A Family Place: A Hudson Family Farm, Three Centuries, Five Wars, One Family

by Leila Philip

The author of The Road Through Miyama plunges into her own family's rich history along the shores of the Hudson River to uncover evidence of tenant farmers, renegade aunts, secret children, manor lords, and other colorful figures. 17,500 first printing.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Memoir

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Leila Philip, creative nonfiction, is the author of A Family Place (SUNY, 2009) and The Road Through Miyama (Random House, 1989), which won the PEN 1990 Martha Albrand Citation for Nonfiction. She has received awards for her writing from the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Guggenheim Foundation. She is Professor of Creative Writing and Literature at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester.

(from https://www.ashland.edu/cas/faculty-s...)

Reviews

[Sabra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intriguing to compare this with The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home, in which the author tugs at your heartstrings with family connection to the place, its history and the possibility that they might lose it, that it leave the family or even be torn down as obsolete.

In A Family Place, Philip is angered by and burdened by the weight of family history, of legacy. Her research (and the resulting book) is a means of coming to terms with her family's place in history and its connection to the land for the last three centuries. While she seems to come to terms with that in the end (marveling at how history repeats itself) she still makes clear that keeping up the place is a burden and highlights the challenges faced by those who try to make their living off the land in this post-industrial society of ours.

A new edition includes photographs (one wonders why on earth they weren't included the first time around) and an update on the family and orchard venture.

(BTW, while I own the first edition, the image on my cover is not what is pictured here -- it's similar, but actually a much better image with tree branches framing the shot perhaps representing the present and the orchard, and the land sloping away to the Hudson with the Hudson Highlands in the dsitance -- perhaps representing vast time and history. It's a cover I actually like a lot more than the new edition, which features the bright yellow house. The book isn't about the house, it's about connection to "place" especially the land and the work and responsibility that goes with it.

[Roger Burk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not really about the author's ancestral farm, but about her nostalgic feelings for her family. The farm started out int he 18th century as a grand manor for local gentry, but declined over time as farming became less profitable (notably when people started driving cars and the bottom dropped out of the market for hay). Sections were sold off to maintain the family lifestyle. For a while they maintained their position, with European tours and hobnobbing with the Roosevelts, but finally the family was left with a barely profitable pick-your-own apple farm and a huge mansion with threadbare rugs, peeling wallpaper, and family portraits hanging on the walls. We meet several moderately interesting characters along the way, but really family stories are usually interesting only when about your own family. Nevertheless the writing is very good and it's not an unpleasant read.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

So very,very interesting,especially living here in Columbia County near three orchards that still produce. Written with an eye for what was and what is the making of a family run business. Pride, knowledge, hard work and perseverance are highlighted. Filled with historic, cultural and agricultural insights. Perceptive and appreciative.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is amazing how much history this family had packed away in its home! To be able to bring back the past lives of your family & to know them as people (even though you never met them) would be truly awesome.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very personal and interesting read of the history of one families Columbia County, NY farm. Includes military history, etc, but I was mostly interested in the maintenance of apple orchards, the pesticide needs, the gathering of historical documents and artifacts over the years. Have to admit that some of the detailed history put me to sleep...I mean, We all have a family history, correct? Why am I reading about someone elses? However, overall, was a pleasant way to enrich 4th of July weekend, and I have a newfound respect for the apple farmers of the Hudson Valley; they work their asses off!!!

[LuAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a family farm in the Hudson Valley and the family who founded it and kept it going. Well-written and compelling. For some strange reason the edition I read had no photos or family tree, but I understand later editions do. It was fun to try to find the places mentioned on Google maps and read online articles about Philip Orchard and the house, Talavera, near Hudson, New York. A very satisfying read and great history.. If you think having a rural family homestead in the family is appealing, this book looks honestly at the burdens as well as the blessings.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enthralling three hundred year mystery story that takes the author into her own past and that of her family as she tries to uncover the secret that has tied them all--for better and for worse--to a gorgeous piece of land in New York's Hudson Valley. Beautifully evocative and wonderfully informative.

[Sheri Fresonke Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leila Philips confronts her father's illness and then goes on to investigate her family history while aiding her mother's management of their orchards. Her compelling work in the apple orchards brings to light modern day methods for dealing with pests and disease, while explaining how the business works. I especially like her pride in her mother's way of taking over the business.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book about having a family farm (and how hard it is to keep it through out the generations). Ms. Phillips is an accomplished writer and a professor of writing at a university, which adds to the color and depth of her story.

[Jen]

this was fine, a little slow. i picked it up wanting to learn about farming life in the hudson valley, i learned a tad but it was mostly a personal memoir kinda thing. didn't finish it.

[Laurie]

Leila Philip is coming to our library in the Hudson Valley to speak in April. She is a compelling writer about a topic near and dear to our hearts: apple farming in the Hudson valley.

[Marti]

One of the my Top Ten for 2010.