Irons in the Fire

McPhee essays that entertain while they enlighten a microcosm of skill, inventiveness and inside info of activities you might have wondered about. A joy to read.

McPhee, in this as in all of his writing, combines excellent prose with vivid, interesting descriptions about things, places, and people that I would not otherwise know about. Irons in the Fire, the title essay in this book, describes the work of men in Nevada who track down modern day cattle rustlers, folks who raise cattle, as well as the western landscape. It is obvious that McPhee has a deep interest in the west.

Rapid delivery of a great book at a very good price.

I ordered the book. It arrived. It all went just like it should have. gone.

I think of John McPhee as the Norman Rockwell of literature. He captures the American scene like no one else. This particular book is a total pleasure. If one never reads anything else by McPhee they should read "Travels of the Rock". The last essay in this book, it is about Plymouth Rock. He again combines human history and geology in a masterful way. It is a literary jewel.

It's an endless onslought of weird looking brands and marginally interesting cowboys from Nevada -- the home of that jerk Bundy. I couldn't finish it.

McPhee is an honest-to-God national treasure. Some of his “geology themed” books can be dry, but even they are truly fascinating. All of the story collection books are wonderful. This is no exception.

I enjoy any of the story collections from John McPhee even if they are now decades old.His ability to combine a Journalist's approach with good storytelling.I think my favorite is the description of the modern day "Brand Police" out west. McPhee made this area well known to his readers through "Basin and Range" part of the Geology series.

As always, John McPhee books are "unputdownable". Adding to my collection.