Bootstrapper

From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm

De: Mardi Jo Link

Narrado por: Karen White

Poignant, irreverent, and hilarious: a memoir about survival and self-discovery, by an indomitable woman who never loses sight of what matters most.

It’s the summer of 2005, and Mardi Jo Link’s dream of living the simple life has unraveled into debt, heartbreak, and perpetually ragged cuticles. She and her husband of nineteen years have just called it quits, leaving her with serious cash-flow problems and a looming divorce. More broke than ever, Link makes a seemingly impossible resolution: to hang on to her century-old farmhouse in northern Michigan and continue to raise her three boys on well water and wood chopping and dirt. Armed with an unfailing sense of humor and three resolute accomplices, Link confronts blizzards and foxes, learns about Zen divorce and the best way to butcher a hog, dominates a zucchini-growing contest and wins a year’s supply of local bread, masters the art of bargain cooking, wrangles rampaging poultry, and withstands any blow to her pride in order to preserve the life she wants.

With an infectious optimism that would put Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm to shame and a deep appreciation of the natural world, Link tells the story of how, over the course of one long year, she holds on to her sons, saves the farm from foreclosure, and finds her way back to a life of richness and meaning on the land she loves.

Thought provoking and humorous

This was my first audible book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will probably listen to another of Mardi Jo's books.

Delightful Memoir!

Would you listen to Bootstrapper again? Why?

A delightful memoir! Both heartwarming and funny, her story had you rooting for her and her wonderful boys from the very beginning. I knew I loved her when she said the only things that scared her were big hairy spiders and chainsaws…so true. I hope the author receives all the success and happiness she so richly deserves.

so so

entertaining at times but best way to describe it is "eh" . Takes place in a place I know well so wanted to like it. oh well.

Bootstrapper

What made the experience of listening to Bootstrapper the most enjoyable?

I just enjoyed how she turned a horrible time into an amazing one, she kept her head held high and did the best she could do.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bootstrapper?

The thing that annoyed me the most was that she bought meat chickens and didn't butcher them she just gave them away. She is on a farm there is always going to be death as well as life. I get 50+ meat birds (turkeys and meat chickens) every year and dispatch them myself because i do it humanly not send them off to some dirty slaughter house.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I liked when she finally got together with Peter

great story about a mom who will fight for her fam

Would you consider the audio edition of Bootstrapper to be better than the print version?

didnt read book

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bootstrapper?

the zucchini contest

What about Karen White’s performance did you like?

loved her voice

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

more women like this and America would be back on track