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

I loved this book. Phillip Gulley relates to the heart of the matter with humor and a deeper message. The first chapter reminded me of my childhood and the house that I grew up in. We had a front porch and many a summer day the adults spent many hours sitting out there and talking, while we kids played in the yard and tried to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation. In this bright, warm-hearted little book, he lets us go along with his memory journey and meet his friends and neighbors...the hardware store owner that knew everyone and knew how to repair anything and everything. The owner of the local Dairy Queen that spent his days sitting in a chair in back of the store and never wore a watch. His veterinarian friend that led him show more to his dog Zipper. Mr. Gulley may be correct when he says that the entire world should have a front porch and spend many hours on it. The world would surely be a better place for it. show less

Evoking a time when life revolved around the front porch, where friends gathered, stories were told, and small moments took on larger meaning, in today’s hurry-up world, Philip Gulley’s essays remind us of the world we once shared—and can share again.

Yes, I’d seen these books before, but the big American flag on the front cover along with a blurb about the book citing it was composed of stories about “decency” and “common sense” put me off. However, I desperately needed a book to read and this was all I could find. What a surprise. Not stories about decency and common sense as much as stories about trying to make a life of decency and common sense.

Short tales to make you think about various aspects of life and make you think about things. Mr. Gulley is a very good storyteller and always leaves me wanting more.

essays about small town life, not very good