People with Dirty Hands: Garden bloggers’ book club
July 29th, 2008 by Kathy Purdy · 6 Comments
I have been re-reading People with Dirty Hands: The Passion for Gardening by Robin Chotzinoff for the Garden Bloggers Book Club. Just like last time, I am amazed by her ability to ferret these eccentric gardeners out, and in awe of her willingness to drive hundreds of miles to talk to total strangers, some of whom are very weird.
This time I am a little more familiar with some of the gardeners she visits. I’ve actually grown seeds from Renee Shepherd’s company and read articles by Lucy Hardiman. And I almost met Robin herself at the Garden Bloggers’ Spring Fling. Almost. She was there, but we didn’t cross paths.
Because it is a collection of only loosely connected vignettes, this is a great book to read when you need to pass time with plenty of interruptions: airline layovers, hospital waiting rooms, maybe even the beach. Each little story is amusing or thought-provoking, or both, but you don’t have to remember the plot or the cast of characters, as they often change several times within a chapter.
Be prepared for a trip down memory lane, a spark of inspiration, or just the comforting thought that there are other people out there just as crazy about gardening as you. And maybe even weirder.
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Categories: Book reviews
Tags: essays· garden essays· garden_bloggers_book_club· robin chotzinoff
About Kathy Purdy
Kathy Purdy discovered the joys of writing in fourth grade, when she started corresponding with a former classmate. She's been writing letters ever since, first on looseleaf, then electronically, and now as weblog entries. That makes you, the blog reader, her pen pal. Her first independent (though frustrating) attempts at gardening were made in high school, though the gardening bug didn't bite hard until her mid-thirties, when she found herself mistress of a rural home on 15 acres. •
USDA Hardiness Zone:4 • AHS Heat Zone: 3 • Location: rural;
Southern Tier of NY • Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian
Mountains • Soil Type: acid clay • Experience level:
intermediate
• Particular interests: colchicums, narcissus, cottage gardening, NY
native plants, gardening with/for children
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6 responses so far ↓
1
Benjamin
// Jul 29, 2008 at 11:41 pm
Thanks for that quick review, Kathy. I’d never heard of this book, but it sounds like yet another amazon.com purchase is around the corner for me.
2
Dee/reddirtramblings
// Jul 30, 2008 at 1:10 am
I picked it up again and started reading it. Plan to write my post tomorrow or Thurs. I think she has a wonderful voice and she conveys a great sense of place. She does love the wacky. That’s for sure.~~Dee
3
Annie in Austin
// Jul 30, 2008 at 11:31 am
Lori went home with my 10-year old copy after Spring Fling so I’m not posting a review but am enjoying your take, Kathy. How did we both just miss meeting Robin that day?
When I bought the book we lived in IL - a Hatch pepper meant nothing to me - but that chapter jumped out when I reread the book after moving to Texas.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
4
Mr. McGregor's Daughter
// Jul 30, 2008 at 2:09 pm
It is amazing there are people weirder than I am! I missed meeting her too at Spring Fling, but I did enjoy reading her book. It does read like a collection of short stories.
5
Carol, May Dreams Gardens
// Jul 30, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I agree with what you wrote, in Robin’s book we can find stories about people as crazy about gardening as some of us. Or weirder. I enjoyed reading it, having read it for the first time for the book club.
Thanks for joining in for the book club again.
6
mss @ Zanthan Gardens
// Aug 5, 2008 at 8:57 pm
@ Dee/reddirtramblings “She does love the wacky. That’s for sure.”
No wonder she ended up in South Austin!
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