About Barbara Kingsolver, Steven Hopp, Camille Kingsolver and Lily Hopp Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver’s 14 books of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction include the novels The Bean Trees, The Poisonwood Bible and The Lacuna, winner of The Orange Prize for Fiction. Translated into more than 20 languages, her work has won a devoted worldwide readership and many awards, including the National Humanities Medal. Many of her books have been incorporated into the core English literature curriculum of colleges throughout the country.

As a grower of food, she traces her roots back to the family garden where she was given her own plot on which to grow one vegetable of her choice, starting at age 6. (She chose squash.) She cultivated the soil of many cities, on several continents, before settling once and for all on the Virginia farm where she now lives with her husband.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle co-author Steven Hopp received his doctorate from Indiana University, with a background in the life sciences. He has published papers in bioacoustics, ornithology, animal behavior and more recently in sustainable agriculture. He is the founder and director of the Meadowview (Va.) Farmers Guild and teaches environmental sciences at Emory & Henry College.

Co-author Camille Kingsolver studied biology at Duke University before pursuing a graduate degree and career in mental health counseling. She now lives with her husband, Reid Snow, in Washington County, Va., a few minutes away from her parents’ farm. She and Reid are expecting their first child in the fall.

Lily Hopp Kingsolver, now studying biology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, was too young to sign a publishing contract when Animal, Vegetable, Miracle debuted in 2007. Always an integral part of her family’s local food efforts and story, however, she has joined AVM’s trio of authors in writing new material for a 10^th anniversary edition, to be published in May 2017.

Chicago Public Library's One Book, One Chicago program explores Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, in the 2016-2017 season. Join us as we explore the theme of "Eat. Think. Grow" throughout the season through a variety of programs. For details on all One Book, One Chicago offerings, visit www.onebookonechicago.org.