I purchased this book several years ago to give me more insight into E.B. White's classic novel. Every time I read and re-read the notes, rewrites and history of this touching story for children, I find myself learning so much more about the writing style of this fabulous author. The photographs of White's farmhouse add texture and depth to the story and my first grade students appreciated that he, too, had to make revisions on his work! A wonderful resource for anyone interested in children's literature.

This story is suitable for all ages. It is for the old and the young ones.I like this book mainly because the characters are humorous and interesting, the setting of the story are not too much and last of all it is full of emotions. Happiness, sorrow, excitement and it is also a matter of life and death.

I enjoyed reading Charlotte's Web as a child and now I enjoy reading the book to my children and students. I think part of the reason this book has remained one of my favorites is because of the classic friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte. Both characters demonstrate an unselfish kind of love that is demonstrated from the time they meet. As a mother I want to teach my children the valuable life lesson of being a good friend and I think this story teaches that lesson in a non-didactic fashion. Charlotte's Web will forever be a classic in my heart.

This collection of essays is such a fine book; it deserves a much better commentary than it currently has here. And given the times we live in, its subject matter is particularly timely for American readers -- the period of history leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor and the early years of the war effort -- all told from the point of view of a thoughtful writer on a small farm in Maine.

White had moved there with his wife and young son from New York, where he'd been writing for The New Yorker, and took up country living, turning his attention to the annual round of the seasons, farm work, the nearby seaside, and the company of independent rural people. Most of the essays in this collection were written and published monthly in Harpers from July 1938 to January 1943. In them, there is White's awareness of the ominous threat of fascism emerging in Europe, as well as the vulnerability that Americans felt as they found themselves facing prolonged armed conflict with powerful enemies. These were dark days, and they provide a constant undertone in these otherwise upbeat essays about rural and small-town life.

And they are upbeat, celebrating the pleasures and gentle ironies of daily life with a few side trips into the world beyond -- the birth of a lamb, paying taxes, farm dogs, hay fever, raising chickens, Sunday mornings, radio broadcasts, civil defense drills, a visit to Walden pond, a day at the World's Fair, and unrealistic Hollywood portrayals of the pastoral. There is also here his famous essay "Once More to the Lake."

In many ways, the world he writes about is gone forever. But it's a world whose spirit remains at the heart of the national identity -- participatory democracy, individualism, citizenship, self-discovery, and self-reliance. Reading these essays, while they are often about seemingly trivial matters, you sense White's deepening faith in the American Experiment -- a belief in America as a work in progress.

And, of course, there is the famous White style, both simple and elegant. Its language, sentence structure, and movement of thought convey both sharpness of mind and generosity of spirit, in a manner that looks and sounds easy, but it is very hard to imitate. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the WWII homefront, the essay as a literary form, and a curiosity about rural life before farm subsidies and agribusiness.

Understanding E.B. White is not an easy task. He was a reserved man, very straightforward in his writing and simple in nature. However, White found that he was able to express himself with his writing, and none of his books is a more direct window into his soul than "One Man's Meat." Written over the course of White's later years of living on a Maine farm, this book contains witty accounts of geographic novelty, reminiscences on the promise of youth, and powerful insights into the little things in life that can make all the difference. No reader of E.B. White can gain a full knowledge of what the man was all about without having thoroughly digested this book.

For one who aspires to write well--the most delicious book I've ever read. The words "witty" and "sharp" come to mind, but poorly describe White and his work. Maybe, no words do with any degree of accuracy and right praise.

The child that I read it to was only 3 years old, and of corse this was after he had watched a verion of it on video cassette. As I read it, he wanted to see pictures of charlotte, Templeton, and Wilbur, he wanted to see what they were doing. There is a couple of pictures in the book I have, but not anything a 3 year old would be interested in. Charlotte's Web is writen for older children, but you'd be surprized at the ages who would love it just as much if not more. I have no doubt that if there was a book published on a 3 year olds level, they would love reading it. Charlotte, Templeton and Wilbur are my 3 year olds nephew's best friends, and when ever he sees a Spider, Rat or Pig they are Charlotte, Templeton or Wilbur.

