"Some of the finest examples of contemporary, genuinely American prose. White's style incorporates eloquence without affection, profundity without pomposity, and wit without frivolity or hostility. Like his predecessors Thoreau and Twain, White's creative, humane, and graceful perceptions are an education for the sensibilities." — Washington Post

The classic collection by one of the greatest essayists of our time.

Selected by E.B. White himself, this indispensable volume of literary nonfiction spans a lifetime of writing and a body of work without peer. "I have chosen the ones that have amused me in the rereading," he writes in the Foreword, "alone with a few that seemed to have the odor of durability clinging to them." These essays are incomparable; this is a volume to treasure and savor at one's leisure.

In these pages, you’ll rediscover the quiet wisdom and wry humor of an American original:

• New York and Maine: From the chaotic splendor of a Manhattan apartment to the quiet rhythms of a saltwater farm in Maine, White captures the enduring contrast of American life.


• Nature and Animals: Gentle, humorous, and deeply felt reflections on the natural world, from the tragedy of a sick pig to the secret life of a raccoon in a suburban tree.


• Timeless American Prose: The masterful style that defined The New Yorker and inspired generations of writers—eloquent, witty, and profoundly humane.


• Memory and The Passing of Time: Poignant journeys into the past, including the classic "Once More to the Lake," where a father’s memory collides with the present.