Customer Reviews

Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul, 101 Stories to Sow Seeds of Love, Hope and Laughter (Chicken Soup for the Soul)

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Another in the series of books with similar titles and formats. This time it is 101 stories relating to the joys of gardening and the personal, physical, and emotional benefits of the act of working with the soil to bring life to plants of all kinds.

Among the generalized headings for the stories are: The Joy of Gardening, Blossoming Friendships, Love in Bloom, Making A Difference, Little Sprouts, The Seasons of Life, Overcoming Obstacles, The Family Tree, and Potpurri. You can probably guess the general themes of the stories which make up each section. They range from the ridiculous to the thought provoking. I enjoyed most all of the stories. Two of my favorites were emotional in style.

One of my favorite stories is that written by Nelson Mandela about the garden he was eventually given permission to start while imprisoned on Robben Island. In summary, not only did the garden provide an "enduring satisfaction," but, as Mandela states, "a small taste of freedom."

Another story I enjoyed is Henry Boye's "A Son's Harvest" which relates how after being estranged from his father for thirty-nine years, their realization that both father and son were gardeners gave them a common ground for the establishment of a relationship. Having been given vegetable seeds by his father, Boye relates that now planting something that can be eaten in the garden each year serves as a constant reminder of that relationship.

There are many interesting short compositions in the book. If you have ever taken pride in a well planted garden, you are sure to find a few which are particularly pleasing or meaningful to you.

This heartwarming, soul-satisfying collection of stories is a beautiful testimony to the special knowledge held dearly by every gardener, regardless of if they are first-timers or veterans. Even the smallest gardens have the ability to uplift our lives with the magical, unique understanding that they are living reminders of the potential beauty of the world.

Sharon Galligar Chance, Times Record News, Wichita Falls, Tx.

"Chicken Soup for the Gardner" is a must read book for those needing to know that life's rewards go far beyond the events of the day to day living of this world. Gardens are more than plants in the ground tended by that person with the green thumb. The gardens we plant in our hearts and tended by friendship are the ones that grow to nourish our spiritual well being. One of the stories, "Keeping the Harvest" by Carol McAdoo Rehme, touched me deeply. She shows us what range real love can attain. As a contributing author I am proud to be placed among so many who want to share their heartfelt and sometimes comical stories. "I'll Plant Anything" gives us the lighter side of gardening. Valerie Wilcox proves that true friends will do anything for true friends. Read "Chicken Soup for the Gardner" and enjoy.

A truly good book evokes cozy images and sensations from the past. And this is a very good book, one that teaches us to stop and consider how wisely we spend on this earth.

Among my personal favorites was Nona's Garden by Paul Silici. I could almost smell the delectably heavy garlic, beef and tomatoes slowly steaming in my grandmother's kitchen, and felt a tug on my heartstrings when she shared the story of her grandmother's lessions in life. Planting Day filled me with hope for the younger generation when I saw that sixteen-year-old Beth Pollack had written such an insightful essay. It was good to learn in Pat Stone's A Bedside Story that I'm not the only person who talks to their plants.

There's something for everyone in CS for the Gardener's Soul.

I am a great fan of the Chicken Soup Books. They are a wonderful way for me to start my morning. Being an avid gardener, this one was truely special. Although many of the stories left me teary-eyed, the messages relayed were always positive and uplifting. -- Highly Recommend

Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul is a collection of 101 short stories and vignettes. Each piece is about three pages long, a format that is convenient for those of us who's free-time comes in little snippets. The stories share a common theme: Despair + a Garden + God's Grace = Wisdom and Peace.

Chicken Soup books seem to really polarize readers. A reader either really likes them and buy copies for all their friends, or dislikes them and would not buy one on a bet.

Let me assure the first type of reader that Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul is just as good the other Chicken Soup books. One of my concerns was that the quality of the writing would be inferior to the earlier books, that all the good material had already been skimmed. That concern was baseless. Evil is newsworthy because it is rare. Dignity, humanity, honesty and sacrifice ARE the human condition. There is no shortage of inspirational stories, just a shortage of publishers who think they are worthy of the readers' attention. Chicken Soup is still skimming the cream.

Book reviews are supposed to help the reader decide "Do I buy this book?" That is not much of an issue with this book. Chicken Soup addicts will buy this book. The question on the table is: "Do I buy this book for the cynical friend who thinks they are 'sappy', or 'maudlin'?" I think the answer is a qualified "Yes."

These stories do not strike a quick resonance with cynics. It is not because cynics have never felt despair. Rather, it is because cynics are afraid of the pain of revisiting those times. Cynics need to ease into these stories the way you might ease into a hot-tub. So buy them a copy and highlight a few stories like:

*A Veteran's Garden, page 25 "The Marines sent me overseas. But it took gardening to bring me home."

*Girls like Roses, page 109, "...twenty-four bucks! That's a lot of money. Even for a girl named Michelle."

*Brian, page 192, "Brian is seven. He's a dreamer and drives his teacher crazy. She is as stiff as taffy in December."

101 Delightful, heartfelt stories that will grow in all the hearts that read it. A great read for everyone, whether you have a green thumb or not. An excellent gift for all gardener's too.

Gardener's Soul is my first read in the Chicken Soup series. Had I an inkling that the series could evoke that cozy-fuzzy feeling, like a purring kitten warming your lap, I would have been reading them all.

Paula Silici's Nona's Garden stands as a fine example. I could smell the beef, garlic and tomatoes simmering in the kitchens of my childhood as I read of the life's lessions learned from her grandmother. I have more hope for the future after reading Beth Pollack's Planting Day,especially considering that such words of wisdom came from a 16-year-old. Good job,young lady! And A Bedside Story by Pat Stone reassured me that I'm not the only gardener who talks to plants.

No wonder the publisher has the name Health Communications. When the mind is calm, the body is better able to heal. This book is a fabulous choice for anyone feeling blue or for just anyone!

A MUST read for gardeners and non-gardeners alike! This has been my absolute favorite of all the Chicken Soup books so far. I think it will outsell all of the other books because gardeners and Chicken Soup fans tend to be of like spirit. Every story made me cry but yet left me feeling good, in true Chicken Soup style!!! Erma Bombeck and Nelson Mandela were a real treat.

Particulary enjoyed the entry by Marcia Brown. Hope that we get to read more works by this gifted writer and humorist.