Pulling Down the Barn: Memories of a Rural Childhood

Great Lakes Books Series

by Anne-Marie Oomen, Michelle Babb (narrrator)

Pulling Down the Barn eloquently recalls author Anne-Marie Oomen s personal journey as she discovers herself an outsider on her family farm located in western Michigan s Oceana County, in the township of Elbridge a couple hundred acres in the middle of rural America. Written as a series of heartfelt interlocking narratives, this collection of essays portrays the realities of farm life: haying, picking asparagus and cherries, the machinery of tractors and pickers; but each chapter also touches upon the more ethereal and rarely articulated: the stoic love that permeates a family, the farmer s struggle with identity, the unspoken patriarchy of land passed on to sons (often at the expense of daughters), and the way land can shape a childhood. With its rich language and style, Pulling Down the Barn engrosses the reader in Oomen s memories setting beauty and wonder against work and loss and paints a poignant portrait of growing up in rural Michigan.

Genres: Essays, Nonfiction, Memoir

Audible Audio

First published July 6, 2004

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the third book that I have read by this author - all three are memoirs of growing up on a farm in Oceana County in Michigan. This book is the most lyrical of the three. I like her descriptions of farm life , the farm work, the dreams and failures of farming and of her family life. A rare account of modern farm life - one is always supposed to write about what one knows and she accomplishes this task very well.

[Gloriane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what it is about winter that makes me want to read about living in the country, but this is so much more than a memoir of growing up on a farm. It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read -- lyrical, passionate and graceful writing.

[Anne Rightler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pulling Down the Barn is a wonderful memoir by Anne-Marie Oomen, a poet and playwright. Midwestern rural life in the late 1950s, early 1960s is the setting of this collection of remembrances of a young girl trying to find her place. Telling of harsh winters, times of harvesting--cherries, asparagus, apples, driving (and crashing) a tractor for the first time, Ms. Oomen brings a lyrical story to her readers. Each chapter pulls the reader into this country family and the myriad experiences of their life on the farm. Migrant workers, massive beehives in the wall of the house, rope-swinging in the barn are just a few of the nostalgic stories retold in the book. Michelle Babb does a remarkably enjoyable job of narrating the audiobook, with excellent inflection and intonation. Pulling Down the Barn is an enchanting account of life in a different and perhaps idyllic age.

[Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

•••I listened to the Audible Audio Edition of this book•••



Farm Gods' Rejection



This is (as far as I can tell) a stand alone novel constructed of loosely connected essays.


Michelle Babb's performance makes listening to this book an enthralling and entertaining experience :)


This book was surreal. Listening to the way the girl thought and saw the world was a unique experience. I was caught up in the narrative and fully immersed even when I did not completely understand what the subject matter was :) I really enjoyed this experience!


***This title is suitable for listening(reading) by young adult through adult readers who enjoy historical fiction with a dash of fantasy :)

[Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love words and the magic spells they weave, pick up a book by this wondrous writer. She paints a montage of her life growing up in rural Michigan. Oomen is also a poet and her prose shows. Each story is like dessert; you don't want it to end.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though Oomen grew up on a farm in lower Michigan, her descriptions and experiences reminded me of my growing up years on a dairy farm in Northwestern Wisconsin. I'm thinking that my sisters would enjoy this book. It's a short, quick read.

[Jessica-sim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful book! It's a memoir of a childhood set on a farm in rural America but actually it can apply to any kind of farmer's experience. My grandfather had a farm, roses mainly but also other flowers and some vegetables, that bordered an every closing metropolitan city. He had to sell his lands in the early 2000s and that was both traumatic and a relief to the family. None of his children wanted to take over the farm, noone in the family really felt up to it anymore. Walking around in the suburbs that got built over the farmlands still is surreal. I can remember the barn for the horses, the rails where the carts turned, where we skated around one very cold winter. Fond memories. But I can also remember the stresses of losing the glass houses to a storm, pesticide rules changing all the time, asbestos.... it's a hard life.

I think connecting one's own experiences to the life of someone else is what makes memoires valuable to read. This book is also written very invitingly too, it is a series of essays that can be read as standalones but interlink to form a narrative arc too. The audiobook I listened to is narrated in a way that suits this personal story very well, the moments are quietly told and carefully nuanced, glimpses into the author's life.

[Rich Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I started listening to this I thought it moved too slowly and I had a hard time wanting to continue. But that was about me and not the book because as I continued, and increased the speed of the narrator as I can on Audible and often do, I discovered a jewel of a book with memories that were real. The author tells individual stories of growing up on a farm and what that was for her. Her account of her family and the love she experienced and the interactions she had with her siblings, which rang true, kept me listening until the end.

The narrator did an excellent job of bringing me into the story with her variations in her voice with emotion but not too much emotion because the story didn’t fit that.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed reading this....such a comforting and nostalgic memoir of her life growing up in rural Michigan. It reminded me of how during the summer months, vegetables from our garden were on our table every night and we ran though sprinklers to cool off as they watered whatever they were set to water. Loved it!

[C.A. Scrimshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio version of this book, the memoir was interesting but difficult to listen to, I found the chipped narration was almost like listening to a computer generated text to speech. I was given a free code to purchase the book for an honest review so felt compelled to finish it. I did have to keep breaking off as I found myself zoning out with the narration.

[Deedra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memories of a rural childhood.The author seldom feels part of the family.I enjoyed the stories of her tracto snafu the most!Michelle Babb was a fine narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'

[Pamella B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed her descriptive writing of childhood on a farm. I laughed, exclaimed "Oh no! " and even shed a tear or two.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an engaging book and puts you right there with the Oomen family. Beautifully written with wonderful character development.

[Dee Gurganus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I definitely had a like/hate relationship with this book. This was an audio version of the book that i "read". Michelle Babb was the reader. She did a wonderful job with the various characters and voices. The book is another thing all together. The book is basically a set of short stories about Anne Marie's upbringing. For the most part the stories were interesting and brought back lots of memories for me. But at times, the story was hard to follow and bounced around from time to time. It seemed like a lot rambling with no focus then you were bad in the original story. There was also a lot of words that seemed way beyond the vocabulary of a child that appeared out of place. While I appreciate listening to it, I would not put it high on a "to read" list.

[Katey Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brief, intimate, compelling, and vivid. This is lyrical memoir at it's best and most inviting. I teach from this book, re-read it, and think of it again and again. It has stayed with me in my mind's eye for more than five years!

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many interwoven short stories about growing up on a Michigan farm. The overall premise is good, but the tales sometimes ramble.



The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed.


“This audiobook was given by the narrator at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."

[Dawn]

A series of short stories. I tried the first three, not for me. Very boring, hardly any plot, long on description, just a series of images.