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"  Suzanne McMinn, Chickens in the Road After a divorce, McMinn moves back home to rural West Virginia to buy a farm and learn to live off the land. In learning to be self-sufficient in her livelihood, she also learns to be self-sufficient in her personal life. McMinn pulls no punches about how gut-wrenchingly difficult this lifestyle can be, and artfully chronicles the gradual effects that becoming her own woman has on her romantic life and also her sense of self. The reader eagerly turns each page wondering how the story will end: Will she finally dump the insecure, freeloading boyfriend? Will she create a true sense of home for her children? Will she find peace within her newfound sense of self? By working her way through these questions, McMinn bring us to the farm to share in her messy life and, ultimately, her triumphs.\u2014Marie Robinson, Crofton MD At times, all the details of farm life become overwhelming, but McMinn tells her story with such humor and candor that we&amp;#039;re always hooked. As one who saw her as very brave and independent, I found it difficult to imagine her standing for abuse in a romantic relationship for so long\u2014however, she successfully writes the man out of her life as she realizes that she truly is the self-sufficient woman she sets out to be. An inspirational read for those who wish to start fresh and pursue their dreams.\u2014Laura Scott, Willow Grove, PA Punctuated with moments of humor and grace, McMinn&amp;#039;s story feels like the modern girl&amp;#039;s Little House on the Prairie, complete with crafts and recipes.\u2014Ashley Cambers, Perrysburg, OH Martha Stewart meets West Virginia farm life in Chickens in the Road, as McMinn follows her desire to become self-sustaining through the development and maintenance of a working farm replete with gardens and animals. Readers of her eponymous blog will be particularly interested in her adventures.\u2014Kathryn Kandas, Princeton, WV When McMinn took the plunge, she did so with an open mind and an engaging sense of humor. Be it shearing sheep or canning vegetables, she is determined to become as self-sufficient as possible, and her enthusiasm is contagious.\u2014Maggie Malach, New York City We&amp;#039;ve all dreamed of a fresh start: Finding a new corner of the world to explore and dragging the past out of the dark. McMinn&amp;#039;s chutzpah is respectable, her bravery contagious\u2014and just a tad bit naive. A gem!\u2014Jessica Shaver, Sandy, OR McMinn chronicles life\u2014milking cows, making cheese, and getting an animal to breed\u2014but lacks the writing skills to make it truly intriguing. The book is also about the end of a romantic relationship, and McMinn&amp;#039;s one-dimensional point of view leaves the reader wondering if there&amp;#039;s more to the story.\u2014Gena Hymowech, Brooklyn, NY  Phyllis Chesler, An American Bride in Kabul Phyllis Chesler&amp;#039;s memoir takes us on a hypnotic journey through Afghanistan&amp;#039;s bloody past, present, and tentative future. Using her journal, written while she was a young bride in Kabul, and later conversations with her ex-husband, Chesler weaves the tale of a na\u00EFve Jewish-American college student who falls in love with an Afghan Muslim only to flee from him when she becomes a prisoner in their new home. The reader is swept away by Chesler&amp;#039;s passion and urgency. Her memoir is a call to action for women&amp;#039;s rights everywhere.\u2014Ashley Cambers, Perrysburg, OH There is something na\u00EFve and intriguing about an American woman who marries a Middle Eastern man and returns home with him, only to discover she&amp;#039;s not living in a palace decorated with jewels or being served exotic meals. In some respects this book reads like an academic piece, the author&amp;#039;s experiences cross-referenced with historical and political events and other authors&amp;#039; works. The title of the book does not do it justice; it is a work of art that spans more than five decades and shares the intimate story of an enduring friendship.\u2014Kathryn Kandas, Princeton, WV Through Phyllis Chesler&amp;#039;s vivid, chilling imagery, her readers are transported across the world and into 1960s Afghanistan. Chesler&amp;#039;s memoir of her life as a bride held captive in a foreign land is in many ways a nightmare, yet her perseverance and detailed descriptions of her exotic prison place the audience right with her, from the spice market to her groom&amp;#039;s household. