GOOD SOIL The Education of an Accidental Farmhand

Jeff Chu, an ordained minister in The Reformed Church in America, narrates the story of his experiences at Princeton Theological Seminary, also known as its "Farminary." Working the land and forming connections with strangers there informed his intellectual and spiritual lives. A journalist prior to seminary, Chu still writes, and both journalist and preacher are evident in his delivery of this engaging, hopeful, moving, and unhurried production. Chu, a gay, married man, states that we must know our own stories before we can help others learn theirs. His examination of his relationship with his conservative Chinese parents may lend support to others who are navigating difficult family terrain. Chu's thoughtful, poignant memoir is accompanied by an excellent recipe for fried rice. S.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2025]