Man Killed by Pheasant and Other Kinships

A memoir, both lyrical and witty, of kinships both wild and tameJohn price's story is one of family and place, rich with wild creatures, with his Swedish ancestors, with neighbors, and with his prairie home. His work, deeply grounded in the grasslands of the Midwest, is, like that of Edward Abbey or Aldo Leopold, tied to place yet elevated by experiences that know no boundaries.[Price's] amusing tone, including his ability to freely poke fun at himself, works exceptionally well here. more >>

A memoir, both lyrical and witty, of kinships both wild and tameJohn price's story is one of family and place, rich with wild creatures, with his Swedish ancestors, with neighbors, and with his prairie home. His work, deeply grounded in the grasslands of the Midwest, is, like that of Edward Abbey or Aldo Leopold, tied to place yet elevated by experiences that know no boundaries.[Price's] amusing tone, including his ability to freely poke fun at himself, works exceptionally well here. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.--"Library Journal""A delightful read...Price adds touches of humor at just the right times in ways recalling the writing of David Sedaris. Price's portrayal of a young man dealing with the occasional hard truth of life is funny at times, moving at others and always engaging. Ultimately, what makes the book work is that Price is a sympathetic person. We find ourselves caring about him."--"Omaha World Herald""Price has a gentle but perceptive eye...and he's disarmingly honest throughout. His dry sense of humor, put to fine use in the title chapter, is sparse but stinging...This book has a strong agrarian sensibility and a careful method of self-examination that recalls Indiana-based essayist Scott Russell Sanders; it should resonate well with regional readers, but may also catch a groundswell of Green-related interest in urban centers."--"Publishers Weekly," 4/28"Transcends the genre, because it reflects on topics such as familial bonds, spirituality and humor...Price is a fine writer. He has a knack for tidy, unforced metaphors and rooting lofty ideas in simple events. He also employs self-deprecating humor in a way that is mostly convincing and genuinely funny."--"Lincoln Journal Star," 4/27/08"A gentle, homespun story whose pleasures are of the old-fashioned sort."--Infodad.com 5/15/08"Emotionally resonant"--"Daily Iowan" 7/10/08"It may not be an environmental story, per se, but Price's memories are fused by his awareness of place...And his deep-rooted fondness for Iowa never falters."--"E/The Environmental Magazine""Part Garrison Keillor, part backyard naturalist, Price writes with self-effacing humor and heart."--"Orion" "Book Notes" column"If David Sedaris and Annie Dillard had a literary love child and raised him in Iowa, he would write like this...The landscape of Price's memoir is a grace-filled territory of wit, wisdom, and, most of all, great compassion. Well worth a visit."--"The Iowan""The story of [Price's] growing up in one of those flat, boring 'How do I get out of here?' states: Iowa. Yet readers from any state will identify with his narrative...Call[s] to mind the self-deprecating humor and startling honesty of writer Anne Lamott...But the wonder of this book is how such humor is balanced by a Thoreau-like sensitivity, to the natural world and other things...Each chapter is a delicate weave of the I and the eye, of self and world...Whether he is writing about fatherhood, or marriage, or gardening, or snow geese, readers will be captivated by his honest and funny search for meaning, for belonging, for home."--"Boston Globe
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"Highly recommended...[An] excellent book...With a conservationist's eye for both detail and clarity, Price's experiences evoke the richness of rural America and reflect an authenticity. Whether it's about wading in a creek, feeding wild burros or hiking through buffalo grass, his perceptive writing is reminiscent of a 21st century Thoreau.""--""Tucson Citizen
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"It may take patience to get into these tales of the history of America's Midwest states' grasslands, but the region and the prose grow on you, much as the corn, soy, and wheat have overgrown nature's backyard. Price masterfully interlaces lessons in ecosystem management--and loss--with family life, humor, and lessons on how to succeed in integrating science across the curriculum.""--""Science Communications" << less