Journal of a Prairie Year

Gruchow certainly has an eye for detail. Growing up close to the Minnesota prairie he describes, I missed seeing some of the sights, flowers, and animals he describes. His multi-page description of a summer thunderstorm brought back so many memories as did his marsh descriptions. It is a nice short book that deserves to be savored. It is easy to read a section, put the book down and come back later and be right back on the prairie. The feelings I got reading this book reminded me of how I felt after reading Dakota by Kathleen Norris. Both brought back good memories of my growing up years in the Midwest.