Saturday, June 26, 2010

THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE

How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers:
An Unconventional Memoir
BY JOSH KILMER-PURCELL

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What happens when two New Yorkers (one an ex–drag queen) do the unthinkable: start over, have a herd of kids, and get a little dirty?

Find out in this riotous and moving true tale of goats, mud, and a centuries-old mansion in rustic upstate New York—the new memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, author of the New York Times bestseller I Am Not Myself These Days. A happy series of accidents and a doughnut-laden escape upstate take Josh and his partner, Brent, to the doorstep of the magnificent (and fabulously for sale) Beekman Mansion. One hour and one tour later, they have begun their transformation from uptight urbanites into the two-hundred-year-old-mansion-owning Beekman Boys.

Suddenly, Josh—a full-time New Yorker with a successful advertising career—and Brent are weekend farmers, surrounded by nature's bounty and an eclectic cast: roosters who double as a wedding cover band; Bubby, the bionic cat; and a herd of eighty-eight goats, courtesy of their new caretaker, Farmer John. And soon, a fledgling business, born of a gift of handmade goat-milk soap, blossoms into a brand, Beekman 1802.

The Bucolic Plague is tart and sweet, touching and laugh out loud funny, a story about approaching middle age, being in a long-term relationship, realizing the city no longer feeds you in the same way it used to, and finding new depths of love and commitment wherever you live.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Josh Kilmer-Purcell is the bestselling author of the memoir I Am Not Myself These Days and the novel Candy Everybody Wants, and the star of the television docu-series The Fabulous Beekman Boys. He and his partner, Brent Ridge, divide their time between Manhattan and the Beekman Farm.

MY REVIEW:

When Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner Dr. Brent Ridge see a beautiful 200-year old farm house on a weekend trip to upstate New York from Manhattan, their imaginations picture weekends of organic gardening, digging in rich dirt, and collecting their own eggs. It appears to be a dream they can make come true with purchase of this “little cottage” in the country. The problem is The Beekman Mansion is no little cottage. In fact, The Beekman MANSION, located in Sharon , New York, was built in 1802, and THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE tells the story of Kilmer-Purcell and Ridge's first two years owning “the Beekman” as it is called.

With dreams of baking bread and gardening and raising their own organic food, they look at their time there as being one simple, stress-free existence, but it turns out quite the opposite. These “gentlemen farmers” did find that at first things did fit the mold of their idyllic dream, but than the title of the book, THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE, by definition is more what it is…something characteristic of country life turned out to be something extremely troublesome. So weekends became filled with repairs, a garden that needed a master horticulturist, a herd of goats, and strangely enough a field full of human bones and remains, added to their new business of handcrafted soaps by mail. Luckily, they had the help of “Farmer John”, who helped these New York City boys turn this Beekman nightmare into their dream. However, the stress of working their regular high pressure city jobs and their dedication to the country dream caused some friction and Josh and Brent had to work through some rough spots to get through it all. THE BUCOLIC PLAGUE is a memoir that gives readers a good time and a chance to enjoy reading about chasing a dream.


GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO KYLE AND GOOD PEOPLE
AT HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHING,
I HAVE 3 COPIES OF THIS INTERESTING

BOOK TO GIVE AWAY. HERE IS WHAT
YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY!



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+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FOUND INTERESTING ABOUT THIS REVIEW OR BOOK DESCRIPTION THAT WOULD MAKE YOU WANT TO READ THE BOOK

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GIVEAWAY ENDS
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JULY 9!

GOOD LUCK

66 comments:

traveler said...

I am an e-mail subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

His favorite shoes are bare feet. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

traveler said...

This entertaining and interesting memoir would be a delight to read this summer. What an undertaking that required patience and strength. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Debs Desk said...

I love that in the end that work through there problems. After all that hard work. Please include me in your giveaway.
Thanks
debbie
debdesk9(at)verizon.net

bermudaonion said...

I found it interesting that they sell handcrafted soap by mail - I actually think I saw one of them on the Martha Stewart show. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

bermudaonion said...

I found it interesting that the author would like to lunch with Joan Collins. milou2ster(at)gmail.com

Tina said...

I keep threatening to get a goat to keep our yard under control. I'd love to read this one. Please enter me.

tbranco(at)hughes(d0t)net

Anonymous said...

