The Pulitzer PrizeтАУwinning writer and author of CharlotteтАЩs Web documents his move from Manhattan to a saltwater farm in New England: тАЬSuperb reading.тАЭ тАФThe New Yorker
Called тАЬa mid-20thтАУcentury ThoreauтАЭ by Notre Dame Magazine, E.┬аB. WhiteтАЩs desire to live a simple life caused him to sell half his worldly goods, give up his job writing the New YorkerтАЩs тАЬNotes and CommentтАЭ editorial page, and move with his family to a saltwater farm in North Brooklin, Maine. There, White got into the nuts-and-bolts of rural lifeтАФnot without a lot of self-reflectionтАФand surrounded himself with barnyard characters, some of whom would later appear in CharlotteтАЩs Web.
One ManтАЩs Meat is WhiteтАЩs collection of pithy and unpretentious essays on such topics as living with hay fever (тАЬI understand so well the incomparable itch of eye and nose for which the only relief is to write to the President of the United StatesтАЭ), World War II (тАЬI stayed on the barn, steadily laying shingles, all during the days when Mr. Chamberlain, M. Daladier, the Duce, and the F├╝hrer were arranging their horse tradeтАЭ), and even dog training (тАЬBeing the owner of dachshunds, to me a book on dog discipline becomes a volume of inspired humorтАЭ).
Though first published in 1942, this book delivers timeless lessons on the value of living close to nature in our quest for self-discovery. With each subject broached and reflected upon, it тАЬbecomes an ardent and sobering guidebook for those of us trying to live our day-to-day lives nowтАЭ (Pif magazine).
тАЬThe most succinct, graceful and witty of essayists.тАЭ тАФSan Francisco Examiner and Chronicle
тАЬA lively record of an active inquiring mind.тАЭ тАФKirkus Reviews