Out on the Porch: An Evocation in Words and Pictures

by Clifton Dowell (Editor), Reynolds Price (Introduction)

Over one hundred contemporary black-and-white photographs and rare pictures from family archives and albums accompany scenes, recollections, and coversations drawn from the many works of Southern writers.

Genres: Nonfiction

122 pages, Hardcover

First published January 5, 1992

Reviews

[Bibliomama]

This is either a collection of historic photographs of porches in the South with accompanying texts, or a collection of texts about porches by Southern writers accompanied by photographs of porches. Which came first, the pictures or the excerpts? I don’t know. On some pages I loved the photographs. On other pages I loved the writing. The picture of the wee small house with a glider on the porch reminded me of my own grandmother’s wee small house with a glider on the front porch. The rowhouses of Baltimore were a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed reading authors that I know and meeting new authors. I’ve already done a little research on Jean Toomer, an enigmatic writer from Georgia. But my very favorite text was from Sugar Among the Chickens, by Lewis Nordan where I learned about fishing for chickens. Oh, and I want to visit Mobile, Alabama.

A delightful evening’s recreation.

[Hannah]

The concept of this book feels warm and inviting. My actual experience was not as welcoming, I suspect for a couple of reasons. One, I think my appreciation for much Southern writing is lacking, and two, I took issue with the clustering that occurred in the layout (photos from obviously the same home or location felt too close together). Ultimately, this book makes me want to sit out on the porch and read, converse, and observe. I expect I'll turn to it again in the future.

[Allison Higgins]

An ode to the front porch, which is so symbolic of southern culture and lifestyle. The book includes old photos of porches from across the US south, along with excerpts from great southern writers who’ve featured “the porch” in their writing. Calls to mind a bygone time and place. Nostalgic. Purchased the book for $1 at a local thrift store. It’s one of my favorite coffee table books. Wish the photos included dates.

[Cornmaven]

I wish the photographs inside were in color, but they are all old. Also disappointed that there wasn't a concerted effort to match up the photo with the selected passages; some were spot on, while others were terribly far apart. The best part of this book was finding lots of books to read, based on the passages chosen.

[Janice]

Inspiring photos and book excerpts!

[Val]

Marvelous. Like a great glass of iced tea on a hot summer day, at the end of the day, out on the front porch of course. With lovely black and white photographs of southern porches across the South, and quotes from the very best of southern writers through the ages on the topic of porches in their noble writings, this book is a jewel and a gem. From Eudora Welty to Truman Capote to Harper Lee to Margaret Mitchell and Robert Penn Warren, we see the central place the porch has in our life of Southern culture and literature. The introduction is by Reynolds Price, and is one of the most stirring Southern introductions ever written in my opinion. I am so very happy I stumbled upon this slim volume in my local library within the dark corridor of the 'highbrow' literature section. It is dimly lit because few patrons venture there. I am glad I did. I could not put the book down. I read it into the wee hours o the morning only to sleep for a couple more and then rise again well before dawn to complete it. This book should be required reading in any college American literature class. You could hear the katydids while such greats as William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor and Thomas Wolfe gathered round the front porches of Rowan Oak and Andalusia and in Asheville, NC to speak of what only we know as Southerners, the front porch life. Here too, are other voices, previously unheard to me that I must now seek out, and towns and cities that I will want to now discover as they have previously been unknown to me. It is so grand to be southern, and be well read (you assumed)....and then there are new discoveries of lesser known but equally lyrical, just waiting to be read.

[Linda]

Love this book with great black and white photos of southern porches accompanied by passages from many of the great southern writers: Flannery O' Connor, Eudora Welty, Annie Dillard, Faulkner, Capote, Harper Lee, Morrison, Price, and many, many more. A friend gave me this as she KNEW I'd eat it up. I did! It makes me want to reread some of the books and read those I haven't read.