Customer Reviews

The Year of the Goat: 40,000 Miles and the Quest for the Perfect Cheese

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"The Year of the Goat" is a wonderful exploration of the choices available to those of us with education, access to funds, and mobility. As Hathaway crosses the US with her fiancé Karl, a journey about goats and cheese evolves into a journey exploring them and us and ends with the discovery of a common we.

I was deeply touched by Hathaway's thesis that we are not a country of Red vs. Blue; easily categorized, divided, and conquered by corporations and politicians. We are communities of like-minded individuals all willing to share and give a hand when needed. Sure, there is lots of info on goat breeds and cheese, but to me, the core of this story is a celebration of the people who shepherd Margaret and Karl on their journey to find home.

The Year of the Goat by Margaret Hathaway. The Year of the Goat: 40,000 Miles and the Quest for the Perfect CheeseI have lived a lifetime loving goats. It is nice to read a book written by an author who is captured by their charm as much as I am. This book combines all the recent movements (slow food, sustainability, and thinking locally) that will be our foundation for the future. It is a book that can support people thinking about farming as well as give a new perspective for lifetime farmers. It is a beautiful journey and adventure that we are lucky that Margaret and Karl shared with the world. My it inspire you to grab your dreams and live them, and not be afraid to change your life (It may just answer some questions that will lead to a more peaceful and fulfilling life)

My husband and I, and engineer and healthcare provider respectively, have been contemplating the idea of "opting-out", changing to a simpler lifestyle, and trying to live more sustainably on our own. When I picked up Margaret Hathaway's book, I felt like she was embarking on the journey that we have been taking in our minds. Without the means to make such a journey ourselves, I felt like I was able to explore some of the self-questions Margaret and Karl faced. I was also able to gain greater insight into the world of goats and cheesemaking than you can find in the pages of straight "How-To" books. She also visited farms that are close to our current home and to our future homestead (which are 2000 miles apart!). After reading, I feel less "insane" about choosing this lifestyle and ready more than ever for the next step. Thank You, Margaret, for bringing us on your journey.

This book was recommended to me from a public library reading list. Although I was initially hesitant to read this book (I have little interest in the production of goat cheese or goat meat), I was really glad that I did.

In this book, Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz (her photographer partner) leave New York City to travel around the United States to determine if they are interested in beginning a new lifestyle as agriculturalists. They interview any and all individuals associated with the industry of goats (cheese makers, chefs, butchers, show judges, etc.) and discover an amazing amount about the U.S. goat world and about themselves.

The first few pages of the book are a little information-heavy, but the characters they meet on their journey make up for the intense emphasis on goat products. In reading this book, I feel like I got out of it what I hoped I would: a realistic and purposeful travelogue about American community.

I read this as part of a book club (I suggested this book on faith), and we had some really interesting conversations about their journey, sustainable living, and small-town charm. Some of us loved it and others of us didn't like it as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in goats, back-to-the-land movements, and insightful traveling memoirs.*


*For others interested in obscure (but interesting) travel narratives, I would highly recommend "Who Are You People: A Personal Journey into the Heart of Fanatical Passion in America" by Shari Caudron. This author dives into various communities (Barbie Doll conventions, Furries, Sci-Fi conventions, etc.) to understand what draws people to different interests and how these communities are interlinked.

If you're looking for a book about dairy goats and cheese, this is NOT what you're looking for. There is very little information about the actual raising of goats or making of cheese, and, in my opinion, more than enough about the flavor and consistency of goat meat. The story bounces from farmer to chef as the big-city couple eat their way across America in an attempt to decide if they want to become goatherds. It isn't until the end of their trip they venture to milk a goat, and throughout the writing fail to disclose any pertinent information they gathered as far as caring for the animals. I was disappointed.

I bought this goat as a gift after seeing a book review of it in the paper. Gift or not I read it before packaging it for giving. It was a delightful book written by someone who has lived with goats. Even if you've never had goats, you will enjoy this book. Oh, by the way, the gift recipient loved it too!

I absolutely loved this book. I found it at my local library when I searched "cheese" because I love cheese and wanted to learn more about the process. I was so excited when I saw the description of this book, though, because goat cheese is my favorite and I've been thinking about getting goats. The book did not disappoint--I could barely put it down! Margaret covered all kinds of basic stuff about cheese and goats within a great narrative that touched on broader ideas about community and sustainability. I learned a lot and the end nearly brought tears to my eyes! I also loved that it was a story about America. As I'm vegetarian, I did have some problems with the self-forgiving attitude about meat consumption, but I must admit that the respect for animals, at least in theory, went far beyond what most people show.

The authors perceived something missing from their city lives and began to dream of living closer to the land. Llama farmers and gardeners have routinely followed this path: what makes this different is their determination to raise goats - even though they knew little about either goats or farming. A hilarious, insightful survey of not only goat farming but producing the perfect goat cheese makes for a lively survey perfect for rural collections and culinary holdings alike.

Hathaway's writing is compelling, gentle and poetic from the first line. It was fascinating to learn how someone dared to give up an urban life to cross America in pursuit of--why not?--goats and, ultimately, love. While goats are the theme, the book's heart is about the daring it takes to give up everything to discover something entirely new. Who hasn't wondered "What if..." (What if I had the money to give up my life and try something else, What if I had the courage, What if I had the opportunity)? Hathaway chose not to wait for her circumstances to change; she went ahead and changed them herself, and her results are inspiring.

Last night I finished "The Year of the Goat" by Margaret Hathaway. Put this one into the I-think-I'm-gonna-be-a-Homesteader-and-raise-goats-and-children sort of book. Homesteading literature.

The book reminds me of what my spouse and I would be like if we were twenty-five years younger. Margaret and her boyfriend (and soon to be husband) Karl, while living a Yuppie lifestyle in New York City, somehow get it into their heads that they want to live in the country and raise goats.

So they spend a year traveling the country to learn everything they could about goats. There is a fine line between having a hobby and having an obsession. How to determine the fine line is a matter of whether you are the person with the obsession or not. This couple became obsessed with goats.

But the book isn't really about goats. It is about the people who love goats. It is Hathaway's gift to describe these people with kindness and verve. The journey changes her.

The book is a good read. Urban, Farmer's Market loving, Solartopian types love to dream about having a farm. This couple did it--and wrote a decent book about their preparation for the experience. This is an approachable couple who even have a website about their experience. With their invitations for visits and their website, they remind me of Scott and Helen Nearing's hospitality.

I'm planning on reading their sequel. We too, would like to have a goat or two running around.