please.Thank you.

  4. Annette W says

    June 10, 2010 at 8:56 am

    I love small towns…and books about small town life. I’d love a chance to win!

  5. Michele Anne says

    June 10, 2010 at 9:57 am

    I come from and still live in that small, small, often way to small town…sign me up for this.

  6. Mozi Esmes Mommy says

    June 10, 2010 at 10:50 am

    Sounds interesting…

    janemaritz at yahoo dot com

  7. Scribbler says

    June 10, 2010 at 11:32 am

    These two sound like my kind of people! I would love to win the book.

  8. edj says

    June 10, 2010 at 2:08 pm

    Oh that just sounds like so much fun!

  9. Linda Kish says

    June 10, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    Sounds good…count me in, please.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

  10. Sharon Walling says

    June 10, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    I am a big fan of memoirs and would love a chance at this.

    [email protected]

  11. Jen B. says

    June 10, 2010 at 8:58 pm

    This book sounds like it’s right up my alley, I love laughing and getting lost in a book! Please enter me to win!

  12. Beth C says

    June 10, 2010 at 9:00 pm

    This sounds very interesting – thanks!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

  13. Carol Wong says

    June 11, 2010 at 8:41 am

    This book sounds exactly what I need. I am currently reading a non-fiction book that is set in Africa and I am almost afraid to read the next page. It is so full of genocide and torture. It is true stuff but I sure do need a break!!
    I really, really want to read this book.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

  14. Alison S. says

    June 11, 2010 at 4:17 pm

    This book looks interesting.

  15. Kirsten T. says

    June 12, 2010 at 2:37 pm

    I love funny reads! Thanks.

  16. Amy says

    June 13, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    Sounds interesting, count me in towards the drawing!

  17. Carolyn says

    June 13, 2010 at 7:57 pm

    This sounds so funny – I’m in!

  18. Karen says

    June 14, 2010 at 4:34 pm

    This sounds like a good book to read.

  19. katklaw777 says

    June 15, 2010 at 5:56 am

    Sounds like my kind of book…thanks for the thorough review.

  20. Hailey says

    June 15, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    I love a good funny book!
    Count me in!

  21. Katrina says

    June 15, 2010 at 9:58 pm

    Okay, you’ve sold me — sounds great! If I don’t win, I may just have to pick up my own copy anyway…

  22. Katie Schroeder says

    June 16, 2010 at 2:02 pm

    Sounds like a great read, and a really fun topic. Sign me up!

  23. Upstatemomof3 says

    June 16, 2010 at 11:24 pm

    I’ve recently found that I really enjoy reading memoirs. They are very very fun. Plus my husband has discovered he loves nonfiction. So we would both enjoy this book.

  24. Carrie Waller says

    June 16, 2010 at 11:33 pm

    I love memoirs!! They are my favorite type of reading. A close friend of mine read the book and said he loved it, so I want to give it a try. I HOPE I WIN!

  25. Jackiw says

    June 17, 2010 at 2:51 pm

    I am already ready to read this after reading your review-sounds funny

  26. tennille says

    June 19, 2010 at 1:30 am

    hey I just saw an add for this show on tv tonight!

  27. riTa says

    June 19, 2010 at 1:02 pm

    We would enjoy this!

  28. Judy Dudley says

    June 20, 2010 at 11:37 pm

    Please enter me in this giveaway – Thanks!

    seizethebookblog(at)gmail(dot)com

  29. Jessica says

    June 21, 2010 at 10:13 am

    I would love to win this book! Thanks!

  30. Nancy says

    June 22, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    This sounds great, love to win!

  31. Michele says

    June 22, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    This sounds like a great read. Hoping!!

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