The couple thought they were getting into a carefree life but they found out that they needed help with the farm.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I am an e-mail subscriber.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Josh Kilmer's favorite fictional character is Blanche Devereaux.


CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

Heidi V said...

This sounds like to me the american dream and I love stories of hope!

Thanks for the chance
heidivargas [at] live dot com

gcpeach17 said...

I am a follower via Google Reader.

gcpeach17 at aol dot com

gcpeach17 said...

This sounds like a funny book. I also, love reading about old mansions and what is found in or around them. Please, include me in this generous giveaway.

gcpeach17 at aol dot com

debbie said...

I am a gfc follower.
debbie
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I am a email subscriber.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

debbie said...

I always find it interesting when people that don't have a clue on how to farm, try to do it. I am glad it was successful for them. I would love to read the book.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

Shannon said...

Eeuuuu!!! A field of human remains? It's morbid, but interesting?
tiredwkids at live dot com

Shannon said...

I follow using google reader.
tiredwkids at live dot com

Shannon said...

Hmm..he never finishes what he started? But the book is finished, right?
tiredwkids at live dot com

Linda Kish said...

GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

It sounds like a fun book about love as much as anything else. I think it would be neat to go from city life to farm life but it would be tough to pull it off.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Linda Kish said...

I learned they have a TV show on planet green channel

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Kristen said...

I love the idea that they bought a mansion when they decided to become "gentlemen farmers" rather than the usual cottage.

whitreidsmama at yahoo dot com

Kristen said...

I follow through google friend connect.

whitreidsmama at yahoo dot com

Kristen said...

I've never heard of the song "Ladies Who Lunch" but that oftentimes describes my friends and me as well.

whitreidsmama at yahoo dot com

Benita said...

Follower via GFC.


bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

This sounds like a hilarious memoir. I like to laugh!


bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

Josh is funny. He says his best habit is drinking, oh, wait, smoking.


bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Laura said...

Please enter me. I am a follower.
Laura
laura.leahj@gmail.com

Marie said...

I follow you via GFC

marielay@gmail.com

Marie said...

I love these types of books -- where people buy some land and become "farmers" of one sort or another -- probably because I've always wanted to do that myself. This sounds like such a fun book!

marielay@gmail.com

Margie said...

This sounds like a fun read. Animal stories are always fun. It would be interesting to see how they carry out their own jobs and this weekend activity.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

The author says that his favorite kind of shoes are bare feet!
mtakala1 AT y ahoo DOT com

Margie said...

Facebook fan
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

blog follower via GFC
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

email subscriber
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

Margie said...

+5 for Swag Bucks signup
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

bison61 said...

approaching middle age,& being in a long-term relationship sounds like a great book

tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

petite said...

What a fascinating book to learn about their trials and tribulations in this big upheaval. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

petite said...

The author would like to lunch with Joan Collins. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com

chirth7 said...

I love people who have the guts to give up where they are comfortable and up and move away to follow a dream, I could not do that, I always dream but I never try to do any of it, I wish I could I'd love to read their story though.

chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

lol he said
" My Six-Word Memoir™ is...
I wore dresses, this caused messes"

chirth7@yahoo.co

chirth7 said...

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chirth7 said...

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chirth7@yahoo.com

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chirth7#yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow via GFC chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow via email
chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow via twitter- Romantic73
chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow via network blogs
chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow you on Facebook.
christine Hundelt Hirth

chirth7@yahoo.com

chirth7 said...

I follow RSS feed
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Shirley said...

I want to read this even more now that I read your review and that this is a true story. Sounds really good. shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

now this is funny is this show even on anymore?
The TV show that I can't live without is…
The Bob Newhart Show. LOL I like the oldies though too.

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

https://twitter.com/Grandmamaof10/status/18025856181

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001087052807&v=wall&story_fbid=136874579674485&ref=mf#!/profile.php?id=100001087052807&v=wall&story_fbid=121817537863413&ref=mf

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/shundelt45/review/43744567/

shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

http://bulletins.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=bulletin.read&authorID=540593519&messageID=6674065299&hash

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Shirley said...

I'm a GFC follower
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Shirley said...

I subscriber via email
shundelt@yahoo.com

Shirley said...

I follow via network blogs
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Shirley said...

I' follow you on twitter
shundelt@yahoo.com
grandmamaof10

Shirley said...

I follow RSS feed
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Shirley said...

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Shirley said...

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Shirley Larkin H

urbanL said...

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