At a glance: One of the seminal books on composting, Let It Rot is an entertaining read that mostly demystifies the process, though it’s occasionally let down by confusing or outdated elements.
Let It Rot by Stu Campbell has been on my reading list for a while. First published in the 1970s, this book has earned acclaim as a guide to composting. That said, it’s an older book, last updated in 1998. How does it compare to the best modern composting books? Let’s find out…
What’s to like?
Let It Rot is a pleasure to read, clearly making the case for composting with plenty of humor, personal anecdotes and cartoons. That makes it a pleasant contrast to other books on composting, which can get a bit dry and technical!
And yes, there are charts and tables which are more suited to experienced composters, but beginners can easily skip these and focus on the text and cartoons.
For the most part the book also does a good job of simplifying composting. Campbell reminds us that composting is a natural process, and while there are ways to accelerate it, compost will happen even if we just, well, “let it rot.”
For a slim book, there’s also a lot of information contained. Stu gives a solid introduction to the materials we can use (in a more digestible way than the Roedale Book of Composting) and explores several methods of composting.
What’s not to like?
For a book that aims (and, to be fair, mostly succeeds) in demystifying composting, there are a handful of areas where it is rather confusing, inaccurate or makes composting more technical than it needs to be for a beginner.
One example is where it deals with the mixture of carbon and nitrogen. Stu Campbell advises adding 2-3 pounds of nitrogen material to every 100 pounds of carbon material. This could be a little confusing for a new composter, as different compost materials contain varying ratios of nitrogen and carbon.. For a book which aims to demystify composting, it would be simpler to give a rule of thumb such as adding one part green (high nitrogen materials) to one or two parts brown (high carbon materials).
I do think the structure, while not unusable, could have been better. At times I would be reading the book thinking the author had missed something out, only for it to turn up later in the book in a place I didn’t expect it. For instance, a basic technique such as layering compost appears later in the book under the chapter “What to Consider Before Building a Compost Pile”. If you were using a compost bin, you might have completely missed this.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the book is rather outdated. It’s true that the core principles of composting don’t tend to change, but I do think there’s too much emphasis on older composting techniques (such as the Indore method) and less emphasis on more modern solutions (such as insulated compost bins.)
Verdict
A mixture of humour, gentle but sincere passion and personal stories made Let it Rot a pleasure to read. There’s also plenty of information that will help anyone to get started, even if its goal of demystifying composting stumbles occasionally.
That said, for a more accessible guide to composting, I’d recommend choosing Composting for a New Generation instead. It’s easier to follow, includes color photos, and provides clear plans for all types of composting projects. If you’re interested in traditional methods, The Rodale Book of Composting offers a deeper dive into older techniques.
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