Recently Read: The $64 Tomato

The $64 Tomato seconds my inkling that my backyard squirrels benefit more than I do from my efforts at gardening--half-hearted as my efforts are. I optimistically planted a few squash this year to test if my black thumb is turning any greener. They are alive and growing, but something's eating my squash. Every so often I get the urge to be a gardener. I usually get my hopes up, plant a few things, hold out hope for awhile, and then finally realize my failure (due to bad soil, bad lighting, bad squirrels, or who knows what). In my quest to plant a few things this year, I checked out a few gardening books. The $64 Tomato was among them.

It's a humorously-told memoir of a family's gardening adventures and their journey to realizing they actually spent $64 for one tomato. Well-written and easily read, it's good for an evening of relaxing. I wouldn't call it enlightening, but amusing. I don't think I'll ever have the energy to be as fanatical about a garden or food as William Alexander is, but I'm not giving up on my few plants yet. I'm holding out hope for a bit longer.