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect is the life-long impact left by her travels\u2014including her undying efforts to achieve women&amp;#039;s rights.\u2014Maggie Malach, New York City Even if you think you know how bad the situation is for Afghan woman, this book is a real eye-opener, chock full of details that are almost unbelievable.\u2014Gena Hymowech, Brooklyn, NY Chesler&amp;#039;s writing is vibrant and brings the diversity of the Afghanistan landscape and people to life on the page. This book is a testament to things we will do for love, and an example of the human will to survive in situations that seem to have no way out.\u2014Rachel Stottlemyer, Waynesboro, PA This story begged to be told. Like a train wreck seen through a crystal ball, the reader foresees the tears and trauma of such an epic betrayal. Thoroughly gripping.\u2014Jessica Shaver, Sandy, Oregon Although Chesler&amp;#039;s tale certainly imparts a new understanding of the life of women in Afghanistan, the book never makes us feel as though we&amp;#039;re actually there. The author&amp;#039;s present-day commentary sometimes takes away from the suspense of the plot&amp;#039;s unfolding through the journal entries. Overall, Chelser&amp;#039;s memoir feels more like a historical non-fiction essay told by a person with firsthand experience.\u2014Laura Scott, Willow Grove, PA  Joshua Safran, Free Spirit Instantly captivating, heartbreaking, inspiring\u2014all of these words describe Free Spirit. This almost-too-crazy-to-be-true story of Safran&amp;#039;s very unconventional upbringing ranges from the Bay Area through the forests of Pacific Northwest and portrays a life lived on the edge with a dogmatic, counter-cultural mother and her revolving door of boyfriends with issues. Consistently missing school, participating in demonstrations and other forms of education for social causes, and living a transient, drug-filled existence are all another day in the life for Josh. Fortunately, he is able to find his voice, fight to attend school, and make the connection between self-sufficiency and freedom. This book is nothing short of remarkable.\u2014Kathryn Kandas, Princeton, WV What could have been a somber tale of a nomadic childhood-turned-fight-for-survival yields inspiring insight into the power of perseverance. Safran recalls his unconventional upbringing with humor and keen perception, providing an innocent foil to the corrupt adults that surround him. Facing poverty, abuse and a lack of role models, Safran doesn&amp;#039;t preach a motto of positivity, but rather, shows strength through his determination to create for himself a better life.\u2014Maggie Malach, New York City Defined by his mother&amp;#039;s search for Utopia, Safran&amp;#039;s childhood is a hodgepodge of counter-culture ideology and survivor mentality. Drugs, orgies, and hitchhiking appear almost commonplace in young Safran&amp;#039;s life. His mother&amp;#039;s parade of dubious lovers and questionable friends guide the action while mother and child float across the country in search of that mythical Promised Land. While Safran&amp;#039;s writing is entertaining, our enjoyment of his story is disturbed by the fact that we&amp;#039;re constantly worrying about him surviving to the next page.\u2014Ashley Cambers, Perrysburg, OH Safran&amp;#039;s autobiography is stranger than fiction. The living conditions Safran had to grow up with were often times appalling, but gave the outcome of his life such more satisfaction. A great look into the past, of how people on the fringe lived, and also about how a boy brought up with so much adversity overcame all of it to become a successful, well-adjusted man in the mainstream world.\u2014Rachel Stottlemyer, Waynesboro, PA Safran&amp;#039;s memoir is as much his mother&amp;#039;s story as his own, and it&amp;#039;s a stark reminder of how attached we are to those with whom we spend our early years, good or bad. It&amp;#039;s difficult to believe some of the early dialogue, and some recollections of his toddler-aged thoughts feel a little contrived, but overall, the reader will finish the book honored and humbled to have been told this story.\u2014Melissa Taylor, San Diego, CA To have a mother who loves you so much, yet still has issues raising you in a healthy scenario is the ultimate sob story\u2014yet the love in this story is without bounds. Such a strong, unique read! \u2014Jessica Shaver, Sandy, Oregon  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/culture/books/reviews/a12589/october-book-reviews-chickens-in-the-road/>