From the Ground Up: A Food Grower's Education in Life, Love, and the Movement That's Changing the Nation
“One of the most intelligent, surprising and impressive garden memoirs I’ve read in a long time . . . radiant with hope and love.”—The New York Times Book Review“The joy ofFrom the Ground Upis not Nolan’s own happy ending but rather the illuminating way she applies her vision to practical problems. . . . The hardest memoir to write is the one that is honest but not self-obsessed; Nolan accomplishes this with clarity and poise.”—Jane Smiley,Harper’s“[A] rare and improbable thing: a gripping gardening memoir . . . [Nolan’s] voice is an honest and reassuring one.”—Chicago Reader“[A] refreshing narrative . . .From the Ground Uptriumphs the backyard micro-garden as it imparts lessons from Nolan’s life about family. . . . The book is a good read for foodies and lovers of a good story alike, and an inspiration to garden wherever you can find space.”—FredericksburgFree Lance–Star“By bravely sharing her personal journey in this remarkable book, Jeanne Nolan gives each of us a gift—one that has the power to motivate us to pursue the values we believe in, to free ourselves from convention, to be better parents, and to accept the love of family and community—however we define those.From the Ground Upresonates powerfully with me, as a gardener, and inspires me to ‘double dig’ my garden bed. But even readers who keep their fingernails clean will benefit from this beautiful story and powerful message.”—Sophia Siskel, president and CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden“I didn’t expect that a book about the food movement would turn out to be a can’t-put-it-down page-turner, but that’s just whatFrom the Ground Upis. Jeanne Nolan’s personal journey is a richly observed saga set against the broad landscape of social and ecological change, and spurred by a reawakened awareness about the food that must sustain us.”—Bill Kurtis, television journalist and founder of Tallgrass Beef “To garden well is to question, to wonder, to believe, to hope, and to love. The same is true for living well. All this and more comes through in the story of Jeanne Nolan’s quest to find her place in the world. Her book reinforced my beliefs about the power of a garden to heal, and opened my eyes to so much more. There is something to touch everyone along the way of this remarkable journey.”—Suzy Bales, author ofDown-to-Earth Gardener “We talk of ‘farm to table’ but not of ‘child to garden.’ Growing and harvesting your first vegetables stays in your memory and on your palate forever. Jeanne Nolan inspires us all to establish a truer connection to our food. I have never been more excited to get my hands dirty!”—Art Smith, author ofArt Smith’s Healthy Comfort “Sometimes a garden is just a garden, but not for Jeanne Nolan. InFrom the Ground Up,she gives us a deeply personal account of finding her path in life through building urban gardens—and in Chicago, no less. Anyone with an interest, from casual to professional, in creating urban food systems and communities—or eating homegrown fresh vegetables—will be moved and inspired by her story.”—Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University and author ofEat, Drink, Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics “Jeanne Nolan’s story is not only about how seeds sprout, but about how our own lives can blossom in the most unanticipated and beautiful ways. Although I’ve been thinking about the importance of food my entire professional life, Jeanne Nolan’s captivating book has helped me think about its role in our lives in an entirely new way, one that gives me hope we may someday solve the problems of hunger and scarcity. If there’s ever been a book about how to change the world while changing your own life,From the Ground Upis it.”—Bill Shore, founder and CEO of Share Our Strength “The earth—particularly the garden as our portal to it—is our wisest teacher. And Jeanne Nolan’s captivating, beautifully written memoir–cum–gardening guide overflows with lessons learned and stories of honesty, insight, healing, and hope. Plus, the appendix unexpectedly, concisely, and brilliantly summarizes the essentials we all need to know for successfully growing our own organic vegetables.”—Rick Bayless, chef and owner of Frontera Grill and host ofMexico: One Plate at a Time“Nolan’s enthusiasm for bettering the world is charming and infectious.”—Publishers Weekly