As a kid, I was an avid reader. Like most of us, though, with adulthood brought time eaters and reading became a much-missed pleasure. Can you believe I haven’t even read a single Harry Potter? Before you reach for the vapors, I did at least see the movies. 
So last week when I received an email requesting that I please do a book review, I was torn. Part of me was thrilled at the chance to actually READ a book all the way through. The other part was thinking, “Holy crap! When am I going to have time to actually read a book?†Well the heavens must have heard me. The inlaws came down to Disney for a visit. OH DARN, I have to do a book review, you go ahead honey. Hee hee!
OK, so enough already. Let me tell you about the best book I think I’ve read in the gardening genre. “Backyard Giants†by Susan Warren was a thrill to read. I picked it up Sunday morning after sending honey bunches off to Disney and I honestly didn’t put it down for another 240 pages. If I had to let the dogs out, it went with me. Phone rang, they went to voicemail.
I was totally pulled into the story of Dick and Ron Wallace and their quest for a record breaking giant pumpkin. This story has it all – there are assassins, mad scientists, sex (of the pumpkin variety!) and drama at every turn of the page. I know you may be thinking, “drama? You did say this was about pumpkins, right?†Think about it this way; remember how mad you were when bunnies invaded your garden? All that hard work gone in an instant. Or when your tomatoes got smited with blight? No yummy sandwiches for you? Ok, now think of it on a grand scale. Your tomato is now 1300+ pounds and could set a world record. You’ve worked an entire year for your baby to make it to the weigh off – only the day before it splits open and no longer qualifies. That’s what these giant pumpkin growers face. That’s drama!
Susan Warren, the author of Backyard Giants is the deputy bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal in Dallas, Texas. She is also an avid gardener. She was able to ride shotgun with Ron and Dick Wallace over the course of the 2006 season. Her writing is insightful and funny. There were many places in the book where I thought, “Oh, I could do that!†and just a few pages later, “No, I’ll just grow my little pumpkins and be happy…†Her writing made me feel these growers jubilation and their exasperation at every turn.
To wrap it up, I hope you can tell I really loved Backyard Giants. If you’re looking for a great end of summer read or something that will make you feel better if your tomatoes suddenly got whacked with fungus, this is the book. If you have been thinking you’d like to try your hand at growing a truly giant fruit, this is a great primer on what you’ll be facing.