Garlic Is Life

by Chester Aaron

A charming story that combines a love of garlic with an extraordinary life, this is a college teacher turned Sonoma County garlic farmer's account of his introduction to the herb--from his family's farming techniques in former Soviet Georgia to his experiences supplying some of the best restaurants in the country. Growing tips and recipes are included, as well as close-up photos of a few of Chester's rare varieties.

224 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Chester Aaron was a prolific American author for both children and adults, and wrote novels, stories, and memoirs. Born in 1923 in the coal-mining town of Butler, Pennsylvania, he was educated at Butler Senior High School, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State University. He saw combat in World War II, and was with the troops that liberated Dachau. Following publication of his first novel in 1967, he was an x-ray technician at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, CA. He joined the faculty at Saint Mary’s College, retiring as a full professor in 1997. For twenty-five years he cultivated ninety varieties of exotic garlic on his farm in Sonoma County, becoming a world-renowned expert, and publishing a number of books on the subject. He died in 2019.

Reviews

[Alexandra Ledbetter · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet memoir from a man passionate about growing garlic and longing to connect spiritually with his beloved late parents.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The site will not let me read the book. What’s the problem?

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the type of book that makes you fall in love with life... and garlic... all over again. Chester finds himself after a divorce by immersing himself in the joys of gardening, ranching and by the way, almost accidentally, becomes a garlic farmer.

I loved the way he invoked nostalgia for his boyhood and love for his Georgian father through his discovery of Georgian garlic. The scent of freshly pulled garlic conjured up his past, almost literally bringing his parents back to life for him. He mourned their loss anew, but his parents were constant companions as he planted, grew and ate "their" garlic.

I admit it, I am dabbling in garlic farming so this book is immediately relevant to me. Oh, a kindred spirit! I loved reading this, but even if you only have a passing like for garlic, you can still find something to love in this discovery of a new life at the age of 60. We always have the capacity to rediscover ourselves, to voyage into that undiscovered country and make ourselves anew.

[p roper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up in Siskiyou County, somewhat north of Occidental, Chester's talk of redwoods and manzanita and madrone made me homesick. I love garlic and now I want to have some in the garden--at least I have time to read the catalogs and pick what I want.
This book was lovely and easy to read, just perfect for a very cold day in February to curl up by the fire with some hot chocolate. I love the style and all of the interesting tidbits of information tucked in. I love that he was able to write AND grow garlic (or maybe grow garlic AND write). That's what I would do.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir of a literature and writing professor who began to grow exotic types of garlic as a hobby and eventually turned it into a late-in-life career. His laid-back style and cheerful demeanor made this book fun to read. I was psyched that two of the types of garlic he recommends are ones that I planted this fall. Published about 15 years ago, so some of the source information is out of date.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A memorable read. It made me want to try all of the different kinds of garlic to see if I could pick up on the differences he describes.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Chester's writing.