E.B. White is an absolute master when it comes to describing the seemingly mundane. He doesn't do it in a way that turns it into something fantastical or magical. Instead, he has this remarkable ability to simply shine a light on all that is truly happening in the world around us.

I have a deep desire to cultivate his poetically scientific, or perhaps scientifically poetic, eye and appetite for all that the world has to offer. There is something almost spiritual about the way he perceives and presents the ordinary.

His writing makes us see the beauty and significance in the simplest of things, like a spider spinning its web or a barn in the countryside. It's as if he is opening our eyes to a whole new world that we may have overlooked before.

By studying his work and trying to develop a similar perspective, we can enhance our own appreciation for the world and find joy and wonder in the everyday.

Finally, I finished a book this month

I picked up this book for three reasons. Firstly, there is a simple booklust within me. Secondly, I have had a life-long infatuation with E.B. White's writing. Thirdly, it includes the essay "Here is New York."

In the preface, White wrote that "Here is New York" had been seriously affected by the passage of time. The city he described in the summer of 1948 seemed to him to have disappeared and been reborn. However, a lot of it still sounds right to me.

Here, then, are the opening lines of "Here is New York": "On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy. It is this largess that accounts for the presence within the city's walls of a considerable section of the population. For the residents of Manhattan are to a large extent strangers who have pulled up stakes somewhere and come to town, seeking sanctuary or fulfillment or some greater or lesser grail. The capacity to make such dubious gifts is a mysterious quality of New York. It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill them, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky."

White's words paint a vivid picture of New York, a city that is both alluring and intimidating. It offers both solitude and the opportunity for self-discovery. It is a place where dreams can come true, but also a place where one can easily get lost. His description makes me eager to explore more of this fascinating city through his eyes.

"All that I ever hope to say in books is that I love the world."

E.B. White's profound love for the world shines through in every page of these essays. His modesty, curiosity, gentleness, honesty, and cleverness are equally palpable. I had the pleasure of listening to the audio version, which was like having a dear uncle, father, or grandfather share tales of the good old days.

Some essays I adored more than others, but each one was precious, written in White's inimitable style. His love and nostalgia for NYC, with its unique denizens, rhythms, and ways, were among my favorite topics. The account of packing up his 8th and final apartment after 30 years in the city was both humorous and poignant.

His farm in a small town in Maine brought out his humor, sadness, and fear. Whether discussing the death of a pig, a fire in his fireplace, or the over-reporting of a hurricane, his writing was engaging. I also loved reading about his lifelong love of the sea and sailing, as well as taking his young son on his first camping trip in Maine, which evoked memories of his own trips with his father and made him wonder, "am I the father or the son now?" The essay about his youthful trip to Alaska, where he worked for his passage, was truly priceless.

White often spoke of "my wife" with great love. Katherine Angell, the first fiction editor for The New Yorker where they met, was a wonderful writer herself, especially about her garden in Maine. Their love and respect for each other were evident, and it was through Katherine that I became interested in her husband, not through his famous Elements of Style or children's books.

These essays have taught me so much about this lovely man. I felt a sense of loss when I finished them, but I know there are more to discover. I plan to buy the print version so I can read them again and again. Highly recommended.

The theme of my life is complexity through joy.


In this remarkable book, E.B. White engages in a charming pastime. He potters around his idyllic barnyard in Maine, making keen and perceptive observations. One can easily picture him, perhaps donning a cozy cable sweater and practical galoshes. His prose is nothing short of flawless. It flows with a grace and elegance that is truly captivating. Obviously, his humor is wry, but it is devoid of the slightest hint of malice. It is a gentle and endearing form of humor that adds a special charm to his writing. E.B. White is indeed the patron saint of clean writing and old souls. His words have the power to transport readers to a simpler time and place, while also delving into the complex and profound aspects of life. His work is a testament to the beauty and power of the written word.

Let's make that 4.375 stars, shall we.

