Book Review of
A Country Year
Alone on a small Missouri farm after a thirty-year marriage, Sue Hubbell found a new love—of the winged, buzzing variety. Left with little but the commercial beekeeping and honey-producing business she started with her husband, Hubbell found solace in the natural world. Then she began to write, challenging herself to tell the absolute truth about her life and the things she cared about.
Describing the ups and downs of beekeeping from one springtime to the next, A Country Year transports readers to a different, simpler place. In a series of exquisite vignettes, Hubbell reveals the joys of a life attuned to nature in this heartfelt memoir about life on the land, and of a woman finding her way in middle age.
“Once in a while there comes along a book so calm, so honest, so beautiful that even the most jaded or cynical readers have to say thank you. . . . This is such a book” (The San Diego Union-Tribune).
Lynn's Review
A Country Year by Sue Hubbell is a memoir style book about a year in the life of a Missouri farmer. If you enjoying reading about farming and the backstory of what you eat, this is a good read. I read it for my Missouri book for my nonfiction books for every state challenge.
Growing up my dad raised bees, and every year we extracted the honey and sold it to family and friends. I didn’t grow up in Missouri, but this book brought back a lot of memories. I also learned a lot about what it is like to raise bees and honey on a large more commercial scale. Farming is not an easy life, but it is an interesting and rewarding one.
Looking forward to reading this.