The Ponder Heart [Paperback]

Eudora Welty (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Dell Books; First Printing edition (1962)
• ASIN: B001VMNER2
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edna Earl Tells All There Is To Know About The Ponder Heart, May 16, 2002

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ponder Heart (Paperback)

Eudora Welty possessed a remarkable talent for crawling into the skin of her characters--and Edna Earl Ponder is one of her most astonishing creations. Like her widely anthologized short story "Why I Live at the P.O.," Welty's short novel THE PONDER HEART is written as a monologue, giving the reader the unexpected sensation of sitting across the front porch from Edna Earl herself as she determinedly relates the story of how her eccentric Uncle Daniel unexpectedly found himself on trial for murder in their tiny Mississippi town.

THE PONDER HEART is a masterpiece of American humor. The humor of the novel is not, however, so much in the story (amusing though it is) as in the way it is told. Edna Earl has a typically Southern knack for turning a colorful phrase, and throughout her narrative she takes us on a tour of the best of Southern venacular, tossing off several memorable comments and laugh-out-loud descriptions on every page--particularly when it comes to white trash Bonnie Lee Peacock, who marries the addlepated Uncle Daniel on a trial basis. And if you're not Southern enough to completely grasp the definition of "white trash," that most Southern of perjoratives, Edna Earl will leave you in no doubt as to what precisely it means.

Welty wrote considerably deeper works than THE PONDER HEART--her stunning short stories and the Pulitizer Prize winning novel THE OPTIMIST'S DAUGHTER come quickly to mind--but for pure-dee down home humor Edna Earl, Uncle Daniel, Bonnie Lee, and the Peacock family are hard to beat. A touching, hilarious, and extremely memorable work that you'll probably return to again and again! Strongly recommended.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny little snip of a book, September 26, 2002

By 

Amy Sweet (San Antonio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ponder Heart (Paperback)

This is a cute little book that's very easy to read. I found myself identifying with both the narrator, Edna Earle, and Uncle Daniel. If you're looking for a book that's easy on the brain, then this is the one for you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful comedy of the American South, March 29, 2002

By 

Dave Deubler (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ponder Heart (Hardcover)

Endearing and funny, with a wonderfully satiric narrative style,
award-winning author Eudora Welty's exquisite, but tender and loving portraits invite us to laugh at the absurd frailties of the human animal. The slightly backward, small southern town of Clay is the setting for Edna Earle's rambling tale of her Uncle Daniel Ponder and his unique eccentricities. While perhaps not exciting (or readable) enough for the youngest teens, adult readers should enjoy this madcap window on southern life.

Uncle Daniel is a simple, gentle, kindly, guileless, and above all generous soul, who loves to give things away. Fortunately, Grandpa Ponder is "rich as Croesus", but even his resources are limited. In an effort to find someone to give more things to, Uncle Daniel becomes enamored of one Bonnie Dee Peacock, a suitably mindless twit who agrees marry him "on trial". Things are rocky enough for the happy couple, when an unexpected death
throws the whole town into turmoil. The book's conclusion may seem silly to some, but is not so very unbelievable given the context.

The only thing to be said against this precious little gem of a book is that it doesn't have much of an impact - there are no great issues being debated here, or at least the aren't presented explicitly. Reading between the lines though, some fundamental human values are being affirmed, to wit: family loyalty, kindness toward those with special needs, and good old-fashioned Christian charity. A delightful, uniquely American entertainment, even if it is rather light weight.