Watch with Me [Paperback]

Wendell Berry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 29, 1995

In these seven interrelated stories we are again invited to Port William, Kentucky. Rich with humor and wisdom, this collection describes the depth of affection and tolerance for eccentricity that these neighbors bear toward one another, and highlights the comic and often poignant ways they cope with the intrusions of the 20th century into their idyllic, agrarian world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lumbering, likable, easygoing Kentucky farmer Ptolemy ("Tol") Proudfoot, who weighs around 300 pounds, might at first seem an unlikely match for dainty, neat, tiny, prim schoolteacher Minnie Quinch, but their marriage in 1908, after a courtship begun at a cake auction, thrives through mutual adjustments, small discoveries and abiding love. Berry ( What Are People For? ), noted essayist, poet, novelist and Kentucky farmer, infuses these seven quietly moving stories--set in Port William, Ky., the small town that Berry has visited so often before in his fiction--with sly humor. Their deceptively simple plots, following the couple for 33 years, deal with Minnie's sole whiskey binge, the Proudfoots' disastrous ride to a state fair in their new Model A coupe, the town misfit's apparent suicide threat and so forth. With the simplicity of folk tales, these stories beautifully evoke a world where people live in relatively harmony with nature, the land and community, and where neighborliness and human scale still matter.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

This charming collection examines the lives of Tol and Miss Minnie on their Kentucky farm from 1908 to 1941. Despite its universal appeal, this book is distinctly Southern, rich with delightful colloquialisms and the mores and attitudes of rural folk of that time. Some stories are framed; that is, the narrator relates a tale that he heard from Tol or Miss Minnie. In the title story, for instance, the narrator entertains a group of appreciative listeners with one of Tol's 50-year-old adventures. This technique underscores the fact that storytelling and the past are integral to Southern society. Recommended for general collections; every reader deserves the opportunity to meet Tol and Miss Minnie.
Dorothy Golden, Georgia Southern Univ., Statesboro
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Pantheon (August 29, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679758542
• ISBN-13: 978-0679758549
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,460,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book of homor and deep emotion, told simply., January 30, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Jackson, MS, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Watch with Me (Paperback)

For anyone who enjoys the wisdom often found in the simplest of settings, Watch With Me is a must read. Wendell Berry writes us a simple story of a farmer and his wife. Yet, the stories he tells and the language he uses will move you like few books can. Many of your emotions are mined by this book: humor, anger, anxiety, etc. The one compelling feeling you will experience with this book, however, is warmth. I strongly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who are looking to reset their internal compass toward those things in life that are truly important.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars simply powerful, April 15, 2009

By 

V. Baker - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Watch with Me (Paperback)

At first glance, this book seemed slow-paced and a little too down-home. However, when I took the time to really take in these stories, I was struck by the everyday wisdom and tenderness filling each one. True, not a lot happens, but the Tol and Minnie are brimming over with understated southern humor combined with loving admiration for one another. These are great to read alone-- I can hardly put this book down-- but would be even better read aloud.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genuine and unpretentious, February 1, 2011

By 

Meadowhaven (United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Watch with Me (Paperback)

Wendell Berry presents the reader with a vision of what healthy community could, and should, look like. There is tenderhearted care shown to the weak and marginalized, deep gratitude demonstrated in small acts of love and kindness, and a consistent stream of humor running through the whole. The story itself "Watch with Me" should be read by everyone who routinely interacts with those that suffer from mental illness in their community!