Off Main Street: Barnstormers, Prophets, and Gatemouth's Gator: Essays

by Michael Perry

Book Overview

Whether he s fighting fires, passing a kidney stone, hammering down I-80 in an 18-wheeler, or meditating on the relationship between cowboys and God, Michael Perry draws on his rural roots and footloose past to write from a perspective that merges the local with the global. Ranging across subjects as diverse as lot lizards, Klan wizards, and small-town funerals, Perry s writing in this wise and witty collection of essays balances earthiness with poetry, kinetics with contemplation, and is regularly salted with his unique brand of humor."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B000GG4J0U
• ISBN13: 9780060755508
• Release Date: June 2016
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book ..

How does he do it? Michael writes about his every day rural life. That should boring ... but it's not. He sucks you in and actually makes you feel part of his community and life! He must be a master!

Off Main Street

Great book, Michael Perry just keeps getting better with every book he writes. A fun read.

Impressive way with words

The thing that I loved about this book is the author's voice. He is highly observant, funny and he has a great way with words. His use of language is so real and fresh and different(in a really good way). He really knows how to put a spin on a story, and it just leaves you wanting more! The essays are entertaining snippets on different subjects: being on book tour, hanging out with some country music people, and other experiences in his life. -It's a great read. I was reading this thinking that I'd love to have a conversation with this guy! I loved his writing.

Fantastic read

Don't turn onto "Main Street" expecting another "Population: 485." These two works are entirely different - but both are equally enjoyable. To me, the two defining assets of this book were the voice of its author and the singularity of its insights. I have often remarked to friends that Michael Perry could describe dirt and I'd find it interesting. His natural grasp of language is especially evident in this collection; every word carries weight and meaning. I'm far from being a country music buff, but I found his profiles of country musicians to be fascinating, enjoyable, and infinitely worthwhile. Moreover, the insights he draws from everyday things leaves me watching the world with new eyes. I guarantee that after reading this book, you will never look at water towers, kidney stones, or Elvis in quite the same way again. "Population: 485" was a watercolor portrait; "Off Main Street" is more like a collection of pencil sketches. Highly recommended!

Enjoyable, and diverse

I think the editorial reviewers may have missed the point with this book. The diversity of this collection, as well as Michael's occasionally "crotchety attitude", are what make it a gem. We all generally live lives that are more diverse than we give them credit for and Michael illustrates that even the most mundane-seeming experiences can allow us to think about the world in new ways. And I don't think that writers are bound to only write about happy and amusing events, with happy and amusing attitudes; that would result in not much real writing being accomplished at all. And then what would we read? All of the essays here are worthwhile and enjoyable reading. The "mundane entry about hair loss" is not, in fact, mundane at all - it's one of the lighter entries (although maybe not for Michael himself) and is as worthwhile a read as the "one highlighting the local veterans' color guard rehearsing for a funeral" which is, it's true, quite moving. You see - diversity. I have to say that my favorite is probably the one about fear in which he describes being cut off in traffic by a spoiled youngster driving "one of those yappy little four-wheel drive pickups" sporting a `No Fear' decal", which leads to a rumination of what fear actually is and the unlikelihood that this young person is acquainted with it. This sort of traffic incident happens to me a number of times every week, living as I do in a big city. What scares me is wondering who is raising these children with no appreciation of the life around them - that's what I find frightening. This collection is an appreciation of the life around us, whether we like it - or even see it - or not. So, this is a different book from Population 485, as it should be. If you enjoy good writing with intelligence to spare, this will be a good investment for your (diverse) library.