Henry Mitchell wrote for the Washington Post from the early 1970s to 1991. He was best known for his gardening columns, some of which have been gathered in two beloved books, The Essential Earthman and One Man's Garden. In addition to his gardening columns, Mr. Mitchell also wrote feature stories and for years had a general interest column that appeared on Fridays under the title Any Day. This book collects the most enduring of those brilliant columns. Henry Mitchell was a bit of a curmudgeon. He had an eye for cant and an even sharper eye for the deeper truths of reality. Never pompous, his columns were frequently hilarious. He could make you cry, he could make you weep and he could catch you up in the midst of a busy, confusing day and make you pause and reflect: Hey, look at this! He will make you feel good about being a flawed human, and he will even make you think that mortality isn't so bad.

Readers who have enjoyed The Essential Earthman and One Man's Garden will thrill to discover their favorite author's additional accomplishments as they are represented in this lovely book. The illustrations are by Susan Davis, a gifted Maryland artist whose work accompanied many of Henry's columns during the 1980s and 1990s.

The best "Any Day" columns and feature stories by Henry Mitchell, the beloved Washington Post writer and author of The Essential Earthman and One Man's Garden.

About the Author

Henry Mitchell, who died in 1993, was a long-time columnist for the Washington Post and the author of two famous gardening books, The Essential Earthman and One Man's Garden.

Reviews
"These essays have such charm and perfection of style that reading them gives me a greater sense of well-being than the pills I occasionally take for my back. And that is powerful medicine."- Katherine A. Powers, Boston Globe "... a graceful and gracious observer of the human condition." - Wilson Quarterly "His essays are sharp, witty, and sure to bring you a smile." - Good Times "I had thought to begin [this review] with a quotation, but in thumbing through this book to select one, I got trapped for 45 minutes and forgot my purpose entirely. You will just have to buy the book... Highly recommended." - The American Cottage Gardener " ... will give more lasting pleasure than anything currently on the nonfiction bestseller list... This is a wonderful book, made even more so by the pen-and-ink drawings of Mitchell's longtime illustrator, artist Susan Davis."- Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World "Now ... I can have my Mitchell seven days a week and twice on Sundays without fussing (all-thumbs Mitchell fashion) with microfiche reels." - Indianapolis Star "This is a stimulating collection of essays by a man who had something to say and knew how to say it well." - Library Journal " ... superb ... acute observations by a writer whose sharp eye and grace with words are a blessing to those fortunate enough to read them." - Publishers Weekly "This man's place in the wilder, more creative confines of journalism is secure. This man's voice will never die. This man's voice will resound forever." - Benjamin Bradlee, The Washington Post "A jubilation of a book to be read, reread and reread." - Thomas Lovejoy, Smithsonian Institution



Book Information
ISBN 9780253333087
Author Henry Clay Mitchell
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 567g