Description:
The late Washington Post gardening columnist by no means limited his subjects to bugs, bites, or the burgeoning splendors of earthly matters. In addition to those columns, which had--before his death in 1993--garnered him a national following, Mitchell wrote many stories, essays, and commentaries on the state of the world. They ran in the Post every Friday under the title "Any Day." The 75 essays presented in this collection have been culled from that column and are organized chronologically from December 29, 1973, to April 12, 1991. Beyond his gracious style, Henry Mitchell's enduring charm was his broad range of interests--primarily humanity's triumphs, miseries, and foibles. From ruminations about prudence (focusing on the consumption of eggnog) to his disclosure--and defense--of being a junk-food addict; from the "current" state of the country to "Lincoln, Mozart and the Mysteries of Art" ("I shall not explain either Lincoln or Cosi fan tutte, but for years I have thought before dozing off on great matters such as the central mystery of art."). In the compelling tradition of essay-writing, Mitchell's subjects leap toward larger truths, lovingly observed and handsomely rendered. Written by one who had an ear for cant and a sharp eye for enduring truth, these poignant, hilariously funny yet wise pieces put human nature on display. Included are precise and endearing illustrations by Maryland artist Susan Davis.
| 