In the spirit of full disclosure, the bookcase in my home office is filled with numerous books. Among them are the following: the small 1979 Third Edition of The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White; the 1963 paperback edition of the forcefully titled Punctuate It Right! by Harry Shaw; and a hardcover copy of the 1965 Second Edition of H. W. Fowler's A Dictionary of Modern English Usage, revised and edited by Sir Ernest Gowers.

As a young writer, these three books were my saviors, protecting me from many public, self-inflicted wounds. But enough about writers. What about readers? If you have a penchant for reading essays, I suspect you will find many of these both thought-provoking and enjoyable. They were penned between 1934 and the 1970s.

If essays aren't your cup of tea, let me simply recommend reading the Foreward. It begins like this - "The essayist is a self-liberated man, sustained by the childish belief that everything he thinks about, everything that happens to him, is of general interest." Also, just in case you didn't know, E.B. White is also the author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little.

These are just a few of the many wonderful books that grace my bookshelf and have influenced my writing and reading experiences. I hope you will discover some new favorites among them as well.

I am not an essay enthusiast or a short story aficionado, yet I firmly believe that you simply cannot find better essays than those of E. B. White. It astonishes me that I have lived for 65 years without anyone ever suggesting that I read his works. His essays are truly fabulous. In both the political and environmental arenas, they are, unfortunately, depressingly on target. At times, it is incredibly difficult to believe that I am perusing a piece that was penned over 50 years ago rather than something written recently.

His insights and perspectives remain remarkably relevant and thought-provoking even in the present day. I wholeheartedly recommend his essays to anyone and everyone. Whether you are interested in politics, the environment, or simply in reading beautifully crafted and intellectually stimulating prose, E. B. White's essays are an absolute must-read. You will not be disappointed.

Wonderful reading is truly a treasure trove.

It offers us a world of无尽的 possibilities and experiences.

When we open a book, we embark on a journey that can take us to far-off places, introduce us to fascinating characters, and expose us to different cultures and ideas.

It enriches our minds, broadens our perspectives, and enhances our creativity.

Whether it's a thrilling mystery, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking non-fiction work, each book has the power to touch our souls and leave a lasting impression.

Wonderful reading is not just a pastime; it is a source of inspiration, knowledge, and joy.

It is a treasure trove that we can dip into again and again, always finding something new and wonderful to discover.

I am constantly astounded by and deeply grateful for E.B. White's writing. It doesn't matter if his topic is spiders, pigs, roofing the barn, hurricanes, or war. He began penning essays around 1930 and persisted for decades. His children's fiction was published approximately 70 years ago, yet his writing remains highly relevant today and has an abundance to offer contemporary readers.

White's words, as seen in the quote, "Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. Children are demanding. They are the most attentive, curious, eager, observant, sensitive, quick, and generally congenial readers on earth. They accept, almost without question, anything you present them with, as long as it is presented honestly, fearlessly, and clearly," reflect his approach. He expressed himself in that very way, with honesty, fearlessness, and clarity, throughout all of his works. And I invariably discover something novel in his honest lucidity.

As he also said, "We should all do what, in the long run, gives us joy, even if it is only picking grapes or doing laundry." Reading E.B. White's writing, be it essays, letters, or fiction, brings me both joy and hope.

His works are like a treasure trove, waiting to be explored and cherished by readers of all ages.

Having just completed re-reading Essays of E. B. White, I am finally in full agreement with those who hail White as the greatest essayist of the 20th century. I turned back to White, in part, to seek refuge in what appears to be a simpler era. (Admittedly, this is a false perception, yet the feeling persists nonetheless.) What is it about White's essays that fills me with such profound joy? In the biographical afterword to the book, Hal Hager quotes White himself, providing a reason:

"I discovered a long time ago," White wrote in a letter, "that writing of the small things of the day, the trivial matters of the hearth, the inconsequential but near things of this living, was the only kind of creative work which I could accomplish with any sanctity or grace." With a prose style unrivaled in its grace and "sanctity," he revealed - and revealed within - what is enduring and joy-giving in the "inconsequential" and the "trivial."

