In december 1938, bromfield purchased 600 acres of wornout farmland near the town of lucas in pleasant valley, richland county, ohio. But i can say with confidence the title is pleasant valley. Eventually, he bought the farm from clement herring in 1939. I have a first edition louis bromfield malabar farm, may.
Jul 01, 2008 pleasant valley is one of those refreshing and delightful books that show up once in a lifetime. He created the 1,000acre malabar farm, which became the best known farm in america, a birthplace of todays sustainable agriculture movement. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. About the complex man who won a pulitzer prize for fiction and made waves along with contemporaries sinclair lewis and hemingway and fitzgerald, and why bromfield has sunk out of view.
After i read a book i decide whether or not its a keeper. Materials present in the louis bromfield collection include. Louis bromfield december 27, 1896 march 18, 1956 was an american author and. Agricultural and literary history at louis bromfields. This was the first book bromfield wrote after returning home. Adams county mineral springs resort hotel photograph ohio memory collection old bridges, spring. Pleasant valley is a memoir, written after having been an ex pat.
But, for my money at least, pleasant valley is the best book he ever wrote. Louis bromfield makes his report on an experiment pleasant valley by louis bromfield. Pleasant valley is a memoir, written after having been an expat for nearly 30 years in many countries, but was always a bit homesick for his home in ohio, where he. Yet bromfield s books continued to be popular with readers. I liked how the author used was able to craft vivid images with words. Pleasant valley book by louis bromfield 4 available. I read pleasant valley and the farm more than forty years ago, and i am still grateful for the confirmation and encouragement i received from those books. Louis bromfield collection ohiolink finding aid repository. Dec 18, 2020 pleasant valley is a personal recount of bromfield s life farming his beloved homeland of pleasant valley, ohio. Available in used condition with free delivery in the uk. Bromfield studied agriculture at cornell university from 1914 to 1916,1 but transferred to columbia university to study journalism. Old magic book the cokesbury stunt book by arthur m depew, 1953. Its a lovely old hardback book and definitely a keeper.
Louis bromfield s pleasant valley is one of his books based on his life living on his malabar farm in ohio. People today can travel the johnny appleseed historic byway along state routes 39 and 603 and visit the spring house that stands today. Bromfield writes the screenplay for the rains of ranchipur based on his previous book the. And he wrote in the book pleasant valley that he wanted to prove that worn out farms could be restored. Shop the latest titles by louis bromfield at alibris including hardcovers.
Pleasant valley this particular book is a nostalgic narrative of an actual farm regeneration told in a compelling and entertaining manner. Vintage book little journeys to the homes of famous women 1897 elbert hubbard. Mar 14, 2021 the home that author louis bromfield built on his farm in pleasant valley was designed very intentionally to appear as if it had grown through the generations, with successive additions built on to an old farmhouse. Bromfield clearly had loved it familiarly and in detail. When chamberlain signed the munich pact, louis bromfield who. Bromfield wrote about appleseeds history in his book pleasant valley. Louis bromfield writing at malabar farm authors, writers, cycling books, pleasant valley. He purchased several old worn out farms and began the process of.
Pleasant valley book by louis bromfield thriftbooks. Pleasant valley is a memoir, written after having been an expat for nearly 30 years in many countries, but was always a bit homesick for his home in ohio, where he had been born and lived until going to fight in wwi. Pleasant valley has 4 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Books by louis bromfield pleasant valley colorado mrs parkington the rains came night in bombay the farm early autumn malabar farm. Novelist louis bromfield won the pulitzer prize for literature in 1927 early autumn.
He later used proceeds from this book to finance malabar farm, saying that nothing could be. At a time when farming, as a vocation and an art, was going out of favor, louis bromfield was a writer who genuinely and unabashedly loved it. I gave it to a friend who said she used to visit malabar farm as a child. In his book pleasant valley, bromfield wrote, if it is still standing a couple of hundred years hence, architects and connoisseurs will believe, i think, that the house was built not in 1939 but at least a hundred years earlier. Pleasant valley, bromfield s first nonfiction book, is published.
We do our best to provide good quality books for you to read, but there is no escaping the fact that it has. Apr 05, 2021 though born in senlis, france, ellen was young when the family fled the brewing storm clouds in europe to return to the states something bromfield s friend, writer gertrude stein never forgave him for, leaving her behind in france. Malabar translates roughly as pleasant valley, so bromfield s first book when he returned to the united states was called pleasant valley, the book i discovered recently in my bookshelf. Perhaps one day it will belong to the state together with the hills, valleys and woods of malabar farm. See all books authored by louis bromfield, including malabar farm, and. Malabar farm is alive and welllouis bromfield would surely be pleased. Bromfield studied agriculture at cornell university from 1914 to 1916,1 but transferred to.
April 4, 1945 to those who rank the farm near the top of louis bromfield s writings, the news that he is doing a companion volume based on his own experiences as a farmer will be welcome. The book describes the return to ohio and the initial years at malabar farm. Buy pleasant valley by louis bromfield online at alibris. The farm, a book whose scene is laid in his native ohio and repre sented as history. Pleasant valley by bromfield, louis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Louis bromfield books list of books by author louis bromfield. When he returned there as an adult, he wanted to buy an old farmthe herring farm. Wendell berry pleasant valley is one of those refreshing and delightful books that show up once in a lifetime. His 1945 memoir, pleasant valley, offers lyrical reflections on his quest to cultivate a modest, satisfactory life from the 1,000 acres of overworked ohio farmland he bought after leaving france. Louis bromfield is a master word smith who brings the farm regeneration endeavour alive and fascinating. I have a rather extensive collection of first editions, autographed by bromfield.
