Old Tractors Never Die: Roger's Rules for the Care and Feeding of Tired Iron

My first exposure to Roger Welsch came from his "Post Cards From Nebraska" as aired on CBS's "Sunday Morning". The folks at CBS, lost a viewer, now that the "Postcard" segments are rarely included. The main result of the CBS error, was that I turned heavily to the reading of Roger's books, to maintain and increase my levels of socially acceptable gratification. "Old Tractors Never Die...Roger's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Ageless Iron" is a collection of pieces that originally appeared in the Successful Farming magazine. If I had more time, I'd be a subscriber...if for no other reason then to show respect to the folks that grow and raise my food. In reading "Old Tractors..." I've gain years worth of Roger Welsch's insightful, humorous and unique perspectives on this boy's favorite pass time. I love tools, machinery, rust and iron. The collection, restoration and maintenance of old tractors is touched on. The reasons a person would enjoy this pass-time are shared. A deeper meaning of gratitude came to me, for those that farmed with all that old iron. It's a people kind of book that will introduce you to folks you can call friend and hobby you might just pick up.

but Roger is such an interesting writer that anyone regardless of their life style will find this book entertaining..a book that is hard to walk away from..

Yep, some folks may have seen this material before, since this book's a compilation of Welsch's enrapturing material written for Successful Farming magazine. I haven't, because I'm too cheap to subscribe, but I still got to enjoy all this hilarious writing because my wife bought me the book for Christmas. There's something genuinely funny about Roger Welsch, and whether the topic is tractors, love, or interior decoration, it shines through in his thoughtful and eloquent writing. Roger starts each essay with a topic related to tractors, tractor restoration, or tractor enthusiasts, and by applying his gentle humor and a creative logic that suggests a tenuous grasp of reality, crafts gem-like vignettes of modern rural life. This book is in a class with the author's LOVE, SEX, AND TRACTORS or Howard Mohr's HOW TO TALK MINNESOTAN ... it was so funny I had to take it out to the shed and read parts of it to my John Deere "A". We both had a good laugh.

Anyone that has ever read Roger's tractor books will love this. If you read his columns in Successful Farming, a lot of it will be familiar, but well worth re-reading. As has been the case with each of his tractor books that I have bought, it turns into a marathon cover-to-cover reading session. I have yet to be able to pace myself while reading one.

Actually,the book was a compilation of articles that have appeared in Sucessfull Farming magazine over the years. His books are always funny to those who understand life on the farm and tractor restoration.