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The Melon
Melons are the vegetable garden’s crown jewels—and Amy Goldman’s lifelong passion and calling. Her new book, THE MELON, will entice and educate, whether you are a passionate gardener, a locavore, or simply delight in the inherent beauty and evanescence of the fruits of the vine.
THE MELON was produced by Amy Goldman in collaboration with celebrated photographer Victor Schrager over the course of nine years. It’s a cut above their award-winning melon book MELONS FOR THE PASSIONATE GROWER, published in 2002. In the intervening years, Goldman has grown as a gardener and has learned a lot more. She has taken advantage of recent research findings that informed her thinking on crop history and best cultural practices.
THE MELON includes additional horticultural groups of melon and gives watermelon—which is less genetically diverse—more of a fair shake. Much like the word “cantaloupe,” which is used colloquially and erroneously by Americans to describe muskmelon, the word “melon” is commonly used in the United States to refer to both melon and watermelon. These vining crops belong to two different species within the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family of plants.
Melon and watermelon are now among the world’s most important vegetable crops. The 125 varieties illustrated and described in THE MELON comprise 85 melons and 40 watermelons from all over the globe. Their stories are as diverse as the melons themselves.
In addition to the stunning portraits and beauty shots and detailed descriptions of melons, THE MELON includes in-depth sections on picking and choosing melons and watermelons in the market, growing them in the garden, and saving pure heirloom seeds. Mouth-watering recipes by renowned cookbook author Mindy Fox complete the journey from seed to table.
THE MELON was produced by Amy Goldman in collaboration with celebrated photographer Victor Schrager over the course of nine years. It’s a cut above their award-winning melon book MELONS FOR THE PASSIONATE GROWER, published in 2002. In the intervening years, Goldman has grown as a gardener and has learned a lot more. She has taken advantage of recent research findings that informed her thinking on crop history and best cultural practices.
THE MELON includes additional horticultural groups of melon and gives watermelon—which is less genetically diverse—more of a fair shake. Much like the word “cantaloupe,” which is used colloquially and erroneously by Americans to describe muskmelon, the word “melon” is commonly used in the United States to refer to both melon and watermelon. These vining crops belong to two different species within the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family of plants.
Melon and watermelon are now among the world’s most important vegetable crops. The 125 varieties illustrated and described in THE MELON comprise 85 melons and 40 watermelons from all over the globe. Their stories are as diverse as the melons themselves.
In addition to the stunning portraits and beauty shots and detailed descriptions of melons, THE MELON includes in-depth sections on picking and choosing melons and watermelons in the market, growing them in the garden, and saving pure heirloom seeds. Mouth-watering recipes by renowned cookbook author Mindy Fox complete the journey from seed to table.
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
312 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2019
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 29, 2019
Author and gardener Amy Goldman is an zealous advocate for heirloom seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Her latest book, The Melon, is an expanded revamp of a book on melons she published years ago. This new version is glorious. It should be a top pick for gardener gift giving.
I got a copy of The Melon and was so enchanted by the pictures and melon stories that I immediately ordered copies of Amy's Heirloom Tomato and Compleat Squash books. AND I DO NOT GARDEN! I just love these books.
I got a copy of The Melon and was so enchanted by the pictures and melon stories that I immediately ordered copies of Amy's Heirloom Tomato and Compleat Squash books. AND I DO NOT GARDEN! I just love these books.
October 13, 2020
Photos are beautiful. Good mix of science, history and application. The book is expensive but the quality accounts for the price. The one aspect I wish were different is the font size shifts throughout.
September 5, 2022
Great book about melons. I highly recommend if you are wondering about heirloom melons. It doesn't have them all, which is completely understandable, but it has A LOT. All the melons were grown by the author over a period of many years. Beautiful pictures.
February 19, 2020
The pictures were gorgeous! Made me want to immediately start growing my own heirloom melons despite living in a west-facing apartment. How hard could it be?
October 24, 2020
Another gorgeous and informative book by Goldman. Not only are the pictures great, the history and characteristics of mouthwatering melons make this a great garden porn coffee table book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews