Once I have begun reading a book, I rarely fail to finish it; my thinking, "surely this will get better." If Farm City had not been a book club selection, I definitely would not have finished it. The more I read the less I liked it.
The biggest turn-off for me was the voice and attitude of the author. Ms. Carpenter has a holier-than-thou approach to her urban farming and seems to think she deserves an award for her gardening and animal raising prowess. She also goes on and on about her dumpster diving expeditions, her fears about killing the animals she is raising for food and her ghetto neighborhood. It seems Carpenter's motive for farming is not so much her ecological commitment as her desire to elevate herself above non-farmers/grocery shoppers/those who are not as green as she. Additionally, she is anxious to share so much of the grossness she encounters in great detail it becomes monotonous.
I'd say don't waste your time, but I do know a few people who might like this book.
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