The Rural Life    by Verlyn Klinkenborg Order:  USA  Can Back Bay, 2004 (2002) Hardcover, Paperback Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth This is a collection of essays, many of which appeared in the New York Times as well as other prestigious publications. The essays encompass the months of the year, each one an in-depth study of the changes of the seasons, but on a very simplistic level. The Rural Life is a book to be savored - to absorb Verlyn Klinkenborg's choice of words; to roll his thoughts over your tongue to bring to life the images he conveys; to be with him as he strolls his acres in New England and in the West, and to see the world as he sees it. It is a world reduced to the basics: the fox-deep snow; horses dropping sweetfeed from their mouths, staining the snow molasses; the signs of spring thrown away, like unheeded hints; the source of the late summer honey flow turning a nebulous silver, like wool caught on barbed wire. Klinkenborg's analogies are wonderful, not to be raced through. Take one month at a time and digest it, before going onto the next. Keep your copy by your bed and read a few lines or a whole chapter to bring peace to your mind while drifting off to sleep. The Rural Life is a soft, gentle book that deals with the harsh realities of weather and the effect it has on the earth. The author sees beauty in even the worst weather conditions. He is a realist who lives an accepting life; accepting what is put before him and living with it; seeing the beauty in a grasshopper and the majesty of a harsh winter storm. And, fortunately for us, he shares his reflections. We are the richer for this. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews