Books and beyond

Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever
by Susan Warren

Growing the world’s heaviest pumpkin has become an international sport, and this engaging book chronicles the efforts of two Rhode Island gardeners to set a record with their own behemoth gourd. Warren takes readers through an entire growing season – from fastidious seed selection to final weigh-in. Wives are neglected and bank accounts drained as the pumpkins amass 30 pounds a day, under constant threat from deer, mice, and fungus. This hilarious exposé reveals just how far some gardeners will go for one (very big) payoff.