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

I didn’t intend to pull out another Barbara Kingsolver book so soon, but dreamer Debbie saw I had finished Flight Behavior and offered to do an exchange; thus, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life landed in my reading lap.

I believe that Judaism is, at its core, a Shamanic, Aboriginal practice. We see vestiges of that in modern Jewish practices such as retaining the celebration of Tu B’Shvat – Birthday of the Trees. Well, Ms. Kingsolver is an honorary Jew. In her chronicle of her family’s experience eating only that which they grew, gathered, or was local (e.g. meats from the local farmer’s market) she pieces together the complex relationship we have to Earth, with food being our bridge. And so subtly she shows that, once we recognize that relationship and dynamically begin to interact with it, it becomes a spiritual practice by any name, for any person.

We eat our views every meal, whether we do so consciously or not. This book marvelously shows this through anecdotes, recipes, factual sidebars, and even meal plans. And, what a long way a little pause before eating can do for the soul.