The Bucolic Plague

National Bestseller

What happens when two New Yorkers (one an ex–drag queen) do the unthinkable: start over, raise a herd of kids, and get a little dirty

A happy series of accidents and a doughnut-laden escape upstate take Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner, Brent Ridge, to the doorstep of the magnificent (and fabulously for sale) Beekman Mansion. And so begins their transformation from uptight urbanites into the two-hundred-year-old-mansion-owning Beekman Boys. Suddenly Josh—a full-time New Yorker with a successful advertising career—and Brent find themselves weekend farmers, surrounded by nature's bounty and an eclectic cast: roosters who double as a wedding cover band; Bubby, the bionic cat; and a herd of goats, courtesy of their new caretaker, Farmer John.

The Bucolic Plague is a tart and sweet, touching and laugh-out-loud funny story about goats, mud, homemade soap, approaching middle age, and finding new depths of love and commitment wherever you live.

“This particular merging of city and country is both sweet and savory.”

"Kilmer-Purcell fertilizes this narrative until it reeks of charm." -- New York Times "Enter 60 goats and homemade soap, apple-picking and an heirloom vegetable garden. Hilarity follows. And trouble. But let's not spoil the party. It's fun." -- USA Today "The Bucolic Plague has something different to offer-if we can do it anyone can, it tells us, provided we can laugh at ourselves." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review "Side-splitting." -- Wall Street Journal "A hilarious memoir." -- Whole Living "The witty new memoir from Josh Kilmer-Purcell." -- Food & Wine, Online Review "Always entertaining and often moving." -- The Stranger (Seattle) "Baby goats, diarrhea, and Martha Stewart. Former drag queen turned goat farmer Josh Kilmer-Purcell begins his latest book, The Bucolic Plague, with a hilarious vignette involving all three. Clearly, the man has an interesting story to tell." -- Wisconsin State Journal "Kilmer-Purcell writes with dramatic flair and trenchant wit, uncovering mirthful metaphors as he plows through their daily experiences." -- Publishers Weekly "" -- Kirkus Reviews "I adore the Beekman boys' story. Their unlikely story of love, the land, and a herd of goats is hilariously honest. If these two can go from Manhattan to a goat farm in upstate New York, then I can't help feeling there is hope for us all." -- Alice Waters "I gobbled up this book like...well, like goat cheese on a cracker. Kilmer-Purcell's genius lies in his ability to blindside the reader with heart-wrenching truths in the midst of the most outlandish scenarios. He makes you laugh until you care." -- Armistead Maupin "A delicious book about two city boys who buy a farm, fall in love with a herd of goats, and attempt to revive the American dream... Never has mucking out a stall been more scintillating!" -- Alison Smith, author of Name All the Animals "My Amtrak seat mate in the Quiet Car, a complete stranger, insisted that I read out loud the scene -- a goat in labor -- that was making me laugh so hard I was crying... Kilmer-Purcell's book is manically funny, sweetly open and trusting, and slick and snarky." -- New York Times Book Review

In the 1990s Josh Kilmer–Purcell was a world renowned drag queen by night and an award–winning advertising creative by day. Josh and his partner divide their time between Manhattan and a goat farm in upstate New York

National Bestseller What happens when two New Yorkers (one an ex-drag queen) do the unthinkable: start over, raise a herd of kids, and get a little dirty? A happy series of accidents and a doughnut-laden escape upstate take Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his partner, Brent Ridge, to the doorstep of the magnificent (and fabulously for sale) Beekman Mansion. And so begins their transformation from uptight urbanites into the two-hundred-year-old-mansion-owning Beekman Boys. Suddenly Josh--a full-time New Yorker with a successful advertising career--and Brent find themselves weekend farmers, surrounded by nature's bounty and an eclectic cast: roosters who double as a wedding cover band; Bubby, the bionic cat; and a herd of goats, courtesy of their new caretaker, Farmer John. The Bucolic Plague is a tart and sweet, touching and laugh-out-loud funny story about goats, mud, homemade soap, approaching middle age, and finding new depths of love and commitment wherever you live.

"I adore the Beekman boys' story. Their unlikely story of love, the land, and a herd of goats is hilariously honest. If these two can go from Manhattan to a goat farm in upstate New York, then I can't help feeling there is hope for us all." Alice Waters "Kilmer-Purcell's genius lies in his ability to blindside the reader with heart-wrenching truths in the midst of the most outlandish scenarios. He makes you laugh until you care." - Armistead Maupin Michael Perry (Coop, Truck: A Love Story) meets David Sedaris (Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim) in this follow-up to Josh Kilmer-Purcell's beloved New York Times bestselling debut memoir, I Am Not Myself These Days-another riotous, moving, and entirely unique story of his attempt to tackle the next phase of life with his partner… on a goat farm in upstate New York.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.