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Voltaire's Garden: A Memoir Of Cobargo
Voltaire's Garden is a memoir of creating a sustainable lifestyle, back-to-earth style, on a fifteen-acre cattle paddock in an idyllic pocket of southeast Australia, made famous by the bushfires of New Year's Eve 2019. Award-winning author Isobel Blackthorn introduces readers to the wondrous countryside of Cobargo Valley, where in 2005 she bought a parcel of land with spectacular views and built a large villa called Voltaire's Garden, and surrounded it with swathes of luscious gardens. With glorious descriptions of gardening, cooking and an exquisite Australian landscape, Voltaire's Garden will inspire you to reflect on the values formed through a deep connection with the land. Composed in evocative prose, Blackthorn lays bare the hardships, the resilience, and many a hilarious moment in what is a feel-good and at times poignant read. This is the large print edition of Voltaire's Garden, with a larger font / typeface for easier reading.
340 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2021
About the author
Isobel Blackthorn
54 books184 followersIsobel Blackthorn is an award-winning author of unique and engaging fiction. She writes across a range of genres, including dark psychological thrillers, gripping mystery novels, captivating travel fiction and hilarious dark satire. Isobel holds a PhD in Western Esotericism for her groundbreaking study of the texts of Theosophist Alice A. Bailey. Isobel carries a lifelong passion for the Canary Islands, Spain, her former home. A Londoner originally, Isobel currently lives in Spain.
www.isobelblackthorn.com
https://www.creativia.org/isobel-blac...
https://twitter.com/IBlackthorn
https://www.facebook.com/Lovesick.Iso...
www.isobelblackthorn.com
https://www.creativia.org/isobel-blac...
https://twitter.com/IBlackthorn
https://www.facebook.com/Lovesick.Iso...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 5, 2020
Voltaire's Garden is Isobel Blackthorn's memoir of an ambitious plan to live sustainably, happily, harmoniously, through the building of an eco friendly house in the beautiful Australian countryside in the lee of the Snowy Mountains, the small town of Cobargo in the Bega Valley.
The memoir, set in the early-mids 2000s, is both an inspirational tale and an elegy for a lost dream. Isobel and her husband Greg, joined by Isobel's twin teenage daughters, return to a beloved area to build a house and a bed-and-breakfast business from scratch. They lay their physical, financial, and emotional lives on the line as they turn former farming land into a home that sustains them with a permaculture-style garden, building their home and all its features as much as possible using with recycled and repurposed materials, and by hand rather than machine power whenever possible.
Years of literally backbreaking work follow. They live in cobbled-together caravan accommodation on ideals, supported by their neighbours, like-minded residents of this glorious valley. They work every daylight hour and beyond to bring their dream to fruition. The book is a brilliant primer of how complex and difficult are the tasks of solo-building. It's also a kind of warning - I feel it says to me 'don't try this at home'!
The land is beautiful. The views are magnificent and the upland air - unless tainted with smoke from fires - is wonderful. When the bed-and-breakfast eventually opens, the guests are in awe and in love with the place.
But the magic has gone. The relationship can't survive the crushing toil, when for years they have scarcely lifted their heads to even see the view. Isobel and Greg have driven themselves and their marriage into the ground.
The account is full of nostalgia and regret for a lost dream, but it also inspirational. Voltaire's Garden is testament to the dreamers who live their dreams, and it's shattering to see how the good dreams of good people can be crushed. It seems that those with the highest ideals of truly harmonious living with the planet are those worst affected by the thoughtlessness of a world that selfishly destroys the climate.
Voltaire's Garden is polemical in its views of climate change and justice, and that makes it all the more real and heartfelt. Anyone who remembers the 1970s Tv show 'The Good Life' could get a slightly different impression here os how difficult such harmonious living really is.
This memoir has been released now with an epilogue, updating the story after the horrendous Black Summer fires in Australia (Sept 2019-March 2020), which is excellent for placing the story in perspective.
There are also some bonus recipes from Isobel, including one of the best ever pesto recipes.
I'll be recommending this book widely, especially to my country-dwelling Aussie friends, and also my overseas friends who would like to learn more about us.
Raw, real, and engrossing, this memoir marbles hope and love through hard times.
The memoir, set in the early-mids 2000s, is both an inspirational tale and an elegy for a lost dream. Isobel and her husband Greg, joined by Isobel's twin teenage daughters, return to a beloved area to build a house and a bed-and-breakfast business from scratch. They lay their physical, financial, and emotional lives on the line as they turn former farming land into a home that sustains them with a permaculture-style garden, building their home and all its features as much as possible using with recycled and repurposed materials, and by hand rather than machine power whenever possible.
Years of literally backbreaking work follow. They live in cobbled-together caravan accommodation on ideals, supported by their neighbours, like-minded residents of this glorious valley. They work every daylight hour and beyond to bring their dream to fruition. The book is a brilliant primer of how complex and difficult are the tasks of solo-building. It's also a kind of warning - I feel it says to me 'don't try this at home'!
