Customer Reviews

American Farmer: The Heart of Our Country

5 star:		(75)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is hands down the best Christmas gift I've ever given. I have 14 copies and have not been able to wait for Christmas to present them to the recipients. Most of my family received them on Thanksgiving day. I come from a farm family, most of my relatives have at one point been immersed in agriculture. This book brought many of them to tears. The joy on my grandmother's face as she flipped the pages one by one was priceless. Not only is the book itself a great conversation piece, it also helped recollect memories from the past. Many stories of farm life have been shared since the book made it's way into our lives. Our copy lives on the coffee table. No other book shall ever take it's place. Thank you Paul from the depths of my soul.

Memorable images. Beautiful prose from the mouths of the interviewed farmers. A testament to a difficult, but rewarding way of life. A warning that we should keep our farms viable so that our food comes from home.

If you have ever been a farmer, lived in a farming community or know farmers, the faces show the character, ethos, the hard-working dignity of farmers across our country.
The photography is sharp and the photographer captured the lives of American Farmers without needing much text to describe them.
An excellent snapshot of a way of life in our country.

I was watching 'This Week in Agribusiness' and they had a wonderful piece on this book. The images they showed were so full of emotive impact that I knew I would have to buy this book so I could know the stories behind them. As a poet and farmer, I found these photos especially moving. I want to thank all involved with this book for making it possible for the public to have some insight into a fading lifestyle that has long been the backbone of our nation. This book is a must see for ALL people!

Once again, Thank you.

Leah Westphal

A friend has this book and I picked it up off their table expecting to just see great photos. But this book isn't just amazing photos, they are paired with great short biographies about many of the farmers. The writing is so good that I started reading it and couldn't put the book down!! Between the photos and the writing you really feel like you get to know these guys, and it makes you love farmers and the kind of "good people" they are even more. I grew up on a farming community and I think this book absolutely GETS real farmers. It's truly a better book that I thought it would be just picking it up! You won't be able to put it down! I already bought one as a Christmas gift and plan to get one for myself too.

This is the most beautiful book of photography I've ever seen. It's hard cover, very large and heavy and worth much more than the going price. It pictures the heart of America--our farmers. The forgotten men and women who work so hard to make a living and make America survive. On every other page appears a photographic wonder by Paul Mobley accompanied, on the opposite page, by a history of the farm given by the subject(s). Most of the photos are in color but some are also in black and white, and others in brown tones. The pictures that Mr. Mobley took, are from all across these United States. Every line, wrinkle, age spot and gray appear as they should--vivid!! The bright blues, greens, reds, yellows, purples and oranges literally jump off the pages. I recommend this book to everyone--farmers and photographers alike, children, teachers and all those who want to see what the backbone of America really looks like. sandi angel

Paging through this book made be realize I miss our farm. It wasn't a big place in NJ (100 acres) but it was my life growing up. Our farm was my father's hobby and we sold it after he died. The pages of this book bring back the memories of the local farmers I met and knew in my early years. Real people, no fluff, no spin, what Americans ought to be. Unapologetic for who and what they are. I love this country.

I have now ordered 3 copies of this book and plan to order more as Christmas gifts. This book has more heart felt meaning than any book I have ever owned. The authentic quotes of these strong people and the photos that capture the ruggedness of their lives. These are exactly the photos I wanted for my book Strong Medicine For The Liver, Strong Photos for Strong Words. American Farmer is without a doubt the gift that keeps on giving. I have given away 2 and watched as their breath was taken away. They were each overwhelmed with a complexity of emotion. Amazing Book. Must Buy!

My office manager ordered this book for our lobby. Well I took a look and was amazed as to the stories each photo told. My patients love the pictures and comments are positive. I have ordered the book for our home and plan to surprise my wife. What a great country and look into our oldest families.


D Lawrence M.D.

An urban girl all my life, I've had a career that's taken me flying thousands of miles across the vast expanse of rural America. I'd gaze for hours from plane windows at the gorgeous and sweeping landscape of rural America, and wonder what life was would look like if I could parachute down to some of the countless farms that span the 'flyover' states. Thanks to Paul Mobley's loving homage to America's farmers, this lush and beautiful book brings readers into the extraordinary lives of our country's unsung heroes and heroines who work rigorously and vigorously to put food on our tables. Mobley is clearly passionate about portraying not only the wide variety of farming, but the stuff of these farmers' souls. Each photograph captures of beauty and nobility of farmers through their eyes that gaze back with quiet pride. The colors that dazzle each page are vivid, lush and breathtaking. The black-and-whites portray the indelible and well-earned wrinkles on ther faces. This is not only a gorgeous book, but a fascinating read that provides insight into the farmer's daily life through Katrina Fried's writing. Mobley's book gives me a new and profound appreciation for farmers. Mobley's photos are not only captivating, but intoxicating, as each photo lured me to gaze at each subject until I felt that I knew them personally. Somehow Mobley's book makes me feel even more proud and lucky to be American. Sounds cory, but Mobley finally brought me down from those airplanes to witness life 'from the mountains, to the prairies,' and 'from sea to shinng sea.' This book will continue to be the beautiful nucleus of our family room's coffee table. Thanks, Paul.