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98th out of 270 books
—
119 voters
American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America
In April 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama planted a kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn. As fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs sprouted from the ground, this White House Kitchen Garden inspired a new conversation all across the country about the food we feed our families and the impact it has on the health and well-being of our children.
Now, in her first-ever bo...more
Now, in her first-ever bo...more
Hardcover, 272 pages
Published
May 29th 2012
by Crown
(first published January 1st 2012)
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I was hoping that this book would go in-depth about the White House garden and its planning stages and the maintenance required so that it would inspire others to try planting their own gardens. Unfortunately, this is not what this book is about. Luckily, the First Lady is very charming and enthusiastic, so this book was still enjoyable, because it is actually a primer on her own goals during the administration.
Each chapter is named after a season, but the writing is not limited to a seasonal t...more
Each chapter is named after a season, but the writing is not limited to a seasonal t...more
This book was just all around cool and unusual. Can I give it more than 5 stars?!?!
First off, Mrs. Obama gave a history of gardening in the US focusing on the Victory Gardens of WWII. I have heard alot about them, but it was interesting to see how they had impacted her family while before she was born and while she was growing up. I loved the fact that she demostrated bringing children into the WH and teaching them about food sustainability. I think gardening is a lost artform in a country surro...more
First off, Mrs. Obama gave a history of gardening in the US focusing on the Victory Gardens of WWII. I have heard alot about them, but it was interesting to see how they had impacted her family while before she was born and while she was growing up. I loved the fact that she demostrated bringing children into the WH and teaching them about food sustainability. I think gardening is a lost artform in a country surro...more
I love Michelle Obama and I love gardening so when I saw this book at the library, I was excited to pick it up and look though it. I honestly didn't know what to expect-- sometimes the books with the best covers and subjects just don't end up being worth the time. But, I am happy to report that this one was a fun, perfect for summer, light read.
Mrs. Obama's book spends a bit of time going through the history of gardens at the White House. She points out Presidents who were especially avid garde...more
Mrs. Obama's book spends a bit of time going through the history of gardens at the White House. She points out Presidents who were especially avid garde...more
My reasons for grabbing this off of the new release shelf at my library were not political, although the timing was interesting because I read it a few days before the re-election. Rather, I am a sucker for gardening books and I grew up 5 miles from the White House and was interested in the whole behind the scenes look at the vegetable garden.
Mrs. Obama put together a really nice book with the help of talented photographers, chefs, and rangers from the White House grounds. The information about...more
Mrs. Obama put together a really nice book with the help of talented photographers, chefs, and rangers from the White House grounds. The information about...more
This book is meant to inspire and be informative at the same time without being intimidating. Mrs. Obama was the first to admit her doubts and anxieties when starting her first garden, just like anyone else on their first attempt. The book is divided into the four seasons, and I love how there is a line drawing diagramming the garden for each season, the layout of the beds, and what was planted in them. On the next page was a two-page spread photograph showing the actual garden. I found that ver...more
I picked this up from the library knowing it wasn't anything but some fun reading. I'm trying really hard to gear up for gardening this year and figured a book about the White House garden would spur me in the right direction.
Obama is a charming writer. Her enthusiasm for what she is writing about comes through. She is very clearly happy about the garden and what it is teaching everyone who comes and volunteers to tend it. They invite hordes of schoolchildren to help out and celebrities come as...more
Obama is a charming writer. Her enthusiasm for what she is writing about comes through. She is very clearly happy about the garden and what it is teaching everyone who comes and volunteers to tend it. They invite hordes of schoolchildren to help out and celebrities come as...more
Oct 22, 2012
Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people who freaking love gardens
Shelves:
audiobook
Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.
It is perhaps readily apparent that this audiobook lies way outside the scope of my ordinary reading. Way, way outside. However, since it was given to me, I resolved to listen to it, despite my lack of interest. I expected to be bored to tears with gardening tips, but it really wasn't that bad. Not exactly a glowing commendation, but, considering how little the subject matter has to do with me, that's fair praise.
The focus does lie primarily on gardening...more
It is perhaps readily apparent that this audiobook lies way outside the scope of my ordinary reading. Way, way outside. However, since it was given to me, I resolved to listen to it, despite my lack of interest. I expected to be bored to tears with gardening tips, but it really wasn't that bad. Not exactly a glowing commendation, but, considering how little the subject matter has to do with me, that's fair praise.
