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Trauma Farm

A Rebel History of Rural Life

Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

An irreverent and illuminating journey through a day in the life of the affectionately named Trauma Farm, with numerous side trips into the natural history of farming. Beginning naked in darkness, Brian Brett moves from the tending of livestock, poultry, orchards, gardens, machinery, and fields to the social intricacies of rural communities and, finally, to an encounter with a magnificent deer in the silver moonlight of a magical farm field. Brett understands both tall tales and rigorous science as he explores the small mixed farm-meditating on the perfection of the egg and the nature of soil while also offering a scathing critique of agribusiness and the horror of modern slaughterhouses. Whether discussing the uses and misuses of gates, examining the energy of seeds, or bantering with his family, farm hands, and neighbours, he remains aware of the miracles of life, birth, and death that confront the rural world every day. Trauma Farm tells a story that's poetic, passionate, practical, and frequently hilarious, providing an unforgettable portrait of one farm and our separation from the natural world, as well as a commonsense analysis of rural life. An Amazon top 100 book of 2009! A Globe and Mail top 100 book for 2009! A Times Literary Supplement top 100 book for 2009! Now available in audio!

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    • AudioFile Magazine
      Part memoir, part diatribe, part idyll, TRAUMA FARM defies easy classification, but narrator Michael Puttonen's relaxed style makes it easy to get caught up in this intriguing audio offering. The sense of quirkiness is enhanced by its unusual format and the setting on British Columbia's Salt Spring Island. Puttonen's effortless delivery and slight Canadian accent combine to create a mellow presentation that is perfect for the many anecdotes and reflections on family- farm life. Shifting smoothly to a more forceful gear, he ably conveys Brett's alarm at unsustainable mega-farm methods, then cycles down to express his practical resignation to some of the harsh realities of raising animals for food. By turns troubling and entertaining, this is a unique and enjoyable listen. M.O.B. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      August 31, 2009
      Both a celebration and excoriation of farm life, the latest from author Brett (Uproar's Your Only Music) examines his family homestead on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, and the state of contemporary farming. With intimate knowledge, Brett speaks to the challenges faced by many independent farmers as well as the fleeting joys: "Rural living is an eccentric pursuit, in the same way that beauty is an eccentric pursuit." Raising fruits and vegetables, a small group of cows, chickens and pigs, Brett airs some strong criticism of modern agriculture-such as cattle slaughterhouses "that resemble medieval torture chambers"-tempered by lighthearted passages on topics like farm-fresh eggs: "I can tell what a chicken has been eating and how it's been raised when I break an egg on the frying pan." His account is also spiked with a grim sense of humor: "How do you make a small fortune at farming? Start with a large fortune." Brett's wit and giddy ambivalence makes this account a stretch more provocative than similar rural memoirs, and an altogether compelling read,

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  • English

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