Midwestern Sensibilities

In his remarkable book of days, The Heart of Things: A Midwestern Almanac, author John Hildebrand reports the drama and humor of ordinary life events – from church suppers to garden compost and from Friday night football games to roadside memorials – in a collection that both shares the countryside perspective on life and defines the Midwestern sense of place.

In his first book with the Wisconsin Historical Society Press, the former Wisconsin Trails magazine columnist charts his home, town, and neighbors through changing months and common experiences. Intertwining seasons bring surprises and challenges, but they consist of the things that matter most in Hildebrand’s opinion of Midwest life: weather, animals, family and home.

He explains that “this isn’t a journal of any particular year, not a report of events as they occurred, but a record of things that grew in reflection over time.”

The Heart of Things is rich with observations about the ‘good life’ that awaits in the Midwest. An e-book edition is also available.

Hildebrand recently took part in a Write On, Door County writing workshop titled “The Story in the Land.”