The focus does lie primarily on gardening...more
I picked this book up because I have great respect and admiration for Michelle Obama. I think it is wonderful that she was able to start the White House Kitchen Garden. This book talks about how the idea came about and the struggles they had getting it started. I found it interesting how the garden is used for many things such as teaching children, providing fresh vegetables for the White House chefs to use, providing extra resources for the local soup kitchen, and a feeling of community for the...more
Jun 27, 2012
April
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
african-american,
food,
woc,
urban,
public-health,
non-fiction,
inspiring,
history,
heartwarming,
family,
celebrities
Received this book as a gift and read it cover to cover! The First Lady describes the ups and downs of the White House Kitchen Garden, organizing the book into seasons (summer, fall, winter, spring). Each chapter includes growing tips, related history (I had no idea that they had community gardens/vegetable trucks during WWII), vignettes about local food/healthy eating across the nation (loved these!) and recipes (I made the spinach pie and it was yum-yums). It's inspiring to know that people no...more
This is a wonderful compendium of so many things. It's about Mrs. Obama's down-to-earth motherhood of the country, her glamour, her deep existential joy--all those things. It's about the national re-tilling of the victory garden with all the hope that that spadework conveys to an undernourished and overfed people at war with their bodies. It's about Bo, the national muppet of a dog, whom the reader will learn takes his oversight of the garden seriously and makes us laugh in doing so. And it's ab...more
American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America by Michele O'Bama
Starts out with why Michele O'Bama was raised, remembering fresh food in the neighborhood and also playing outside, walking to school.
Today children don't play outside or have much of a recess anymore and are getting obese. Her idea to get kids moving and to make sure everybody has more fresh food that they can grow themselves.
Struggles Mrs. O'Bama came across when she went to plant the garden...more
Starts out with why Michele O'Bama was raised, remembering fresh food in the neighborhood and also playing outside, walking to school.
Today children don't play outside or have much of a recess anymore and are getting obese. Her idea to get kids moving and to make sure everybody has more fresh food that they can grow themselves.
Struggles Mrs. O'Bama came across when she went to plant the garden...more
I enjoyed this book about the White House Kitchen Garden. A brief history of gardens at the White House begins with John Adams (bummer to plant a garden and then not be reelected). I really liked the tidy diagrams showing the crop layout for each season--there are a few “Thomas Jefferson” beds planted with seeds/cuttings obtained from Monticello--and the stories of local children who help with planting and come back for the harvest.
Community and school gardens, past and present, are discussed i...more
Community and school gardens, past and present, are discussed i...more
Whatever your political leanings, you have to agree with Michelle Obama about the need to improve the health and nutrition of America's children. This book is her story of what she has done with the White House Garden and her Let's Move initiative. It seemed somewhat propaganda-ish in that she was touting all these amazing things that are happening...but if you have to write a book to bring it to people's attention maybe it isn't as successful as you'd like to think. However, it is a huge issue,...more
Checked this one out at the library, a very informative history of White House Gardens. I really like Michelle Obama's campaing "Let's Move" and it was nice to see someone not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. I also like a move to helping children in this country eat better. The only suggestions I would have is for there to be a stronger move towards more sustainable, whole foods and also let's also educate our college students about eating better (have you seen the college cafes lat...more
An interesting portrayal of the White House "Kitchen Garden," started by Michelle Obama in 2009 and the subsequent movement to improve school nutrition and encourage kids to move more. I enjoyed reading about the trials and errors they faced in the start-up and how the enthusiasm spread. The book also provides a report of some other local gardens that have sprung up around the country, as well as a handy "how-to" guide to pick and store fresh produce by season, and some favorite garden recipes....more
I'm a big gardener, have been for years. If you're looking for a how-to manual on growing your own food, this book isn't it. It's more of a historical record of community gardens with a spotlight on how these resources reward the people who participate in them.
The pictures of the White House garden are lovely but the plans would be impractical for your typical backyard gardener. If you like Bo Obama, you'll like this book. It appears that the dog spends more time in the garden than the White Hou...more
The pictures of the White House garden are lovely but the plans would be impractical for your typical backyard gardener. If you like Bo Obama, you'll like this book. It appears that the dog spends more time in the garden than the White Hou...more
This was a beautiful book not only about the White House Kitchen Garden, but also about how to make your own garden and make your life (and community) more healthy. The book took you through the garden in each season, describing the difficulties and successes with different plants and how various ideas for the garden worked out. There were also interesting asides by people like the head chef of the White House and the National Park Service horticulturalist who helped make the garden a reality. (...more
This was a great book to read after the brutal growing season we've had here. It's nice to know that even with an Army of volunteers, the birds get to some of the White House's crops, too. This book had great pictures and I loved the garden plan for each season. I liked how encouraging the book was and I could so relate to being excited and proud of a single orange pumpkin. I hope people won't get caught up in politics and choose not to read this book just because they don't agree with the Presi...more
A good quick read -- with a few entangled purposes. First the description of the White House Garden, then good interludes on everything from bee keeping to proper selection and storage of "seasonally appropriate" (or seasonally available) veggies from the White House chefs. And finally aspects on battling childhood obesity by looking at historical trends, dietary (school breakfast/lunch) trends, and "get active" programs. I liked the overarching organization by the seasons. It was inspiring to g...more
I really enjoyed this book, wherein Michelle writes about gardening at the White House since the very beginning. She also gives detail about the seasonal gardens that have been planted since she came to the White House. Through this book, I learned the White House has a beekeeper and full staff engaged in planning, planting, and cultivating from the land to table. Throughout the book, we learn about the national youth fitness initiative "Let's Move" that Michelle is in charge of and we see pictu...more
A very pretty book, not exactly heavy on content for those of us who aren't new to the ideas of community and urban gardening, farmer's markets, and local food systems, but filled with enough vignettes from the White House garden to be worth a read. The illustrations were in many ways the real feature of the book - between beautiful full-color garden plans for spring, summer, and fall and the many candid shots of children, White House staff, and the family dog hard at work in the raised beds, my...more
Charming book, through and through, that highlights the First Lady's mission to start a vegetable garden at the white house, community gardening and farming across the country, and the reasons why this is important. It was neat to find out that the vegetables grown at the garden are really used by the cooking staff at the White House, that things like homemade honey and pickles are given out as gifts to visiting dignitaries, and most importantly that 1/3rd of the produce raised is given to a loc...more
Apr 07, 2013
Gayle Gordon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
borrowed,
non-fiction
Borrowed from the Dallas Public Library.
