With Christmas right around the corner, a few of you may be looking for some possible gift ideas, while others of you might be looking for some good suggestions for library books to check out during your holiday break. The real cheap skates among you may even be looking for library book suggestions that you could take out and loan to loved ones as “temporary” gifts on Christmas. Don’t roll your eyes. I’ve done that. Hey. I was hard-up for cash, and my dad didn’t mind. He thought it a prudent, loving, earth-friendly and economical gift idea. Or, at least, that’s what I tried to tell him….Ok, nevermind.
In any event, below is my list of suggestions, based on my twelve favorite books for this year. I’ve grouped them as reading for radical homemakers, for folks who love livestock, and for the kids. And as always, there are only a few “new” titles here. I hate the idea that books are supposed to have expiration dates. The best ones are timeless, and pub date shouldn’t matter.
I hope all of you will find some quiet time over the next few weeks to read, expand your minds, and grow inspired! Toward that end, I welcome any recommendations you may have, as well. In the coming weeks I’ll be immersing myself in research for my next book project, Radical Pleasure: Unleashing Faith, Hope, Healing and Resiliance in Hard Times, and I welcome your suggestions on the subject! I’m also thrilled to get any good book recommendations for the kids.
For Radical Homemakers
The Art of Fermentation: An in-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from Around the World by Sandor Ellix Katz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Sandor Katz first wrote Wild Fermentation oh-so-many years back, he introduced thousands upon thousands of people to the pragmatic art of food preservation that boosts our immune systems and nurtures our health and well-being. I fell in love with his easy, you-can-do-it style then, and continue to love it in The Art of Fermentation.What makes me respect his can-do attitude even more is the fact that he has clearly done his homework. Katz has extensively researched this phenomenal encyclopedia, and makes his references clearly known, so that anyone can track back to get more information. Even better, you gotta love a book that tells you how to salvage your kraut when you find maggots in it.
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Sewing Clothes Kids Love: Sewing Patterns and Instructions for Boys’ and Girls’ Outfits by Nancy Langdon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I stumbled across this book a few years back at a sustainable living fair. At that point, my sewing machine, purchased during my last pregnancy, hadn’t seen a bit of action since the introductory class I’d taken to learn how to thread it, and make it go forward and backward. But the color photography in the book made sewing once more enticing, and the fashions were definitely appealing to my daughters’ funky sense of style. I began using the book last year, and while it took me some time to get used to the layout and organization, I’m now in love with it. The patterns that come with the book are practical, but the design elements taught can turn anything whimsical. My favorite part about the book is the authors’ encouragement to mix and match fabrics, along with discussion on how to do this successfully. As a result, I’ve discovered that I can be far more economical with my sewing. I now make use of discarded and thrift store clothes, and I’ve discovered that I can take them apart and re-assemble the fabrics into something my kids love, at little to no cost. The patterns are simple, they cover every item of clothing a kid could need from pajamas and swim suits to party dresses and jackets, and they are all interchangeable. They are also designed with growing kids in mind. A pair of pants is roomy enough to become a pair of leggings as kids stretch and grow over the years. This is a truly rewarding book for the novice and intermediate sewer.
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Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was released just as Radical Homemakers went into production, thus I didn’t have an opportunity to see it prior to publishing. I wish I had. Crawford provides, at the risk of seeming slightly sexist, a masculine perspective on the self-reliance phenomenon. His history lessons are excellent, the writing is compelling, and he expanded my thinking on the topic considerably. I relished every page of this book, and I would encourage anyone who toys with the ideas of self-reliance to read it. It will fuel your fire.
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For Farmers and Folks Who Love Livestock
Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified: Philosopher’s Wool [With Book Comes W/Flaps] by Ann Bourgeois
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Whoa! I’m recommending a knitting book for farmers? Yup. I picked up a copy of this book from the mill that weaves my family’s wool into blankets back in 2005, just after I’d learned to knit. I knew I was in over my head skill-wise, but I put it on my fiber shelf, with hopes that someday, I’d be able to learn the techniques illustrated in the book. This year, I decided to tackle it. I didn’t realize that knitting books could be life-changing, but this one has been for me and my family’s farm.