Charlotte's Web has always been my favorite book. I have read it about ten times. It has lessons in living for any ages. There is life, death, love, hate -- all the emotions people experience. E. B. White captured all this in his writing. His life story would interest anyone!

Most folks will know E.B. White as the author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, or as the eminently practical voice of reason in The Elements of Style. However, White was also an accomplished essayist, turning out pieces for The New Yorker and Harpers on a regular basis for many years.

What I like about White's essays is that they can be counted on to be insightful, amusing and well-written. White approaches an essay like a pleasant conversation. He's been thinking about New York and its inhabitants, he will tell you, and this what he's come up with. On another occasion it may be the personality quirks of his old dachshund Fred, or the controversy over white versus brown eggs. Anything and everything is food for thought, although you can be sure that White will broaden the scope of his topics to include the world at large. New York, he concludes, is a concentrated version of many worlds, "...bringing to a single arena the gladiator, the evangelist, the promoter, the actor, the trader, and the merchant." Fred, the dachshund, was "...the Cecil B. deMille of dogs. He was a zealot, and I have just been reminded of him by a quote from one of the Democrats..." And the white versus brown egg debate, White concludes, is simply a matter of what you're used to. Personally he prefers brown, and can recommend the egg of the Silver Cross, whose egg is "...so richly brown, so wondrously beautiful as to defy description."

Best of all, White's insightful commentary does not require intense concentration or endless analysis to get the gist of what he is trying to say. You can sit back and relax when you pick up a book of his essays, knowing you won't have to grapple with unfamiliar or awkward language. This is not to imply that you won't find yourself thinking about what he has to say. It's just that his approach is so matter-of- fact, easy going and accessible that you feel you've been invited to tea or are taking a leisurely stroll as the essay unfolds. I read White's essays the way some people read mysteries or romance novels. They are entertaining without being too demanding, and are a great way to set day-to-day concerns aside. Treat yourself to a good read.

I never read E.B. White as a child although all of my friends were very much into "Charlotte's Web" and "The Trumpet of the Swan." Perhaps it was because the only other Stuart I'd ever heard of was White's mouse/hero with the last name Little...a fact that my schoolmates teased me with throughout grade school.

....

White has got to be one of the finest writers I've ever read, expressing in 5 graceful words what it takes others paragraphs to do. His descriptions of life in Maine are priceless for anyone, like me, who has longed to let the country boy deep down inside sit back and "smell the roses." And,of course, Maine is still one of the few places in the U.S. that is relatively city poison-free.

Read White's opening sentence in his brilliant "Here Is New York" which is, arguably, the best appreciation of this all-too-crazy city: "On any person who desires such queer prizes, New York will bestow the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy." Where did he write those words? "...in a stifling hotel room in 90-degree heat, halfway down an air shaft, in midtown." At the end of this wonderful, wonderful essay (which, by the way has been re-printed, all by itself, in a beautifully illustrated paperback) White contemplates an old Willow tree in the Turtle Bay area and he writes, "This must be saved,this particular thing, this very tree. If it were to go, all would go--this city, this mischievous and marvelous monument which not to look upon would be like death."

What other essayist expresses his thoughts and ours so unself-consciously, so economically and, yes, so magnificently? None that I have come across. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I couldn't agree with the above review more, except for the last statement. Actually, this is the second-best collection of American essays. The best is E.B. White's "One Man's Meat". White is a devastatingly good writer, regardless of subject or tone, and his essays can be read, re-read and pored over with nothing but greater appreciation at each subsequent read. Virtually anything written by him is bound to be entertaining, informative, enriching and subtle. You owe it to yourself to get to know this man.

Anyone who has ever read the children's book, "Charlotte's Web" will know what a fine and accomplished writing style E. B. White possesses. This book is another fine example of the author's capabilities.

There is something about New York that has fascinated and captivated people since time began. It is a city rich with history, culture, style, charisma, and, yes, tragedy. However, through the years the city has had many stories to tell, and to visitors, it has long been considered the city of excitement and action, with a zillion things to visit and do.

