This Organic Life

This first-person story is a horn of plenty in itself, as Joan Dye Gussow tells of her adventures as a master gardener and tireless promoter of the organic way of life. Gussow has cultivated several gardens in her homes north of New York City, and her book is full of loving insider tips on what she grew and how she grew it. She lends her expertise to explain, for example, how to successfully grow tomatoes and how to deal humanely with pesky vermin. There are many heartwarming personal anecdotes about her married life with husband Alan (who shares her obsession with gardening) and other interesting tidbits along the way, such as moving into a house and discovering soon after that it was structurally unsound and had to be demolished. Sprinkled throughout this fertile tale are some wonderful recipes, such as eggplant bhurta, Dad's apple pan dowdy, and gooseberry pie.