My family’s flock generates 400 pounds of wool every year, and since we are meat producers, no one ever saw much value in the fleeces beyond the wholesale prices at the wool pool, or occassional blankets that we could retail at our market. We hoped to recover enough wool money only to pay for the shearer. Hairless sheep seemed tempting. But I read through the introduction this spring, which chronicles the Bourgeois family’s path toward creative self-reliance and agricultural independence. It motivated me to begin a business plan for all the fiber we generate on the farm. We expanded our line of value-added products as a result, which has helped draw our artsy-creative daughters into our family business even more deeply (it’s so pleasurable to touch yarn!), and makes our retail displays a lot more fun to work with for us, and enticing for our customers. And then this fall, I began experimenting with the actual knitting lessons provided in the book. The techniques are easy-to-understand, I learned them quickly, and within two days, I was immersed in my first fair isle project.
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Farms with a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business by Rebecca Thistlethwaite
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was sent to me to review this summer, and I knew then that it would be something special. The author learned many of her farming lessons the hard way, then chose to take some time off to learn from sustainable farmers across the country. The result is a practical introduction to the world of sustainable agriculture that simply cannot be gleaned from any Farm Business 101 course. Thistlethwaite covers a wide array of scenerios from landless start-ups to multi-generational businesses, from vegetables and fruit, to dairy, meat, and other value-added ventures. She covers record keeping and family resource management, holistic management, whole-farm planning, marketing and customer relationships. I think it is an especially valuable read for anyone who is considering farming as a career. But it is equally important for those of us who’ve been in the business a while to look it over and think about the elements we’ve been neglecting, and the areas where we could improve.
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Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes by Jennifer McLagan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I came across this book while doing some research this past year. I took it out of the library, fell in love with it, then had to buy my own copy. I like writers who do their homework, cite their sources, and give me lots of good research as I learn more about a subject. McLagan does all that, then writes about this luscious ingredient with such love and respect, she had me perpetually fighting the urge to put the book down, run to my refrigerator and start spooning lard directly into my mouth. I think this is an important book for grassfed livestock farmers to learn more about the history and culture behind this under-utilized resource we produce on our farms. The writing is engaging, and the recipes are delicious. I suspect even fat phobes could be persuaded by McLagan to sample an unctuous mouthful of beef with the crispy soft fat still attached, and maybe even try some lard cookies (they’re truly delicious!).
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Long Way on a Little: An Earth Lover’s Companion for Enjoying Meat, Pinching Pennies and Living Deliciously by Shannon Hayes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Seriously – you didn’t think I would write a post about the 12 books of Christmas, and not include at least one of my own titles, did you? This book has only been out for two months, and already we’ve gone into our second printing. And I’ve been getting some delightful letters and cards from readers who are telling me how much money they have saved on their food bills, about their new discoveries in the world of bone broth, about how the book is helping them to negotiate their diebetic or gluten-free, grain-free or dairy-free needs while adhering to a sustainable, affordable diet, about just how darn tasty and practical the recipes and leftover suggestions are. What I love best is how the book is impacting our meat sales at the farm. Our customers are happy because they are saving money on their food bills, and meanwhile our sales figures are improving as we manage to sell the 20-30% of every animals that ordinarily goes to waste, because no one wants to do anything with the bones, skin, fat or organ meats. I actually went out to the freezer this weekend and discovered we were sold out of bones! I couldn’t believe it! Farmers are using the section on fats to make soaps, salves and candles to sell at their market stands, and I’ve met a number of soap makers and herbalists who are using the techniques outlined in the book to pair up with local farms to source their ingredients more sustainably and more affordably. And if you order from me and put LWL10 in the space for the coupon code, you’ll even get $10 off the price. Happy holidays!
