The Bucolic Plague

How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir

By: Josh Kilmer-Purcell

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

A happy series of accidents and a doughnut-laden escape upstate take Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner, Brent Ridge, to the doorstep of the magnificent (and fabulously for sale) Beekman Mansion. And so begins their transformation from uptight urbanites into the 200-year-old-mansion-owning Beekman Boys. Suddenly Josh---a full-time New Yorker with a successful advertising career---and Brent find themselves weekend farmers, surrounded by nature's bounty and an eclectic cast: roosters who double as a wedding cover band; Bubbly, the bionic cat; and a herd of goats, courtesy of their new caretaker, Farmer John.

The Bucolic Plague is a tart and sweet, touching and laugh-out-loud funny story about goats, mud, homemade soap, approaching middle age, and finding new depths of love and commitment wherever you live.

©2010 Josh Kilmer-Purcell (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Kilmer-Purcell fertilizes this narrative until it reeks of charm." ( The New York Times)

Entertaining

Loved this book overall! Funny and a great treatise on the folly of perfectionism. Loved the descriptions of the protagonists, a gay power couple, going from successful New York life to farmers in the historic Beekman Mansion in the New York countryside. Their various struggles with this dramatic transition, juggling jobs in the city, the realities of farm life, and their own relationship, are both humorous and tragic. I found parts of the book repetitive, but actually, never boring. A romp. And better for it's being an intriguing, true story!

So Funny and Sweet

Would you consider the audio edition of The Bucolic Plague to be better than the print version?

Equal

Who was your favorite character and why?

Brent and Josh and Polka Dot

What about Johnny Heller’s performance did you like?

Yes

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

Yes! and I did twice.

Any additional comments?

This is a great story. I already ordered the soap for my son who is allergic to everything and it is working great on him!!

Unsure at first but I ended up really liking it!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Bucolic Plague to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Bubby the cat, of course!

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

(spoiler)
Near the end when they were not sure if they would be together or even keep the Beekman. The writing captured that sadness and loss.

Any additional comments?

I liked Josh's first book even though I considered it so sad, so I chose this one. The opening scene did not grab me and I didn't like the reader for that scene BUT I decided to stick with it and I'm so glad I did. Once we got into the story I was hooked right into it and I quickly changed my mind about the reader.
Lesson learned - keep an open mind when you start an audio book. The reader can make or break a story but give them a full chance!
I was sad the book ended because I wanted to just keep hearing about their adventures at the Beekman.

entertaining and enlightening

this was a great, light listen. really interesting to hear the full story of how this brand came to be!

Loved it!

What a wonderful, honest & refreshing memoir. Thank you for sharing it with us! Top notch!

Did not want this book to end!

Loved this book! It made me smile knowing there are others that go through good times and hard times and feel the same emotions I do. But....we keep on going.....somehow... and buy our seeds so to speak and hope for a brighter future.

loved it

a wonderful book- fun and funny, but unflinchingly honest about the struggles of life and relationships.

Real and Funny

This book is like a breath of fresh air, real and funny. The performace was excellent.

Great beach listen

Great listen though I think the narrator could have been better. Coming from a "rowhouse" in Philadelphia, upon moving 15 miles outside the city limits, I purchased an end unit "townhouse". I then felt I had to get a riding mower since the lawn was bigger than a postage stamp. I can so feel their pain, especially having Martha Stewart as a friend. Very enjoyable.

Bye bye city, hello country

I wander what Martha thinks of this book? It's a well written chronicle of the two city boys trying to find the farming skills they need to save the Beekman mansion, only to finally realise that their urban savvy is what they needed all along. A really honest and forthright read.