tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post1279148662762655674..comments2023-09-20T17:55:43.908-05:00Comments on BookLust: Review: The Bucolic PlagueAartihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-43164594047394823372010-06-15T19:31:47.453-05:002010-06-15T19:31:47.453-05:00I loved your review, but I decided I'd better ...I loved your review, but I decided I'd better give this a miss as soon as I realized it was written by someone who bought a rural mansion on a whim. Buy your mansion, man, but give it some thought! I've been a country mouse, (and wish I still were), so I'm a pretty hardened critic on the subject of country life.Trapuntohttp://villanegativa.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-28187362052226037362010-06-13T16:18:33.795-05:002010-06-13T16:18:33.795-05:00irisonbooks- I am not sure what the book's &qu...irisonbooks- I am not sure what the book's "message" is in relation to perfection. I think the author and his partner don't pursue it so single-mindedly any more, but they still do have a picture-perfect blog with no "mistake" entries in it that I can see! But it's definitely a good conversation-starter.<br /><br />Laura- Well, thank you :-) I hope you read and enjoy it!Aartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-32339298384672611042010-06-13T15:18:56.017-05:002010-06-13T15:18:56.017-05:00Wow... this is among the most informative and insi...Wow... this is among the most informative and insightful reviews I've recently come across! I really appreciate the time you've taken to share this book with us, Aarti. <i>The Bucolic Plague</i> has been on my to-read list ever since I saw it mentioned elsewhere on the web, but now I will be sure to track it down.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-67891572768866814772010-06-13T05:12:30.089-05:002010-06-13T05:12:30.089-05:00Like many others, I loved the quote on how strivin...Like many others, I loved the quote on how striving to perfection has become such a focus in many things. At first I thought that you meant that this book only covers the more perfect aspects of life as well and that made me unwilling to pick it up. However, I now understand it to reflect precisely on that attitude and therefore want to read it. I loved your review.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-19731007075137432892010-06-12T09:55:30.157-05:002010-06-12T09:55:30.157-05:00rhapsody- Yes, I think it makes you sit back and c...rhapsody- Yes, I think it makes you sit back and consider the perfectionist approach!<br /><br />Literary Feline- I will have to check out Lisa's review.<br /><br />Andi- Yes, it WAS sad. But luckily, it was sad for the author, too.<br /><br />Blodeuedd- No, I couldn't see you reading this one, either :-)<br /><br />Chris- Oh, no! At least you got cinnamon rolls! That is some sort of silver lining.<br /><br />softdrink- Yes, I appreciated that, too. Apparently, the book was featured on Martha Stewart, which I find ironic.<br /><br />Jenny- Oh, no! I think I have panic attacks with cooking if I'm cooking a new recipe for a group of people, but not usually when it's just me. That's why I think it would be useful for people to say sometimes, "I overloaded the salt! Here's how I compensated."<br /><br />Christy- Well, you just won a permanent place in MY heart!<br /><br />Carrie K- Yes, I found that ironic, too, about the pie!<br /><br />Kathleen- Amen to that!<br /><br />Frances- Ooh, now I want to know about that book! Let me know if you remember the title.<br /><br />Jenners- Yes, I don't really do memoirs that often, but this one was really good! I don't know if I'd want to read his previous drag queen drug addict one, though.<br /><br />Carrie- Yes, it IS cute!Aartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-328499469469161022010-06-11T21:36:50.281-05:002010-06-11T21:36:50.281-05:00ooh, this one looks interesting!! Cute cover!!ooh, this one looks interesting!! Cute cover!!Carrie at In the Hammock Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01496016097652195216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-14714956453775512332010-06-11T21:18:19.491-05:002010-06-11T21:18:19.491-05:00I really enjoyed reading your review of this book,...I really enjoyed reading your review of this book, which I'd seen elsewhere and had added it to my wishlist already. I enjoyed your