The Pond Lovers (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In this charming collection, Logsdon explores the beauty and depths of the farm pond, how it can become the center of the universe for the social fabric of a family, providing recreation and a spot for reflection, and how it can become the center of the universe for sustainable agriculture, providing food, solar energy, and waste treatment."--Mary Swander, author of Out of This World

"Although a studious naturalist, Logsdon writes with a breezy simplicity that complements his book’s humor, spicy characters, and unceasing wonder over the innumerable ways in which ponds and the lives bound up with them can inspire us to question ourselves, consider our ethics, and care more deeply for our world. His light but expert touch is frankly refreshing in overturning theories of pond management that don’t work in practice. The Pond Lovers is a disarming book."--Amy Blackmarr, author of Going to Ground: Simple Life on a Georgia Pond

“Logsdon is a great storyteller writing about real people and real issues that involve each of us. The Pond Lovers is a must read for those interested in the sustainability of life on Earth."--Steve Bonney, founder of Sustainable Earth

"With a naturalist’s eye for ecological balance and an old farmer’s practical instinct for how to maintain it, he leads readers on a word-built tour of these ‘biological magnets’ . . . Some passages build images that match the best in nature writing . . . This is an enjoyable book both for those who actually live in pond country, and for anyone who has ever dreamed of going back to the land."--ForeWord Magazine

"Combines philosophy, humor, real-life stories, and practical advice."--Library Journal

“Thinking about putting in a pond? Read this book and you'll be digging in your yard tomorrow. Too hot or cold or rainy to be outside by your pond? Spend some time with Logsdon, and you'll feel like you're right next to your pond. Discouraged about pond keeping? Open the pages of Pond Lovers, and you'll remember when (and why) you first fell in love with your pond."--Karyn Venhuizen, Water Gardening

"Logsdon has a knack for simple, direct storytelling. His prose is clear, more conversational than didactic, and his knowledge of and love for his subject are readily apparent. Consequently, <i>The Pond Lovers</i> will appeal to a wide range of people, from experienced pond managers to novice DIYers about to embark on their first water installations. More than that, this is a book that will appeal to people who want to spend some time with a Renaissance man and his friends, because they know they will come away enriched by the experience. <i>The Pond Lovers,/i> will provide this opportunity and much, much more."--Tom Howard, <i>Ohioana Quarterly</i>

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Description

To his legions of readers, Gene Logsdon is best known as the Contrary Farmer. His writings, which blend commonsense advice, curmudgeonly wit, and respect for the earth, are manna to anyone who wants to live, as Logsdon puts it, "at nature's pace."

The Pond Lovers is Logsdon's ode to the watery microcosms all around us, from the half-acre farm pond to the suburban garden pool. Readers looking for hands-on experience will find plenty of pond-keeping dos and don'ts. Logsdon's higher purpose, however, is to proclaim the natural, spiritual, and recreational benefits of ponds. Fed by spring or filled by rainfall, the ponds closest to Logsdon's heart need minimal human interference in the way of machinery or chemicals. Those we read about in The Pond Lovers mostly belong to Logsdon's friends and neighbors, an extraordinarily resourceful group of people. For them, a pond is many things--from a place to fish, swim, or skate to an oasis for local plants, insects, and animals. Each purpose, Logsdon shows us, has its place in a thoughtful, self-sufficient life. Throughout, Logsdon also reminds us of the intense personal connections to ponds of such creative giants as Claude Monet, Andrew Wyeth, and Henry David Thoreau.

Drawn from many and varied lifetimes spent around ponds, The Pond Lovers brims with lessons and opportunities for good work and good play--for backyard naturalists, do-it-yourselfers, and armchair gardeners.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 163 pages
• Publisher: University of Georgia Press (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0820324698
• ISBN-13: 978-0820324692
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,192,909 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Love Affair with Small Waters, May 12, 2004

By A Customer

Those who love Gene Logsdon's work will definitely want to add this book to their library. Along with his usual contrary take on proper pond building methods, he conveys the beauty, diversity, and endless joy generated by a small pond of water. If you've not read Mr. Logsdon, then this is a wonderful introduction to his work. Anyone who has enjoyed dangling their toes off a dock, frog hunting in the cattails, or fishing on a sunny spring day will appreciate this book.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice blend of information and storytelling., July 28, 2005

By	John Brailsford "jcbrailsford" (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thought this presentation was a nice balance between providing information regarding the creation and upkeep of a country pond and the value of ponds in the lives of real people. I took a few notes as I read to guide me through the process of adding a pond to our land in the Midwest. I also enjoyed the vision the author shared of the contribution a pond can make to the physical and emotional well-being of those who live nearby.