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For the Kids
The Complete My Naughty Little Sister by Dorothy Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I’ve listed this book as one of my 12 favorites for the year, but in truth, I think it belongs on one of my favorites for all time. I bought this two years ago for the naughty little sister in our household, and we’ve read and re-read it many many times. When we travel, it is the only book that I take with me for reading to five- year-old Ula. The stories are comforting, the culture of the book, even though it is set about 50 years ago in the UK, is familiar to my daughters in our radical homemaking lifestyle. I love the author’s presence as a narrator in the book, and how she talks directly to the reader. Ula and Saoirse both eat it up, eagerly responding to her questions as I read them aloud, even if we are repeating a story for the 35th time. Best for me is that, since we do have to read and re-read this book, I love the language and the imagery enough to endure the endless repetition. If you get a copy of this book for your child, I am certain you will hold it close for your children and great grandchildren.
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Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As a farming, homeschooling, radical homemaking Mama, I will happily go on record stating my distate for the likes of Junie B. Jones and Judy Moody. The modern sisters to Ramona Quimby, Junie and Judy, in my opinion, are simply brats living in a world that I’d prefer not to share with my daughters (although, I must admit, they rather enjoy them). But enter Ramona Quimby, and we are all on the same page. We all relate much more more with Ramona’s mishaps and adventures, because they are based on what most naughty behavior is based on – misunderstandings and good intentions with bad planning. Her character is believable and loveable, and the culture of the family resonates much more with our own experiences– whether it is a night when Mom secretly feeds the girls tongue, or the fact that the family must get by with only one car, or that they confront the hardships of her dad being out of work or disliking his job, the hum of a sewing machine on a rainy Saturday, the smell of a slow cooker simmering away in the background, the unavoidable spats between moms and dads, or older sisters who come across as bossy, but who are truly well-meaning. Beverly Cleary’s characters are believable and loveable, and the humor is timeless, good for full-belly laughter during bedtime reading.
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The Bad Queen: Rules and Instructions for Marie-Antoinette by Carolyn Meyer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you have daughters with princess-obsession, this is definitely a book to read with them for a cure! It was shortly after reading this that Ula (my five year old) traded in her tiara for a Viking helmet. Okay, okay, I’ll admit that this probably doesn’t seem like an ideal choice for a five-year-old and her eight-year-old sister, but I chose it because we were going to France for a homeschool adventure, and I wanted to give the girls some historical grounding before we got there, and the literature in their age bracket was pretty thin. I actually read a lot of beyond-age-level books with my kids for this reason, but I read WITH them, so we can talk about what is happening, and so I can scan ahead to remove questionable content. And this book was a fabulous mother-daughter read. It opened my mind to the skimpiness of my own education about the French revolution, it brought history alive for Saoirse and Ula, and when we took them to Versailles, they knew the palace better than any of the guides. I should note that we did choose to stop reading the book once Marie-Antoinette was captured after her attempted escape. Since the girls and I had a pretty clear idea of how things turned out in the end, we all agreed to put it aside for happier books. To this day, they are still conversant about the French revolution, they were able to observe its effects all over France, and they are quite savvy about sidestepping the glamourous aspirations of fairy tale princessing. This is a fabulous read for homeschooling families, or for families who wish to enhance their kids’ history education.
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Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wonder is a story about a boy with a serious facial deformity who was homeschooled up until the middle grades, who is attending school for the first time. Saoirse and Ula protested this selection, but once we started, they were taken with it. I think the book paints an excellent picture of the best and the worst that school can offer, and makes for fascinating reading for homeschooled kids who are unfamiliar with the culture. I also think the story and characters are lovely. My only complaint is with the language used by the children in the story. Bob and I are sticklers for proper language in our home — we bristle at excessive, inappropriate use of words such as “like,” or “awesome,” for example, and hound our daughters when they come home from playdates having contracted these contagious linguistic illnesses from their friends. Because the book takes place in the current time period, and the author is doing her best to render the characters as authentically as possible, that annoying, lazy kid-speak prevails. It works for the story, but it is still contagious to young speakers. Any parents who share our liguistic pet peeve might want to be aware of it as their kids read the story (or read it with them), so that they can be on top of discussing the difference between appropriate word choice for characters, and appropriate word choice for family life.
