At Home in Dogwood Mudhole, Volume 1: Nothing that Eats–A Review

To call myself a book junkie is a gross understatement.  I love to read, and my children have inherited a love of reading from me.  I was so excited when I found out I was going to receive a paperback copy of At Home in Dogwood Mudhole, Volume 1:  Nothing that Eats to read and review.  Finally, a book for mom, or so I thought.  My kids have enjoyed it as much as I have! Written by Franklin Sanders, author The Moneychanger newsletter, this 279 page book is a delight. 

     I read books from all genre.  At Home in Dogwood Mudhole is a non-fiction account of Sanders and his family a they attempt to outwit the daunting Y2K catastrophe.  This epic tale is written in a familiar style.  Sanders writes letters to his readers as if he is talking to a close friend.  Through his letters, he shares the joys and sorrows, successes and failures, and gains and losses he experiences in his journey to become self-sufficient.  Sanders saga spans seventeen years and is destined to become a classic piece of agrarian literature.

     At Home in Dogwood Mudhole is easy reading because of Sander’s writing style.  Each chapter can stand alone, yet each chapter contributes to the overall picture of the sacrifices Sander’s and his family have made for the sake of their adventure.  Sanders regales readers with anecdotes about a myriad of different topics.  He describes the acquisition of numerous dogs, cows, chickens, sheep, ducks, pigs, and horses, and details the challenges (sometimes quite humorous) in learning to live in harmony with livestock.  Sanders is quite transparent and reveals many struggles faced such as dealing with the IRS and other governmental difficulties. Most of the stories he tells would be completely appropriate for family reading.  This reads almost as a diary or journal, just in letter form.  We have especially enjoyed the photographs included.  There are real photographs of Sanders, his farm, and his family.  These contribute to the realism of the stories being told.  I have been reading excerpts to my kids over the past several weeks and they have really enjoyed it.  My oldest daughter is next in line to read the entire book.  On a fun note, we found out the “Dogwood Mudhole” isn’t too far from us in Middle Tennessee.

     At Home in Dogwood Mudhole, Volume 1: Nothing that Eats is the first in the At Home in Dogwood Mudhole series.  The paperback version retails for $22.95 and is available on the website.  It is also available in a Kindle / EPub / .pdf version for $16.95.  A sample chapter of the book is available here.  The second volume, Best Thing We Ever Did, is also available in paperback as well as electronic formats.  I highly recommend Sanders series.  It is destined to become a classic.  The life lessons communicated through Sander’s letters depict values that never grow old.  I can see myself and my kids re-reading this book many times over.  I have already put the remaining volumes on my wish list for Christmas. 

     Many of my friends on the Schoolhouse Review Crew have been reading At Home in Dogwood Mudhole, Volume 1: Nothing that Eats. To read their reviews, click on the banner below.