Seth's Reviews - A Dirty Life, by Kristin Kimball

I originally picked up this book looking for inspiration on starting my very own CSA (community supported agriculture), but instead, found myself inspired to be a better person. That's right, grab your trash bins and a wet wash cloth, as I am sure you will be vomiting at the cliches and idyllic language I use to describe Kristin Kimball's treasure, A Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love.

Kimball's poetic use of words, whether describing tastes of a raw, earthy meal, beautiful in its preparation and presentation, or the butchering of a hog, using it's blood for a pudding, is not only intriguing and engaging as a page-turning device, but like music: free flowing with a heartbeat, up and down, undulating as a wave of emotion and passion for farming, food, and life. Her journey of becoming a farmer and a lover of the world around her, inspired me to know more of what life has to offer. Her poetry inspired me to be a truer and more honest person, like the farm that I grew up on in Marcellus, Michigan; straight-forward, interdependent, and fair.

And then there were times that were not so poetic. As you get to know more of Kimball and her story, you encounter bumps in the road, sometimes very bumpy. But with every bump, there is a familiarity, something that you can relate to. It is with this that she kept my attention and stoked my desire to engage my life with tenacity and perseverance.

Never before have I felt so connected with a memoir. If you are looking for a good friend, someone whose story will comfort you and reaffirm your life's aspirations, Kimball is waiting for you.