Garlic Is Life (Hardcover)

by Chester Aaron (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Loosely the story of how a divorced, middle-aged Jewish professor of English moved from San Francisco to rural Sonoma County, California, and found fulfillment in the ups and downs of garlic farming, this intensely personal narrative describes the interplay of generations and cultures in Northern California. It should have particular appeal for garlic heads, would-be writers, middle-aged men in transition, feisty septuagenarians, and touchy-feely types. Along with fiercely prejudiced discourses on garlic, Chester Aaron presents his sentimental story in crisp, no-nonsense prose loaded with Woody Allen-esque asides and self-deprecating observations. The book ends with 40 recipes.

Review
Aaron grows over thirty garlics from seventeen countries: this blend of garlic cultivation tips, folklore, and use advice includes more than thirty garlic recipes, but is most noted for its wealth of growing tips and its approach to garlic appreciation. A whimsical and practical memoir with recipes, this will appeal to any prior garlic fan. -- Midwest Book Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (March 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898158060
• ISBN-13: 978-0898158069
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #414,760 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The title says it all., July 26, 2001

By	Charles E. Walter (Woodstock, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an autobiographical slice of Chester Aaron's life as he waas intoduced to garlic growing and became a garlic devotee. Aaron and his cat take the reader into the world of garlic,its many varities, and how to best grow these bulbs of life. At the end of the book are thirty recipes for tasty garlic dishes. It is a very readable primer on garlic growing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, September 6, 2005

By	Michael Trudeau - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have had the pleasure of interviewing Chester on my gardening show on a couple of occassions and found him charming, enlightening and certainly passionate about his garlic. I was thouroughly pleased when I found the book to be an extension of his interviews. This man at 80 something is more full of life than most twenty year olds and he exudes this energy and love of life into print in a way that makes you feel that you are in the field talking with him rather than reading a book. The recipies were devine. An absolute must for the Garlic aficionado.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just garlic, April 1, 2008

By	da Shrubber "da Shrubber" (N. San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

Take a good helping of witty memoir, add a handful of very useful gardening/farming information, & a huge heap of garlic (and recipes) and you have a marvelous book. Highly recommended.