Chicken Stock Paperback – May 29, 2015

In Chicken Stock, Leslie Lytle writes about an unusual life: that of a woman farmer -- a chicken farmer, to be precise -- in Tennessee. As the novel opens, this woman, Berta Reed, has just lost her husband after a horrifying freak accident in the chicken house. The horror is compounded by the many ironies surrounding their entry into chicken farming and the bind it puts and holds Berta in.I was impressed with how Lytle eases us into the story, plunging the reader into Berta's perspective as she observes her husband's body in the funeral home. Lytle deftly introduces us to her protagonist, surrounding characters, and the situation, always showing and not telling what we need to know.Berta is a woman adrift, I felt, trapped by guilt and circumstance and the powers of industrial farming in a life of frustration and backbreaking work, where life itself is not valued and she is powerless to do anything about it.Lytle portrays these dynamics and the workings of a farm in intimate detail -- at times, for me, too much detail: the inner workings of a feeding machine, talk of the "individual feed conversion ratios" lost me on occasion. But aside from those quibbles, the novel gave me a good sense of the difficult choices that face farmers like Berta.Mirroring Berta's personality and situation, I felt the plot was a bit "adrift" too, that it could have been more clearly and deliberately structured to give me as a reader a sense of drive toward a goal instead of drifting from one situation and problem to the next. (Perhaps as a pendant to the need for a clearer structure, the novel needs a thorough copy-edit as well. Editor, where were you?)But Berta's fully developed character, as well as dynamic secondary characters such as her young son Al, and even their sweet puppy Friendly and pet hen Henrietta, kept me engaged throughout the book. This is an appealing set of people to follow through a phase of life.Read this book to discover an interesting woman -- a town girl who became a farm wife and then a farmer, who is flawed yet lovable, who treasures growing things, hears music wherever she goes, and who is tough yet sensitive and refuses to accept injustice. Read it to learn about the realities of industrial agriculture and how they play out in the lives of individuals.

Fiction, as it is lived right here on the Cumberland Plateau, in SE Tennessee, takes the reader on a journey like many live today. It is honest, heartfelt and touches the core of so many families trying to survive in today's rural, farming communities. What happened to the American dream?What happened to the hard work ethic so many have ingrained in their very fiber of existence? Leslie Lytle so gracefully brings to light many issues that are gradually destroying this very American dream; how can we help or care if we do not know? Even though we don't want to admit it, the BIG BUSINESS has turned agriculture into a money making, dishonest and less than wholesome livelihood that would sadden prior generations of hard working Americans who PROUDLY brought "the farm to the table" in America. The greed of the BIG GUY has trickled down to the farmer who has to "play by the rules" or else their families and farms suffer.

What can be more important than knowledge regarding the food we eat and feed our families? As this book shows us "farm to table" is clearly not what it used to be and this story of the corporate middle-man is not a pretty one. (Warning: you may never look at those mouth-watering buffalo wings in quite the same way again.) But there is a lot more here than just some useful insight regarding our food sources and industry exploitation. In this exceptional debut novel a young widow struggles to keep her farm while raising her young son even as she deals with the inevitable grief, loneliness and new challenges of being a single parent. Berta is an unforgettable character and her story is told in language filled with poetic imagery, southern rhythms, and flashes of humor.

When I finished this engrossing novel, I wanted Berta, the central figure, to be my new best friend forever. A small bonus popped up when I ordered my copy: Amazon's Matchbook program offered me a Kindle edition for $2.99! As a "southern girl," albeit a generation older than Berta, I found that the setting and characters ring so very true. A bonus is fascinating information about sustainable farming, from this authentic farmer-writer, Leslie Lytle.

Superb, insightful, idealistic, maintains keen interest throughout, Thoroughly professional, though humane.A most worthy addition to the literature and our conscience.

From the very first page, I was engaged and worried for the main character. How on earth was she going to pull through this? At every turn, something was going wrong and you could feel the insurmountable troubles heaping high. I've read many a debut novel—this one packs a hell-uv-a punch. Very polished. Very real. You'll rethink your next chicken nugget. Can't wait for her next novel.

Lytle’s novel is an engaging and hopeful read about divisive subjects such as how we feed ourselves, how we create “right livelihood”, and how we organize ourselves into systems and structures that alienate us from ourselves. The story is powerful because it is told through the eyes of a likable young widow and single parent, somebody with whose plights many of us empathetically identify. Berta’s initial attempt to live the American Dream is not foiled because of lack of commitment, hard work or willingness to take risks, but rather by corporate forces which make her stumble every step of the way. Transcending these barriers requires creativity, resilience and reliance on values which honor all of life, rather than on short term economic gain.Lytle’s story is an important one to tell, and because she never strikes a preachy or moralistic tone, I found myself captivated. In the process I learned a lot about chicken farming— a subject, which goes way beyond my area of expertise. It woke me up, raised my level of awareness, made me reconsider my food choices and makes me wonder what contributions I can make to the development of sustainable food systems.