Recommendations based on The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need on Just a Quarter Acre!by Carleen Madigan

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love

    by Kristin Kimball
    A woman's journey of self-discovery, finding purpose and love in the farming life.

    From a “graceful, luminous writer with an eye for detail” (,Minneapolis Star Tribune,), this riveting memoir explores a year on a sustainable farm. When Kristin Kimball left New York City to ... (Barnes & Noble)

  2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

    by Barbara Kingsolver
    A family's journey to eat locally grown, sustainable food.

    Author Barbara Kingsolver and her family abandoned the industrial-food pipeline to live a rural life—vowing that, for one year, they'd only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it ... (Goodreads)

  3. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

    by Ann Voskamp
    A memoir of finding joy in the midst of pain and suffering by cultivating gratitude and mindfulness.

    MORE THAN ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD, New York Times, bestselling author Ann Voskamp invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's ... (Barnes & Noble)

  4. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide

    by Nicholas D. Kristof
    Examining the global struggle of women and how to empower them in the face of oppression.

    From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world. With Pulitzer ... (Goodreads)

  5. Father and I Were Ranchers

    by Ralph Moody
    A boy's coming-of-age story, learning the values of hard work and perseverance while growing up on a ranch.

    Ralph Moody was eight years old in 1906 when his family moved from New Hampshire to a Colorado ranch. Through his eyes we experience the pleasures and perils of ranching there early in the twentieth ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

    by Michael Pollan
    Exploration of the modern food chain, examining the impact of food choices on our health and the environment.

    What should we have for dinner? The question has confronted us since man discovered fire, but according to Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Botany of Desire , how we answer it today, at ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Pragmatic Programmer: From Journeyman to Master

    by Andy Hunt
    A guide to mastering the craft of programming, using practical techniques and approaches.

    Straight from the programming trenches,, The Pragmatic Programmer, cuts through the increasing specialization and technicalities of modern software development to examine the core process–taking a ... (Goodreads)

  8. Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer

    by James L. Swanson
    A detailed account of the 12-day manhunt for John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln.

    The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history – the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth. From April 14 to April 26, 1865, the assassin led Union cavalry troops ... (Barnes & Noble)

  9. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman

    by Robert K. Massie
    A biography of Catherine the Great, the powerful and controversial Empress of Russia, who transformed her country and left a lasting legacy.

    “[A] tale of power, perseverance and passion . . . a great story in the hands of a master storyteller.”—,The Wall Street Journal, The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and ... (Barnes & Noble)

  10. Half Broke Horses

    by Jeannette Walls
    A novel based on the life of the author's grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, a resilient and adventurous woman who overcomes numerous obstacles in the American West.

    Jeannette Walls's memoir The Glass Castle was "nothing short of spectacular" (Entertainment Weekly). Now, in Half Broke Horses, she brings us the story of her grandmother, told in a first-person ... (Goodreads)

  11. Infidel

    by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
    A memoir of a woman's journey of faith, identity, and self-liberation.

    One of today’s most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened that she would ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

    by Benjamin Franklin
    A recount of the life of Benjamin Franklin, and his rise to success and influence.

    Written initially to guide his son, Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography is a lively, spellbinding account of his unique and eventful life, now a classic of world literature that is sure to inspire and ... (Goodreads)

  13. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

    by Elizabeth Gilbert
    Overcoming the fear of creativity and living an inspired life.

    Readers of all ages and walks of life have drawn inspiration and empowerment from Elizabeth Gilbert’s books for years. Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us ... (Goodreads)

  14. Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith

    by Anne Lamott
    A memoir of the author's journey towards faith, filled with humor, honesty, and raw emotion.

    Despite–or because of--her irreverence, faith is a natural subject for Anne Lamott. Since Operating Instructions and Bird by Bird , her fans have been waiting for her to write the book that explained ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making

    by Alana Chernila
    A guide to making pantry staples from scratch, including bread, cheese, and condiments, with recipes and tips for beginners.

    “This is my kitchen. Come on in, but be prepared—it might not be quite what you expect. There is flour on the counter, oats that overflowed onto the floor, chocolate-encrusted spoons in the sink. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. Happier at Home: Kiss More, Jump More, Abandon a Project, Read Samuel Johnson, and My Other Experiments in the Practice of Everyday Life

    by Gretchen Rubin
    A memoir and self-help book about finding happiness at home through small experiments and changes in daily routines.

