When Indiana photojournalist Joseph F. Persinger and his wife, Judy, sold their house in town and moved into a small cabin in a rural neighborhood known as Poverty Ridge, he decided to chronicle their experiences in a series of columns entitled The View from Poverty Ridge, referring to the view of the countryside from their new location as well as the editorial views of the author.

Combining humor, pathos, and nostalgia, the series attracted a loyal following of readers and was honored by the Hoosier State Press Association as Best General Column in the association’s Better Newspaper Contest. Judges described Persinger’s essays as well written and interesting … Good grasp of small town America … Persinger tells the stories in his column very well, even sharing a lesson or two along the way … Persinger is not the ‘grouchiest old coot in Indiana’ and seeing through his facade is half the fun of reading his columns.

This collection features 28 of those essays that will bring you a chuckle and perhaps a tear, and rekindle some warm memories of days gone by, especially if you grew up in small town America in the 1950’s. Twenty-two of the author’s scenic photographs provide an added bonus.