approach to the book and what you got out of it. Lord knows I'm not a Martha Stewart type person. I'm a big fan of memoirs and this one sounds like a good match for me.Jennershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08044537551139633301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-26416815420196020782010-06-11T18:43:20.099-05:002010-06-11T18:43:20.099-05:00Confession to make. I LOVE house redo memoirs so m...Confession to make. I LOVE house redo memoirs so much. Now I really want to read this one. Might like it as much as a book I found a few years back for a quarter about two guys renovating a Southern manor house. Unfortunately lent it out and now can't remember the title. Sigh. It all started with House by Tracy Kidder.Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12597485569740436880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-38755979476028232732010-06-11T17:14:40.687-05:002010-06-11T17:14:40.687-05:00All I can say is life is too darn short for me to ...All I can say is life is too darn short for me to worry about my sheets being perfectly pressed or my pie crusts being perfectly fluted or any of the other Martha Stewart kind of stuff. Reading your commentary on the book makes me feel sorry for these guys. I can't imagine how exhausting it would be to try to keep up these appearances all the time. I'm happy to be less than perfect with a house that has a little dust here and there!Kathleenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739982274914536036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-84664797235788270412010-06-11T16:40:31.168-05:002010-06-11T16:40:31.168-05:00Now I have to read this book, it sounds amusing as...Now I have to read this book, it sounds amusing as all get out. Funny how he couldn't take a picture of his ruined pie at the time but can write about it later. <br /><br />Martha's messed up. She's done time, y'know.;)<br /><br />Your "best life". I'm going to be happy if I muddle through the one I've ended up with.Carrie K#http://mymiddlenameispatience.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-73385211679109877912010-06-11T09:04:28.791-05:002010-06-11T09:04:28.791-05:00What a great review, Aarti! I like your discussio...What a great review, Aarti! I like your discussion of how the appearance of effortless perfection is overrated. <br /><br />I don't even live in Chicago and I am miffed at the idea that the author knocks that city. I've always been fond of it from visits there.Christy (A Good Stopping Point)http://agoodstoppingpoint.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-68812165335554607312010-06-10T17:32:01.967-05:002010-06-10T17:32:01.967-05:00Cooking is one of those areas where my inner criti...Cooking is one of those areas where my inner critic goes into overdrive, to the point that (this is so dumb and embarrassing) when things go wrong with my cooking, I start crying and sometimes have panic attacks. Which is mainly due to my own perfectionism, and a lot of very bad cooking experiences, but I do have this idea that "real" cooks don't ever screw up.Jennyhttp://jennysbooks.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-49941778157987418312010-06-10T17:14:04.847-05:002010-06-10T17:14:04.847-05:00Great review!
I'm neither an Oprah nor a Mart...Great review!<br /><br />I'm neither an Oprah nor a Martha fan, so the mentions were a bit off-putting at first. But I appreciated how he tied it all together in the end, and I really enjoyed the book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-55457770371216887992010-06-10T15:04:51.104-05:002010-06-10T15:04:51.104-05:00I want to read this one.
The pie reminds me of so...I want to read this one.<br /><br />The pie reminds me of something I did. A few months ago I tried to make rye bread. It takes days. I took pics of what I did but after I baked it, it was terrible! I could have built the 3rd little pig's house with it. <br /><br />I was so upset after all that work that I didn't want to talk about it on my blog. On the bring side, my husband made me cinnamon rolls because he felt bad for me.<br /><br />So I know what you're saying.Chrisbookaramahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11972547663609480210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-14863200285425769642010-06-10T14:51:20.510-05:002010-06-10T14:51:20.510-05:00Nice review.