The year is 1948 and E. B. White takes the reader on a trip down memory lane, to the city of his youth, a city of splendor and wonder. There have been some very evident changes over the years; however, some aspects will always remain, "typically New York." Perhaps residents of the city and surrounding area take much of what the author portrays for granted; however, for one who is not an American, the city still holds a uniqueness unmatched by few cities in North America.

The only downside of the book is it's length; it is extremely short, but I still highly recommend the book. As White indicates, "the city is like poetry". The magic, music and wonder of the city still draw people to its core like a magnet.

If you have not discovered this gem in the past, you absolutely must read it now. E.B. White was extremely prophetic in light of the recent tragedy in New York City. You will be amazed at his descriptions of the city and of its diverse citizens. Everything he says is relevant today. You will also be amazed at his concerns for the safety of the city. He even mentions danger from airplanes! He knew and loved New York City and he is such a gentle and moving writer. This 54 page essay will touch a chord with any reader looking for some uplifting words about the place we are all thinking about now.

Every word E.B. white chose was the perfect word. It's one of those cases where I don't think ANYONE could have said it better. I lived in NYC from '94 - 2002 and I found that White truly got to the heart of what makes NYC and it's people so special and unique and enduring no matter what befalls. It was a great reminder that the heart of the city will live on no matter who - in this life or the next - attempts otherwise.

It was a great piece of writing, and chillingly prescient at the end given 9/11. In fact it was so ironic, I thought I'd missed a change in the author and/or era it was written. E.B. appears to be the new George Orwell.

In any case, I intend to read everything E.B.'s ever written! Even Charlotte's Web again.

Transparent writing consists of prose that doesn't tell; it is prose that shows. E. B. White is the master of this. His prose takes you where he wants you to be and, once there, shows you the sights, lets you smell the aromas and hear the sounds. A modest man, E. B. White claims often that writing for him is difficult and painful. Yet this collection of letters shows that from the beginning, Elwyn Brooks White had an innate ability to write simply, clearly, and charmingly. Whether he is thanking young readers for compliments, advising aspiring writers on writing, or berating a famous author for endorsing a product, he is witty, clear, and compassionate. Reading these letters you will think, cry, laugh, and even wince, but you will not frown in confusion as you wonder what the writer is trying to say. As a very beneficial side effect, reading E. B. White will often improve your own writing. Am I biased? You bet! Years of reading the stilted, jargon-laced writing of business, and the contrived, artificial efforts at "style" of many authors, reading anything by E. B. White is like talking to your best friend.

E.B. White was a well known writer for The New Yorker, but I think his real genius was in writing letters to friends and family. He wrote about the ordinary and made it more than interesting, but fun. (His description of how to set up your room when admitted to the hospital is hysterical!) But he also wrote about hard times in life, his wife's illness, his own aging, death of friends and family. He wrote with honesty, clarity, and gusto. Letter writing (and READING a letter also) should never be a chore. Reading White's letters never is. I keep this book on the nightstand by my bed.

This hardback book was copyrighted in 1941 and has over 800 pages. It is divided into 13 sections. Over 100 authors are featured in this book. Three selections from George Ade's "Fables in Slang", appear here. Booth Tarkington's humorous "Whitey", about two enterprising boys and an old horse is featured. H.L. Mencken's keen observations of life appear in "The Wedding". Mark Twain has numerous selections. Also appearing are works by Benjamin Franklin, Edgar Allan Poe and Oliver Wendell Holmes. So the topics and authors of this compilation are broad and interesting.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. It introduced me to many authors I didn't know about, and it revealed new sides of the ones I did. Mark Twain's criticism of James Fenimore Cooper is worth the price of the book alone.

The mystery is solved! E.B. stands for Elywn Brooks. As an elementary school teacher, I found the information in this book useful. Beyond the basic information about his life, the book chronicles his journey as a writer, beginning at a very early age. The chapters devoted to Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan give interesting facts about the writing of these books. There are even pictures of his original manuscript for Charlotte's Web, showing his revision marks. I am going to use these particular chapters to help with writing mini-lessons about pre-writing and revision.

...but, alas, he can't. What this book lacks in style, though, it makes up in detail. I just don't think it's quite a fair trade.