Originally published in 1983. I purchased a used copy of this classic gardening book back in 2010 because my dad had a copy and LOVED it. I believe his brother, Uncle Paul, gave it to him. I do like this gardening book a lot, but I have another gardening book that I like much better, "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith, which is suggests making the environment unsuitable for pest control rather than using pesticides and insecticides. The Joy of Gardening does at least, first suggest, handpicking the insects, but then provides the chemical pesticides to use if you can't get them under control. This is just something I refuse to use on my homegrown vegetables...maybe that's why I've never really been all that successful gardening down here in the Southwest Texas where creepy crawlies and garden pests rule. Still, this one is worth keeping on my bookshelf. ( )

Copiously illustrated in colour, contains lots of information on growing specific plants (most of which seems to be valid). In 1982, single rows were the norm in North American gardens, but Raymond recommends planting in blocks, wide rows, and raised bed gardening (not with those annoying, slug-sheltering, timber beds, just hilled-up beds). He's also in favour of natural or quasi-natural pest control rather than chemical poisons. He would have been old enough to swing a hoe in his parents' Victory Garden during WWII, so he had lots of experience by the time he came to write this book, and he clearly learned from experience. This book is a surprising gem. ( )