And them I come to the hm part...hm, ...Nice review.<br />And them I come to the hm part...hm, nah I could not see myself reading thsi oneBlodeueddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03435479623560871881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-15513967134539093872010-06-10T14:31:43.554-05:002010-06-10T14:31:43.554-05:00This is another one of those books high atop my wi...This is another one of those books high atop my wishlist, and I can't waiiiitttt to get to it! Though the bird bit will likely make me very sad.Andihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05220718933942181809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-66711662192306444422010-06-10T12:16:57.598-05:002010-06-10T12:16:57.598-05:00Brilliant review, Aarti. You've made so many ...Brilliant review, Aarti. You've made so many good points here. This isn't the type of book I would normally be drawn to (celebrities/famous people), but you and Lisa from Alive on the Shelves have me curious about it.Literary Felinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13079276242303738719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-31938783836303102742010-06-10T12:03:16.135-05:002010-06-10T12:03:16.135-05:00Great review, Aarti! I have been known to be per...Great review, Aarti! I have been known to be perfectionist, so I think I could benefit from reading this book!rhapsodyinbookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07041412748239010264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-83621285934089935012010-06-10T11:54:42.298-05:002010-06-10T11:54:42.298-05:00Beth F- Such a good point! I have also noticed wi...Beth F- Such a good point! I have also noticed with a lot of food photography that the backgrounds match the food! It's crazy! I can *somewhat* understand plates matching the food as it's possible to have many random types of plates/bowls, etc. But setting food in matching surroundings seems a bit excessive to me. Your rant is completely justified, in my opinion.<br /><br />bookmagic- I think MOST people's lives is "throw something together and see what comes out"! I wish there was more of THAT to be found.<br /><br />Serena- I am really looking forward to your review! I think there's a difference between striving to be your best & accepting failure and just pretending that the bad things didn't happen by not mentioning them.<br /><br />Zibilee- I didn't realize Coop was so different! Though at the time I made that comment, I had yet to read this book so I suppose it's quite likely I'd be a little off in my thoughts. I actually think you would like this book a lot.<br /><br />Mary- I'm glad to have piqued your interest! I never thought of it as a book club selection, but you're right, it could be quite good!<br /><br />Jen- Yes, it was hard for me to stomach the Chicago hate. It was particularly harsh coming from a Midwesterner, but the author moved to New York from Wisconsin and I find that transplanted New Yorkers are often the most stringent "No city by NYC" people.Aartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354873119188597611noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-16862730095243056432010-06-10T11:00:31.356-05:002010-06-10T11:00:31.356-05:00Ooh, you made me even more interested to read this...Ooh, you made me even more interested to read this (other than the fact he evidently denigrates Chicago! I'm not sure I'll be as forgiving as you are on that...). Fabulous, thoughtful review.Jen - devourer of bookshttp://www.devourerofbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-80249609105139020902010-06-10T09:25:12.937-05:002010-06-10T09:25:12.937-05:00Aarti, I'm certainly curious enough to look fo...Aarti, I'm certainly curious enough to look for the book after reading your review! Sounds like a fantastic book club selection - so much to talk about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-29855957424484138982010-06-10T09:23:29.546-05:002010-06-10T09:23:29.546-05:00Since I heard you mention you were reading this, I...Since I heard you mention you were reading this, I have been really curious about it. It sounds like it's the polar opposite of Coop, the book I recently read. I am not sure if this book would annoy me or entertain me, but I do find the idea of attaining perfection in all you do a little offputting. Like the story you mention about the pie and the cherries, I don't see why the author couldn't just admit to being a little more human and a little less perfect. I still think the story sounds interesting, just not what I was expecting (which also sounds like your reaction to it). I can't imagine trying to live my life according to Oprah or Martha. It would probably give me a heart attack! Very impressive review, Aarti! I really liked that you digressed a bit.Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05857638467064749190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-53124278561827450272010-06-10T09:05:40.669-05:002010-06-10T09:05:40.669-05:00This is a phenomenal review of a book that I have ...This is a phenomenal review of a book that I have to review as well. I cannot wait to delve into it now. Wow. I love books that make me reassess life and question those "perfect" lives on the television -- not that I don't already.<br /><br />I'm a perfectionist and I often find that life has a way of making me realize that perfection is unattainable, though it doesn't stop me from trying -- though in a less stressful way.Serenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04745809545249574387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-40758869982707249972010-06-10T08:57:16.895-05:002010-06-10T08:57:16.895-05:00I don't follow Martha and Oprah at all b/c the...I don't follow Martha and Oprah at all b/c they definitely would make me feel I'm not living My Best Life. most of my life is "throw some thing together and see what comes out". Great review tho I'll probably skip the book as I think these guys would annoy me :) yay for imperfections!bookmagichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13808845291761439603noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7343567357202223317.post-69900785768402743342010-06-10T08:51:19.966-05:002010-06-10T08:51:19.966-05:00I have been dying to read this book (and I own it)...I have been dying to read this book (and I own it) -- now I can't wait. As I said somewhere else, one of my nephews worked (briefly) for Martha, so I have heard a few Martha stories.<br /><br />And this had me laughing "Because God forbid anyone "whips up" anything that doesn't take hours to create." But wait, before you can make that dinner, you first have to grow it, weave the tablecloth, sew the napkins, throw the pottery, pound out the stainless steel, and blow the glass. Oh and I guess you have to cut down some trees and handcraft the table and chairs. Then and only then can you actually start to cook (for thirty zillion hours). Oh and if the kitchen walls don't match your food, you'd better mix up your own milk paint and get to work.<br /><br />Sorry for the rant.Beth Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08627666337961326265noreply@blogger.com