Writing in today's world seems like a frantic race to make everything written about seem of the utmost importance and consequence. This race is fueled by clicks, views, and impressions, the currency of the Internet. Most of it is, in fact, trivial, and much of it is poorly written. White's writing offers a safe haven from these tempests. For instance, in "Home-Coming," White writes about his drive from New York into Maine and how the scenery has changed over the years. He observed:

Steering a car toward home is a very different experience from steering a car toward a rostrum, and if our findings differ, it is not that we differed greatly in powers of observation but that we were headed in different emotional directions.

His essays demonstrate that while the pace of life may change, the familiar endures. Writing about a hurricane in "The Eye of Edna," White comments on the feverish frenzy of weather broadcasts on the radio:

It became evident to me after a few fast rounds with the radio that the broadcasters had opened up on Edna awfully far in advance, before she had come out of her corner, and were spending themselves at a reckless rate.

Inhabitants of any area that experiences snow will recognize this behavior (which has not changed much in the 65 years since the essay was written, at the onset of any snowstorm).

In his classic essay "Here Is New York," White is almost alarmingly prophetic in his vision of how vulnerable a densely populated city like New York has become. In the essay, which is nearly 70 years old, White writes:

The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions.

White finds joy in transportation. He mourns the passing of the Model-T in "Farewell, My Lovely!" He waxes poetic about the simple joy of sailing in "The Sea and the Winds That Blow." His essay, "The Railroad," is a eulogy for what was once a magnificent form of transportation.

White's essays offer an escape from all that proclaims its own self-importance. His language is both meticulous and casual, his manner self-deprecating yet certain. In his essay on Don Marquis, White writes, "There are plenty of loud clowns and bad poets at work on papers today, but there are not many columnists adding to the belle lettres, and certainly there is no Don Marquis at work on any big daily."

Nor, alas, is there another E. B. White.

Keep in mind that usually I do not enjoy either essays or short stories. However, here the writing is truly exceptional. It is this outstanding quality that makes all the difference.

The essays in this collection cover a wide range of diverse topics. There are discussions on the art of writing, the appreciation of life's small delights, and wildlife including animals, flowers, and birds. It also delves into books and authors such as The Lives and Times of Archy and Mehitabel by Don Marquis, Henry David Thoreau, and The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.. Additionally, it touches on trips to Alaska and Florida, the tribulations of adolescence, Christmas holidays, disarmament, energy, and much more.

The very best essays are those where the topics, although related, also diverge in interesting ways. For example, an essay titled Bedfellows that explores Adlai Stevenson, Truman, Eisenhower, religion, faith, dogs, and politics was my absolute favorite.

The book concludes with a concise and highly appreciated biography of E.B. White and his wife. It is so good that it is worth picking up the book just for this section. In fact, it is ten times better than Michael Sims’s The Story of Charlotte's Web: E.B. White's Eccentric Life in Nature and the Birth of an American Classic.

The audiobook narration by Malcolm Hillgartner is simply impeccable. It is clear, easy to follow, and read at a perfect speed. THIS is exactly how I envision all audiobooks should be read!

I can describe the topics covered by the essays, but it is the way they are written that truly enchants. While I wasn't captivated by every single one, most of them I would rate with three or four stars, and one or two are definitely worthy of five stars. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am giving it four stars. As for the narration, I have given it a full five stars.

"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White is one of my favorite books from childhood.

Every time I think about this book, it continues to give me a warm and cozy feeling.

E.B. White began writing for the magazine "The New Yorker" in 1927. It was during this time that he met his wife, who edited his work.

Some of the witty and vividly descriptive essays in this book not only appeared in different publications but also in "The New Yorker".

Reading "Charlotte's Web" is truly a pleasure and a treat in every possible way.

The story is so charming and engaging that it captivates readers of all ages.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a heartwarming and beautifully written tale.

It is a book that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.