Great Jerusalem Artichoke Circus: The Buying and Selling of the Rural American Dream

by Joseph A. Amato

Book Overview

In 1981, near the end of America's second post-World War II energy crisis, and at the onset of the nations most recent farm crisis, American Energy Farming Systems began to sell and distribute what it deemed a "providential plant" destined to be a new and saving crop--the Jerusalem Artichoke. This volume recounts this story of the bizarre intersection of evangelical Christianity, a mythical belief in the powers of a new crop, and...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816623457
• ISBN13: 9780816623457
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: University of Minnesota Press
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

The Best Book in the World. And I mean it.

A 10? Can't we go any higher? This book is definatley a 12. I cannot even explain how entertaining this book was, I have read it at least 6 times since I was given this book last March. I will only say that this is definatley one of those books that should be on the required reading lists for all schools. Overall I should say that this book is an all time best. Definate 12

Almost as good as the Necromennon

What can we say, obviously this is a book that any full-blodded American can relate to. I consider this book the finest example of pure literary skill at its finest. I especially enjoyed the chapter describing the fair as "rambunctiously Christian" with "people praising the lord at all corners". Chapter 9 says it all about the book in the 3 little words of "I love God", well, I love this book. The only reason I gave this book a 9 is because the forward by Paul Cruchow was not the best example of grammar that I would expect, even from my 3rd grade class, such phrases as "Yuck yuck, you'll love this book." and "Why if I knew how to write as good as Mr Amato I'd be a pure literary star, chuck full of star stuff, yup I wanna be like Amato, or as I like to call him, TAmato." I mean what kind of a run on no sense sentance is this? Well, I guess the rest of this book makes up for Paul's illiteracy. I would encourage the reading of this book to any person of any age. "The Great Jerusalem Artichoke Circus" is also makes a great gift. I thank Mr. Joseph A. Amato for this wonderful literary treat.

Sometimes wanting to do the "right thing" isn't right.

For a review of this book go to the Website http://www.serve.com/stevie2/artichoke.htm