County reads 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on January 7, 2015 1:46 PM
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"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" is available at Books-A-Million and local libraries.
This year's selection for "Wayne County Reads" lends itself to heightened awareness and discussions about getting back to basics at the dinner table.
"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" is the part memoir, part journalistic investigation book by Barbara Kingsolver, chronicling her family's decision to put down roots on a farm and expand their kitchen skills by harvesting their own food.
The book has already won numerous prizes, including the "Book Sense" book of the year award and James Beard Award for writing and literature.
Ms. Kingsolver grew up in rural Kentucky and earned a degree in biology. She and her family later settled in rural southwestern Virginia. Their first year on the farm became the premise of the book.
According to her website, www.kingsolver.com, the family vowed "to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves or learn to live without it."
"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew," she wrote. "And of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water and breathed the air."
Wayne County Reads, a one book/one community project, started locally in 2004. Previous selections have included "To Kill A Mockingbird," "Blood Done Sign My Name," "Night" and "Fahrenheit 451."
In addition to encouraging residents to read the book and discuss its merits, the annual event provides free programs that explore the themes and issues of the book.
Copies of this year's selection are available to borrow at local libraries and can be purchased from the Wayne Community College bookstore and Books-A-Million in Goldsboro.
Partners for the project include the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, University of Mount Olive, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Library, Wayne Community College, Wayne County Extension and Community Association, Wayne County Public Library and Wayne County Public Schools.
The Arts Council of Wayne County is also a supporter, and will sponsor art shows in connection with the topic.
The 2015 schedule features several book discussions and programs being held around the county. All events are free and open to the public.
"Lexicon of Sustainability" pop-up shows will take place at five area locations. The 24 information artworks that illuminate the vocabulary of sustainable agriculture will be held Jan. 25-31 at Wayne Community College; Feb. 1-7, Wayne County Public Library in Goldsboro; Feb. 8-14, Wayne County Museum; Feb. 15-21, Charles B. Aycock Birthplace; and Feb. 22-28, Moye Library, University of Mount Olive.
The kickoff for this year's event will feature a talk on "Global Food Issues Present and Future," featuring Dr. John O'Sullivan, on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. in Moffatt Auditorium at Wayne Community College. A reception will follow.
A midday book discussion with Liz Meador and Gabe Mitchell will be held in Weil Auditorium at Wayne County Public Library on Tues., Feb. 3, at 11 a.m. A light lunch will be served and patrons are asked to bring their own beverage. The discussion topic for a program at the Wayne County Museum on Feb. 10 will be "A Seat at the Table: NC Farming and Foodways Then and Now." The event starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base Library will host a book discussion and brown bag book club on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at noon. "Exploring the Local Food Scape: An Evening of Agriculture" will be the premise of a program in the video conference room of Moye Library at University of Mount Olive on Tuesday evening, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. Dr. Sandra Maddox and Edward Olive will facilitate.
For more information or updates, visit wcpl.org.