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Porch Talk: Stories of Decency, Common Sense, and Other Endangered Species

by Philip Gulley

Porch Talk: Stories of Decency, Common Sense, and Other Endangered Species Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Philip Gulley has become the voice of small–town life and an observer of humanity without match. With his heartwarming, humorous storytelling, his books have both lump–in–the–throat poignancy and laugh–out–loud humor. In this collection of stories told from his own life experiences, Gulley's musings on such topics as leisure, marriage, faith, enjoyment, and more hold an earthy wisdom that reminds us of what we hold dear, and what's truly important in life.

These witty stories reflect the kind of conversations Gulley overheard in his youth, in a time when neighbors gathered on front porches across America, a glass of lemonade in hand, the sounds of crickets buzzing in the air, and lazy stories spilled from lips from generation to generation.

"Social scientists and preachers offer a number of reasons for the decline of civil society: broken homes, poverty, disease, television, and increasing secularism, to name a few. I believe all that is wronte with our world can be attributed to the shortage of front porches and the talks we had on them. Somewhere around 1950, builders left off the front porch to save money, and we've had nothing but problems ever since."

Review:

"It is no insult to this occasionally moralizing humorist and Quaker pastor to say that he is a smalltown raconteur who writes tales tailor-made for readers who would never dream of living in one. In the compilation of anecdotes, recollections, riffs and barely disguised homilies that constitute his 14th book, Gulley, best known for his Harmony novels as well as theological ruminations like If Grace Is True, skillfully mines his personal history and that of his neighbors for inspirational morsels. Family, friends, faith, community and even current events figure in meditations that span such topics as the architecture of his home, the virtues of intellectual inconsistency, his wife's passion for exercise and healthy eating, and whether it is indeed possible to have too many friends. While not afraid to be provocative on controversial subjects like creationism or politics, Gulley's general tone is straightforward, whimsical and irenic. One often wishes that he would spend more time with a particular topic, instead of giving it glancing attention before moving on. But urban readers who imbibe their literature with their lattes will find him as refreshing as do those who actually create the tapestry of homespun life Gulley so unpretentiously chronicles. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

Beloved American storyteller Philip Gulley evokes a time when life revolved around the front porch, where friends gathered, stories were told, and small moments took on large meaning. In today's hurry-up world, Gulley's observations are frank and funny, reminding us of the world we once shared, and can again.

With poignancy and humor, Gulley writes about small-town life, things he thinks about while sitting in his Quaker meeting, and why Donald Trump should pay more taxes. Porch Talk is a tribute to common folk, including Charlie the hardware priest, the Bettys at the newspaper, and other paragons of decency not many people know, but should.

Synopsis:

The beloved author evokes a time when life revolved around the front porch, where friends gathered, stories were told, and small moments took on larger meaning.

About the Author

Philip Gulley is the author of Front Porch Tales, Porch Talk, and the acclaimed Harmony series, as well as the host of "Porch Talk with Phil Gulley" on the Indiana PBS affiliate WFYI television's flagship show Across Indiana. He and his wife, Joan, live in Indiana with their sons, Spencer and Sam.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780060736583
Subtitle:
Stories of Decency, Common Sense, and Other Endangered Species
Author:
Gulley, Philip
Author:
by Philip Gulley
Publisher:
HarperOne
Subject:
Inspirational
Subject:
Christian Life - Inspirational
Subject:
Christian Life
Subject:
Gulley, Philip
Subject:
Christian life -- Quaker authors.
Publication Date:
June 2007
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
170
Dimensions:
7.71x5.70x.94 in. .66 lbs.

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