Search This Blog
April Reviews Link-Up
May Reviews Link-Up
June Reviews Link-Up
July Reviews Link-Up
August Reviews Link-Up
September Reviews Link-Up
October Reviews Link-Up
November Reviews Link-Up
December Reviews Link-Up
2024 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska
- Arizona (1)
- Arkansas
- California (3)
- Colorado (1)
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii
- Idaho (2)
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana (1)
- Maine (1)
- Maryland
- Massachusetts (2)
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York (2)
- North Carolina (2)
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma (1)
- Oregon (2)
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (1)
- Utah
- Vermont (1)
- Virginia (1)
- Washington (1)
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Washington, D.C.*
International:
- Australia (1)
- Canada (1)
- England (7)
- France (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Ireland (1)
- Italy (1)
- Scotland (2)
- The Netherlands (1)
2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge
Saturday, April 18, 2020
Riches-to-Rags Memoir Funny, Poignant
7:32 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
English teacher Jennifer McGaha was casually going about her happy upper-middle-class life when she got the shock of a lifetime—she and her husband were bankrupt. Not only that but they owed over $100,000 in back taxes. Having always left the handling of family finances up to her accountant spouse, McGaha had no idea just how bad their money situation had gotten. Feeling betrayed, angry, and worried, she realized with alarm that she and her husband could go to jail, even though she had had no clue their yearly taxes weren't being paid. Although that didn't end up happening, the couple did have to make some major adjustments. And fast.
After acknowledging the part her own ignorance played in the situation and forgiving her husband, McGaha pressed on. Foreclosing on their dream home, the couple moved to the cheapest rental they could find—a ramshackle, 100-year-old farmhouse deep in a remote Appalachian holler. Even though it was infested with mice and falling down around their heads, at $250 a month, they would have to make do. With zero homesteading skills between the two of them, the McGahas set about learning how to do things they never could have imagined themselves doing: wrestling snakes, making their own yogurt, breeding goats, raising chickens, etc. In the middle of all their adventures and misadventures, the couple made an incredible discovery. Living closer to the land had brought them closer to each other, teaching them invaluable lessons about contentment, endurance, self-reliance, and the true meaning of home.
Flat Broke With Two Goats is a funny and poignant memoir about everything McGaha has learned from her riches-to-rags experience. While it deals with some heavy themes, on the whole, the book is upbeat and entertaining. It does ramble on a bit, making for some dull patches. It even takes an odd turn into a jarring section on the author's abusive first marriage, which doesn't seem to quite fit with the rest of the narrative. On the whole, though, Flat Broke With Two Goats is an engrossing, empowering memoir. Although I could have done without all the animal mating stories, overall, I liked this one, even if I didn't love it.
P.S. I listened to the book on audio and thought Pam Ward did an excellent job with the narration.
(Readalikes: Coop by Michael Perry)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and sexual innuendo/content
To the FTC, with love: Another library fine find
Subscribe to:
Posts
(Atom)
Reading
Listening
Followin' with Bloglovin'
-
-
Stacking The Shelves3 hours ago
-
-
Bookish Quote of the Day!!7 hours ago
-
-
Daily Prompt 26 April Friday11 hours ago
-
-
-
Audiobook: The Mango Tree22 hours ago
-
FO Friday: SaltPixie Studio Rolags22 hours ago
-
Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose23 hours ago
-
Need a laugh?1 day ago
-
-
Long Time Dead by T M Payne1 day ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
Final Cut by Marjorie McCown3 days ago
-
-
-
-
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth3 days ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Reading as a retreat from reality1 week ago
-
Reading Recap March 20242 weeks ago
-
-
March Monthly Wrap-up3 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?6 months ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra10 months ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?1 year ago
-
-
-
-
-
Grab my Button!
Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ▼ 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)