The land is beautiful. The views are magnificent and the upland air - unless tainted with smoke from fires - is wonderful. When the bed-and-breakfast eventually opens, the guests are in awe and in love with the place.
But the magic has gone. The relationship can't survive the crushing toil, when for years they have scarcely lifted their heads to even see the view. Isobel and Greg have driven themselves and their marriage into the ground.
The account is full of nostalgia and regret for a lost dream, but it also inspirational. Voltaire's Garden is testament to the dreamers who live their dreams, and it's shattering to see how the good dreams of good people can be crushed. It seems that those with the highest ideals of truly harmonious living with the planet are those worst affected by the thoughtlessness of a world that selfishly destroys the climate.
Voltaire's Garden is polemical in its views of climate change and justice, and that makes it all the more real and heartfelt. Anyone who remembers the 1970s Tv show 'The Good Life' could get a slightly different impression here os how difficult such harmonious living really is.
This memoir has been released now with an epilogue, updating the story after the horrendous Black Summer fires in Australia (Sept 2019-March 2020), which is excellent for placing the story in perspective.
There are also some bonus recipes from Isobel, including one of the best ever pesto recipes.
I'll be recommending this book widely, especially to my country-dwelling Aussie friends, and also my overseas friends who would like to learn more about us.
Raw, real, and engrossing, this memoir marbles hope and love through hard times.
September 25, 2021
Lots of hidden surprises
I admit to having been happily surprised by this gem of a book. The author begins with an African flavour, remembering her time Ghana, West Africa. It then goes on to relate her creation of her self-made Australian paradise which she names Voltaire's Garden. Kit's kind of like her own private retreat from the hubbub of daily life.
It's not an easy book to review for someone like me, more used to reading novels dealing with murder and adventure, but then I realised that this book is an adventure in itself. There's help and advice on all matter of gardening topics, recipes to whet the appetite and much more besides. I loved the recipe for soured plum chutney, being a lover of all types of chutney it appealed to me right away.
In short, Voltaire's Garden is best described as being informative, entertaining and most of all, a relaxing read. I could see myself sitting under a parasol in the evening sunshine, enjoying an ice-cold drink and soaking up the rays of the evening sun.
This is something of a treasure to anyone who is more used to Isobel Blackthorn's novels and biographical works, highly recommended.
I admit to having been happily surprised by this gem of a book. The author begins with an African flavour, remembering her time Ghana, West Africa. It then goes on to relate her creation of her self-made Australian paradise which she names Voltaire's Garden. Kit's kind of like her own private retreat from the hubbub of daily life.
It's not an easy book to review for someone like me, more used to reading novels dealing with murder and adventure, but then I realised that this book is an adventure in itself. There's help and advice on all matter of gardening topics, recipes to whet the appetite and much more besides. I loved the recipe for soured plum chutney, being a lover of all types of chutney it appealed to me right away.
In short, Voltaire's Garden is best described as being informative, entertaining and most of all, a relaxing read. I could see myself sitting under a parasol in the evening sunshine, enjoying an ice-cold drink and soaking up the rays of the evening sun.
This is something of a treasure to anyone who is more used to Isobel Blackthorn's novels and biographical works, highly recommended.
June 21, 2021
An amazing journey
Voltaires Garden by Isobel Blackthorn is a remarkable story. I have read work from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. Blackthorn brings the reader on a journey through her memoir not just about her land, but the landscape of Australia. It's a life-changing adventure, with ups and downs, triumphs, and some emotionally humorous or heartfelt times. Blackthorn shows through her writing her connection in the book, and how it is not just about beauty, but the beauty she finds. Voltaires Garden shows the story, but also gives the reader the feel of the entire journey, as its descriptions come to life. A life that Blackthorn has lived. This read is more than just words on a page. Such an inspiring story. Voltaires Garden by Isobel Blackthorn is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
Voltaires Garden by Isobel Blackthorn is a remarkable story. I have read work from this author before, and I really enjoyed it. Blackthorn brings the reader on a journey through her memoir not just about her land, but the landscape of Australia. It's a life-changing adventure, with ups and downs, triumphs, and some emotionally humorous or heartfelt times. Blackthorn shows through her writing her connection in the book, and how it is not just about beauty, but the beauty she finds. Voltaires Garden shows the story, but also gives the reader the feel of the entire journey, as its descriptions come to life. A life that Blackthorn has lived. This read is more than just words on a page. Such an inspiring story. Voltaires Garden by Isobel Blackthorn is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more stories by this author.
September 20, 2021
Hey, this was so entertaining, like a gardening show hosted by Jane Fonda.
There's a lot of depth to this story. Getting back in touch with nature and thinking about life differently to do so isn't easy. It's a process that could drive you into the offices of a few therapists, but will ultimately make you happy. The descriptions of connecting to the environment are emotional and my favorite part.
There's a lot of depth to this story. Getting back in touch with nature and thinking about life differently to do so isn't easy. It's a process that could drive you into the offices of a few therapists, but will ultimately make you happy. The descriptions of connecting to the environment are emotional and my favorite part.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews