A Can of Peas

Rating:
Summary: What a surprise!
Review: I had no idea what I was in for when I picked up this book. A Can of Peas? What's that mean? I sure didn't know. But by the end of the book, it was pretty clear where the author was coming from, and I was totally on board with her.

See, it's all about this little farm community, Lake Emily, who, because of their closeness, are kind of like a can of peas. Shoulder to shoulder. All in it together. Plus, peas--that's the main crop they're all harvesting.

Take it from me, if you start this book you won't be able to put it down. There's just too much going on here that you'll want to know about. A winner, for sure!

Rating:
Summary: Lures you in, and leaves you wanting more
Review: This lovely little first novel focuses on a Middle Western couple who leave the big city to run the ancestral farm. I was quickly drawn into their lives, as well as the lives of Lake Emily's citizens. The story is sweet without being cloying. Mae's struggles, both maritial and spiritual, felt genuine and believable to me. The book has some weaknesses. Some of the writing is awkward and Mae's relationship with her mother seems less than plausible. But for the most part, the characters and setting rang so true that I felt as if I had experienced them myself. I found myself thinking the other day "Now what does this remind me of? Mae and Peter's situation, of course." I'd forgotten for a moment that they were character in a book, and not people I'd met. Which is high praise, I think. I look forward to the DePree's next book.

Rating:
Summary: You had me at hello
Review: From page one I was hooked. Great premise, great writing, and well. . . just great! Heart-felt and real, this is one to pass along to your friends.

Also recommended: FRIED GREEN TOMATOES and BARK OF THE DOGWOOD

Rating:
Summary: A Can Of Pleasure
Review: A Can of Peas by Traci Depree is a most inviting book. The characters are so real in a small town way. Peter and Mae are newly weds trying to find their way and their purpose in life. They come to Lake Emily to Peter's grandfather's farm to start their dream. They are so endearing to the reader. Their lives are met with challenges one after the other but they have good values and tenacity to struggle for their dreams. All the characters have good solid substance and you are drawn into their lives as though you are there. Traci Depree has found her way! I can't wait to read her next book.

Rating:
Summary: Farm fresh and sparkling with morning dew
Review: Oh, what a pleasure this book is. Redemption, grace, and kindness nurture the story just as sun, water, and tender care nurture a family farm. Story lines of family and friends line up like rows of peas, beans, and corn in the fields that march across the heart of America.
Peter and May face a huge decision when Peter's grandfather dies, and, tantalized by the romance of the notion, they choose to abandon city life/careers and try to save the family farm in rural Minnesota. Predictably, the stress and strain of such a choice puts a cramp in their marriage - and their dream is in danger of withering on the vine.
Wonderful story, wonderful storytelling, wonderful author. Try it. You'll never look at the shining produce in the stalls of a farmers' market thru the same eyes.

Rating:
Summary: We All Need A Lake Emily
Review: A Can of Peas is the first book in the Lake Emily series and is a comforting read. It is very reminscient of Jan Karon's Mitford series. The characters are introduced by a couple of pages of history at the beginning of the chapters, which I found very interesting. Peter, Mae and Virginia grabbed my heart from the beginning and the additional people just marched in behind them. This book is a reminder of how hard and how good and how rewarding life is if we take care of each other and allow the Lord to lead us.

Rating:
Summary: Best book I've read this year
Review: Every once in a while a book comes along that just completely captures my imagination. A Can of Peas is such a book. No, it's not flashy, no it's not a typical "page turner," but it's got a whole lot more staying power than all those glitzy thrillers that dominate the best seller lists. The characters are so well drawn that by the end of the book you feel you really know them. And the whole premise of a professional city boy going back to the family farm strikes me as completely true to life.

Want something truly uplifting? Try A Can of Peas

Rating:
Summary: It's the First Time I've Liked Peas!
Review: Traci DePree takes us away to Lake Emily, a quiet little southern Minnesota hamlet where life revolves around the cycles of the earth, weather, and crops. The story introduces us to Peter, a dissatisfied professional searching for something more in life. That something becomes farming -- working the land so lovingly tilled by his late grandfather. Peter and his wife Mae, a city girl who is skeptical of living in the fishbowl of small town life, set out to begin a new life amongst the kindly residents of Lake Emily.

This story provides the reader with insights into so many things -- the sorrow of loss, the power of faith, the contentment and hardships found in farm life, the longing for approval, the joy of enduring love, and the anchor of true community. All these themes, and more, are woven seamlessly into a delightful tale that is a true mirror of life in so many ways.

Some may find that Lake Emily is too idyllic -- that the town and its people have so few warts that it is too good to be true. That is a fair complaint for those looking for prose that is a bit deeper and darker.

But perhaps a certain idealism is the charm of A Can of Peas. The seeming perfection of Lake Emily is something we dream about, and its people are the good-hearted neighbors we seek, but seldom find, in our own communities.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely loved this book
Review: Of the three books that I've recently read, (McCrae's BARK OF THE DOGWOOD, Martel's LIFE OF PI, and this one) A CAN OF PEAS is by far my favorite. The other two are excellent, don't get me wrong, but Traci DePress's book takes first prize. With its wonderful characters and plot, this stellar addition to American literature will definitely stay around for a while.

Would also recommend "Bark of the Dogwood--A Tour of Southern Homes and Gardens" for a great read. Very well written.

Rating:
Summary: Truly a heartwarming story......
Review: "A Can of Peas" is a wonderful read - funny, touching and true to life with all its joys, sorrows and quirky moments. Grab this book, curl up in your favorite chair and you will find yourself entwined in the lives of the characters of Lake Emily. When you're finished be sure to read the sequel, "Dandelions in a Jelly Jar".