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Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
As the mother of two Stargirls who dance through life with joy and compassion, I hung on every word in this book. Saoirse and Ula loved it, too. Stargirl is the self-chosen name of a homeschooled girl who chooses to experiment with a year in a suburban high school. Told through the eyes of a boy who falls in love with her, we see the power and dangers of conformity and peer pressure, while simultaneously glimpsing how those of us who walk our own paths can be truly annoying and disruptive to everyone else. Stargirl is a perfect heroine for young girls. She is realistic in the times we live in, her heroics are framed in a culture that we all understand, and her thoughts and behaviors are honorable, believable, applicable, and fun. The book will evoke tears in grown-ups who are familiar with the pressures of school, and if read as a family, will bring forward lots of good discussion about peer pressure, how it can push good people to make poor choices, and the power of being true to one’s ideals. We read this book back-to-back with R.J. Palacio’s Wonder (see above), and found that the two made for fabulous dinnertime conversation with the kids.
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Comments
December 11, 2012 12:49 PM EST
I love all these books! Thanks for bringing them together. I hope you’ll consider adding my books, on raising traditional poultry in small flocks, How to Raise Chickens and How to Raise Poultry. A new edition of HTR Chickens is coming out this spring.
– Christine Heinrichs
December 11, 2012 2:01 PM EST
I am so headed down to Powell’s this afternoon to pick up a used copy of the Shop Class book. When I was in high school, neither home ec nor shop class were required, just personal finance (and barely that). Looking back these would have been way more beneficial than Calculus. While I work in the STEM world a lot of the time, it’s amazing to me that non-STEM careers are seen as lesser in importance. It’s why I’m headed a different direction.
I would LOVE to learn more about your new book project – tell me more!!!
– Aimee Fahey (EcoGrrl.net)
December 11, 2012 6:26 PM EST
“Stargirl” a fave of mine, so now I must check out all your other picks! Would add to list Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” …
– Jacqueline
December 12, 2012 11:47 AM EST
Shannon, we beseech you, throttle back! Radical homemaking could become just more radical money making.
– mike
December 13, 2012 6:30 AM EST
I appreciate your wisdom, Mike, and your criticism of my efforts to continue to garner a livelihood are well-heard, but I find your comments about “radical money making” unduly harsh. My family is able to live on much less than most, but we are still a part of this culture, and I still have property taxes and dentist bills to pay. My efforts to promote the ideas of radical homemaking, sustainable farming and gainful unemployment through this site are un-compensated, and require a lot of my time. Meanwhile, all who choose to read it get the benefit of free content, made available through a self-funded website un-cluttered by advertising, save for the mention of my own books. If I don’t promote my work, few will know about it, and then I will have wasted my time, the word will not spread, and I still will not have paid the property taxes or the dentist. I’m sure you, too, need a little cash to make it in this world. I bring in mine by adhering to my values while selling books and other products of my labor, but I still need to bring it in. And, for that matter, so do all the other writers whose work I am promoting in this post, who so generously contribute their good thinking and wisdom toward the advancement of a sustainable society.
– Shannon Hayes
December 13, 2012 3:31 PM EST
As well as Barbara Kingsolver’s “Animal, Vegetable Miracle,” I’ll add “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace” by Tamar Adler (Scribner 2011)and all Sharon Astyk’s homesteading books (New Society Publishers).
I enjoyed your “Radical Homemakers” and look forward to reading the rest of your books.
– Betty Ternier Daniels