    In the spirit of her blockbuster #1, New York Times, bestseller, The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin embarks on a new project to make home a happier place., One Sunday afternoon, as she unloaded ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

    by David Sedaris
    A humorous collection of autobiographical essays reflecting on family relationships.

    David Sedaris plays in the snow with his sisters. He goes on vacation with his family. He gets a job selling drinks. He attends his brother’s wedding. He mops his sister’s floor. He gives directions ... (Goodreads)

  18. That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea

    by Marc Randolph
    Co-founder Marc Randolph shares the story of how Netflix went from a small startup to a global entertainment powerhouse.

    In the tradition of Phil Knight's, Shoe Dog, comes the incredible untold story of how Netflix went from concept to company-all revealed by co-founder and first CEO Marc Randolph. Once upon a time, ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

    by John Berendt
    A journalist's exploration of a mysterious murder in Savannah, Georgia.

    A sublime and seductive reading experience. This portrait of a beguiling Southern city was a best-seller (though a flop as a movie). ~ Shots rang out in Savannah's grandest mansion in the misty, ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Gourmet Cookbook: More than 1000 recipes

    by Ruth Reichl
    A comprehensive cookbook with over 1000 recipes, covering a wide range of cuisines and cooking techniques.

    For the past six decades, Gourmet magazine has shaped the tastes of America, publishing the best work of the foremost names in the world of food. To create this landmark cookbook, editor in chief and ... (Goodreads)

  21. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal

    by Eric Schlosser
    An exploration of the industrial food system and its effects on U.S. society.

    Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list ... (Goodreads)

  22. The God Delusion

    by Richard Dawkins
    Scientific exploration of the evidence for and against religious belief.

    A preeminent scientist - and the world's most prominent atheist - asserts the irrationality of belief in God, and the grievous harm religion has inflicted on society, from the Crusades to 9/11. With ... (Goodreads)

  23. Growing Up Amish

    by Ira Wagler
    A memoir of a man's journey from the strict and isolated Amish community to the modern world.

    Ira Wagler was born in 1961, the ninth of a Canadian Amish couple's eleven children. At seventeen, in the dark of night, he left the religious settlement, but it was only nine years later that he ... (Goodreads)

  24. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time

    by Greg Mortenson
    A man's mission to build schools in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan to promote peace.

    The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban’s backyard Anyone who despairs of the individual’s ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business

    by Charles Duhigg
    Uncovering the science of habit formation and how to use it to achieve success.

    A young woman walks into a laboratory. Over the past two years, she has transformed almost every aspect of her life. She has quit smoking, run a marathon, and been promoted at work. The patterns ... (Goodreads)

  26. The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City

    by David Lebovitz
    A journey of culinary exploration in Paris, uncovering the secrets of its food culture.

    From the, New York Times, bestselling author of, My Paris Kitchen, and, L'Appart,, a deliciously funny, offbeat, and irreverent look at the city of lights, cheese, chocolate, and other confections., ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

    by Marion Cunningham
    Classic cookbook with over 1,400 recipes, including traditional American dishes and international cuisine.

    Here is the great basic American cookbook–with more than 1,990 recipes, plain and fancy--that belongs in every household. Originally published in 1896 as The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie ... (Goodreads)

  28. Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid

    by Denis Leary
    A humorous take on American culture, politics, and society, with a focus on self-deprecating humor and satire.

    A hilarious blast of scathing irreverence from the award-winning actor and comedian . "A pissed off Leary is the best Leary," says one critic of the writer and comic. In Why We Suck , Dr. Denis Leary ... (Goodreads)

  29. A Woman After God's Own Heart

    by Elizabeth George
    A guide to faith and spiritual growth, helping readers discover their purpose in life.

    Change Your Priorities to Change Your Life and Your Home, You will experience peace, order, and joy when you follow God's guidelines for every area of your life, and best of all, you will become a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. I Have Lived a Thousand Years

    by Livia Bitton-Jackson
    The Holocaust memoir of a teenage girl who survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

    What is death all about? What is life all about? So wonders thirteen-year-old- Elli Friedmann, just one of the many innocent Holocaust victims, as she fights for her life in a concentration camp. It ... (Goodreads)