Any Day

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Henry Mitchell wrote for the Washington Post from the early 1970s to1991. He was best known for his gardening columns, some of which have been gatheredin two beloved books, The Essential Earthman and One Man's Garden. In addition tohis gardening columns, Mr. Mitchell also wrote feature stories and for years had ageneral interest column that appeared on Fridays under the title Any Day. This bookcollects the most enduring of those brilliant columns. Henry Mitchell was a bit of acurmudgeon. He had an eye for cant and an even sharper eye for the deeper truths ofreality. Never pompous, his columns were frequently hilarious. He could make youcry, he could make you weep and he could catch you up in the midst of a busy, confusing day and make you pause and reflect: Hey, look at this He will make youfeel good about being a flawed human, and he will even make you think that mortalityisn't so bad.

Readers who have enjoyed TheEssential Earthman and One Man's Garden will thrill to discover their favoriteauthor's additional accomplishments as they are represented in this lovely book. Theillustrations are by Susan Davis, a gifted Maryland artist whose work accompaniedmany of Henry's columns during the 1980s and 1990s.

One needs only to read an essay or two of those collected here to see that Mr. Mitchell was a well-educated, fully informed individual. But his ability to write in a voice that transcended his obviously cultured status, to make his points accessible to people of all backgrounds in a thoughtful, mannerly, and humorous -- always humorous -- style, is an ability his modern-day contemporaries would be smart to emulate. (Are you listening, Maureen Dowd?? Oh, forgive me -- why would we expect you to start now?)

Still, Mitchell's discretion could give way to much stronger sounding of his opinion, and flat-out satire that was without peer. Even when it did, Mitchell managed to maintain the tone of rationality and etiquette which was the underpinning of all his work, and which is sadly lacking on today's op-ed pages. This indefinable quality -- and the sheer quality of the writing itself -- sets Mitchell's work apart.

"No man is a hero while brushing his teeth or clipping hair out of his ears. He needs some kind of warning that this is the moment to act."

He shares himself (a locution he might mock)as he observes the passing world. If you enjoy E.B. White or Russell Baker, buy this book.