Michael Perry's Blog, page 391

COOP Paperback Now Available

As of today, Coop is now officially available in paperback.  Included: new cover, new subtitle, new "P.S." essay, and tucked in the back there, a little info about this project.

Book tour begins today as well.  Details here.  Before it's all over, health and fate willing, I'll go from 'Sconsin to New York.  Today, however, I'm planting oats.  Pretty much right on the spot where that tot and those chickens are standing:

Eggs, Marriage, Music, Bon Iver, Etc.

Prior to a reading in Plymouth, Minnesota, I sat for an enjoyable interview with Aaron Landry of the Heavy Table.  Poor guy, I rambled like sixty.  I hope he didn't try to transcribe the whole thing.  The excerpted interview has now been posted: you can read it here.

I Ate Here Once

I ate at the Empire on the recommendation of my friends John and Julie.

I recall sitting quietly (as opposed to loudly, blatantly, flippantly, etc.) beside the window after looking at some art and before attending to a modern dance performance at The Joyce.

During that same trip I also used one of these, although I didn't know it had a story.

Well, That Was Fun

After taking in a local art show (with pieces by several friends including mixed media artist Lori Chilefone), I set out into the night (OK, it wasn't dark yet and I only had to walk 50 feet) to attend the Jaggernauts/Drunk Drivers concert.

Solicitous aside: With respect to the range of folks who drop in here, if you intend to chase down the links that follow, please know that the artists in question sometimes express their art in a frank manner.  I like Frank and I like frank, but it ain't...

A Woman of Strength

For me, it all began with the poems she read at an open mic night in Downsville, Wisconsin, way back when I didn't know what to do.  I guess I expected "little old lady" poems.  And that's exactly what Norma read…except when I got my breath back, my dumb thick-necked, pin-headed definition of "little old lady" had undergone a drastic recalibration.

Powerful woman.

Obituary here.

April, After All

Frost in the chicken yard this morning.

&$#@$

Spent an afternoon stacking wood.  Not well, apparently.  Because when I took my daughter out to show her the progress made (she has a vested interest), I heard a tick…tick…tick noise.  She was leaning into the doorway visible in this photo.  When I heard the ticking, I realized it was the sound of the woodpile shifting.  "You better back up – I think the pile might fall," I said, and no sooner had I said it than the entire row came avalanching down and spilling out the doorway.  Just missed ...

Coop in Paperback

Time speeds along faster than a chicken coop on wheels!  The very first paperback copy of Coop arrived via the UPS truck last week, and we are now able to take orders (all orders will be signed by Mike).

Here's the cover:

Yep, those are our chickens, and that's our tyke herding them.  She had only recently learned to walk when the photo was taken.  Now she's threatening to read the book herself.  Once again, this cover was the work of our friends John and Julie.

As you can see, the book has a...

Coop in Paperback (Pre-Orders Available Now)

Time speeds along faster than a chicken coop on wheels!  The very first paperback copy of Coop arrived via the UPS truck last week, and we are now able to take pre-orders (the book will be officially released on May 4) (all pre-orders will be signed by Mike and will ship on May 1st or 3rd).

Here's the cover:

Yep, those are our chickens, and that's our tyke herding them.  She had only recently learned to walk when the photo was taken.  Now she's threatening to read the book herself.  Once...

Coop: A Family, a Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg (paperback)

Paperback edition includes author interview and new "P.S." essay by Mike updating events (feral guinea hens, anyone?) since the hardcover release.

Publisher's Description: in over his head with two pigs, a dozen chickens, and a baby due any minute, the author of Truck: A Love Story gives us a humorous, heartfelt memoir of a new life in the country.

Last seen sleeping off his wedding night in the back of a 1951 International Harvester pickup, Michael Perry is now living in a rickety...