I listened to the audiobook of this in my car on the way to and from work. I might want to get a copy of the print book though. There was lots of information I wanted to take notes on and I also missed out on all of the beautiful pictures. It was interesting to hear about the White House kitchen garden and the way it was planned and planted and grown. The book also goes into the obesity epidemic in this country and the health problems we are experiencing a...more
I listened to the audiobook of this in my car on the way to and from work. I might want to get a copy of the print book though. There was lots of information I wanted to take notes on and I also missed out on all of the beautiful pictures. It was interesting to hear about the White House kitchen garden and the way it was planned and planted and grown. The book also goes into the obesity epidemic in this country and the health problems we are experiencing a...more
I didn't expect this book to be so inspiring. I liked learning about the history of gardens in the White House and the profiles of community gardens across the country was a big bonus. I was happy to see a profile of the original Picardo P-Patch community garden in Seattle. One of my friends used to garden there. I was a little suprised about the section devoted to Michelle Obama's Childhood Obesity program, but the garden was inspired to encourage young people to make healthy food choices. The...more
I love every single thing about this book! Every.Single.Thing!
The story of the White House Kitchen Garden is interesting and inspiring, and the side stories and history really bring everything into focus. Let's create a healthy earth, healthy bodies, healthy families, and healthy communities. It can be done!
The section on the honey bee hives is great! I love honey!
I also like that the book is broken down by seasons in the White House Kitchen Garden (along with the hits and misses), and how so ma...more
The story of the White House Kitchen Garden is interesting and inspiring, and the side stories and history really bring everything into focus. Let's create a healthy earth, healthy bodies, healthy families, and healthy communities. It can be done!
The section on the honey bee hives is great! I love honey!
I also like that the book is broken down by seasons in the White House Kitchen Garden (along with the hits and misses), and how so ma...more
This is not a book about politics. I just want to clear that up off the bat. Just because I'm reviewing and praising a book written by Michelle Obama does not mean I'm using my blog to endorse any sort of political platform.
Then again, in a way, maybe I am. I think Michelle Obama's message and mission for making healthy food more accessible to all Americans is a necessary one. Obesity and the afflictions that accompany it like type 2 diabetes and heart disease are running rampant through our nat...more
Then again, in a way, maybe I am. I think Michelle Obama's message and mission for making healthy food more accessible to all Americans is a necessary one. Obesity and the afflictions that accompany it like type 2 diabetes and heart disease are running rampant through our nat...more
I loved the way American Grown is organized, four seasons for four themes while the story of the White House garden is woven seamlessly throughout.
The Spring section was all about the beginning of the garden, including the first planting day with the help of local fifth-graders. There are also tips for starting your own garden and making use of the produce in the kitchen.
The summer section covers community gardens and farmers’ markets around the country and how the White House garden serves as a...more
The Spring section was all about the beginning of the garden, including the first planting day with the help of local fifth-graders. There are also tips for starting your own garden and making use of the produce in the kitchen.
The summer section covers community gardens and farmers’ markets around the country and how the White House garden serves as a...more
The photography in this book was beautiful. I enjoyed the information about the White House garden. I didn't love all of the other parts about the schools and the Let's Move initiative. We especially liked the photographs of Bo, but Gimpy is much prettier that he. Apparently Bo leaves the garden alone, and Gimpy eats the leaves off my squash--she needs a lesson. The tips from the kitchen staff were great and many of the recipes looked good. A nice coffee table kind of book.
First Lady Michelle Obama's charming book about the first active garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt. The book was right up my alley, discussing topics I love: gardening, healthy eating habits, keeping kids active, and even a few recipes. Enjoyed reading about the community gardens around the US, and hearing from the chefs at the White House as well. Regardless of what you think of her politics, I think this is a good one to read!
Great table book. There is a ton of historical information about the Whote House gardens as well as community gardens across the country. I loved the photos but they all seemed staged...but what do you expect from the White House. This did make me think about starting a small box garden but why would I want to put the local farmer out of business...LOL. I have incorporated more fruits and veggies into my monthly food plan.
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Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the forty-fourth President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States.
She was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the law firm...more
More about Michelle Obama...
She was born and grew up on the South Side of Chicago and graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. After completing her formal education, she returned to Chicago and accepted a position with the law firm...more
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Jun 11, 2012 07:05pm