On may 21, 1945, bromfield hosted humphrey bogart and lauren bacalls wedding and honeymoon at malabar farm. Pages and illustrations remain bright and clear with minimum tanning and foxing. May 28, 2019 up ferguson way is a high ridge of forest and fields, riding the rim between pleasant valley and the valley of the clear fork river. When i was asked to contribute to the dictionary of literary. He also began writing a series of memoirs about agriculture and the environment, beginning with the bestselling pleasant valley 1945. Malabar translates roughly as pleasant valley, so bromfields first book when he returned to the united states was called pleasant valley, the book i discovered recently in my bookshelf.
Bromfield, once dubbed the dickens of america, then later hailed for his books on farming, is enjoying a renaissance in the twilight of the century. Vintage a tree grows in brooklyn by betty smith 1943 first edition harper bros. Mar 22, 2021 louis bromfield only got to live in it for 16 years before his life ended. I have a first edition louis bromfield malabar farm, may 1945. Pleasant valley by louis bromfield used 16029809mha. My ninety acres an excerpt titled my ninety acres from bromfields book, return to pleasant valley, on the importance of rural life and sustainable agriculture to our. In 1924, his first novel, the green bay tree, won instant acclaim.
Royalties from the book and movie helped finance much of the construction of the big house and surrounding farm. Biography explores rich life of ohio literary and agricultural figure. These books, as well as five other nonfiction works on sustainable agriculture and ecology, deserve to be placed in the literary tradition of aldo leopolds a. In writing pleasant valley, louis bromfield has made a noteworthy contribution to what may. Pleasant valley is a memoir, written after having been an expat. Perhaps the rolling hills of pleasant valley reminded bromfield of the malabar area in india.
Bromfield s final two books, the nonfiction from my experience and animals and other people, are published. In his book, pleasant valley, bromfield writes of the original sugar camp that came with the farm when he bought it in. Ellen grew up roaming the fields, woods, and creeks of southern pleasant valley. Reviewing the new books from a drawing by kate lord in louis bromfield s pleasant valley. Later, after france, bromfield found what he was looking for in a rather unlikely place. The roadside market spring house located by the malabar farm restaurant the schrack home in 1820 along pleasant valley road was a popular stopping point to gather water at the spring for many travelers including johnny. Louis bromfield ohio history central ohio history, ohio, fade to. Every inch of the house has been in hard use since it was built and will, i hope, go on being used in the same fashion so long as it stands. Louis bromfield, malabar farm, and faith in the earth deborah fleming asniana university louis bromfield 18961956 produced at least two books which should be included in the canon of environmental writing and place him among the ranks of notable literary environmentalists pleasant valley 1945 and malabar farm 1948. May 19, 1974 a mile away on pleasant valley road the pretty old malabar inn, dating from 1820, with its great oaks shading a broad porch, features proprietor polly kunkles home. I do not remember where or how i obtained this book or how i had it on my bookshelf for a while without reading it. Louis bromfield 18961956 produced at least two books whichshould be included n the canon of environmental writing and placehim among the ranks of notable literaryenvironmentalists pleasant valley 1945 andmalabar farm 1948. In his book out of the earth, bromfield said that, like much of americas agricultural lands in the early twentiethcentury, at malabar farm, these hills had been corned out, farmed out, pastured out, sheeped out, and abandoned.
Bogies best man, louis bromfield, hosted the 1945 wedding on his property. Louis bromfield was born on december 27, 1896 in mansfield, ohio, usa as louis brumfield. Malabar farm maple syrup festival small farmers journal. Jun 01, 1997 pleasant valley this particular book is a nostalgic narrative of an actual farm regeneration told in a compelling and entertaining manner. It was given that name by author louis bromfield when he established malabar farm in 1939. Sep 07, 2017 in his book out of the earth, bromfield said that, like much of americas agricultural lands in the early twentiethcentury, at malabar farm, these hills had been corned out, farmed out, pastured out, sheeped out, and abandoned. Jun 14, 2015 201524 pleasant valley my ninety acres louis bromfield louis bromfield 18961956 louis bromfield 18961956 was an american author and conservationist who gained international recognition, writing eloquently about rural life and sustainable agriculture. Upon arrival, he purchased three neighboring farms that would become widely known as malabar farm. Louis bromfield, malabar farm, and faith in the earth. May 07, 2020 later, after france, bromfield found what he was looking for in a rather unlikely place.
Louis bromfields pleasant valley is one of his books based on his life living on his malabar farm in ohio. One day this old tree will be gone and 500 or so hybrid maples developed at the zanesville experimental station will start producing sap with 6% 8% sugar content in 2025. He was a writer, known for one heavenly night 1930, the rains came 1939 and the life of vergie winters 1934. Louis bromfield and loving the land in ohio a travelers. After living as an expat for more than thirty years, bromfield returned to ohio in 1939 with his wife and children. After some 30 years abroad in the wide world, bromfield himself returned to pleasant valley before the outbreak of world war ii. If you understand or identify with any part of the above quote from bromfield, you. See more ideas about malabar, louis, bogie and bacall. During this time he meets george hawkins who would become his business manager and editor for 19 years. The connections between earth and humans are interwoven throughout as louis bromfield writes about farming with elegance and joy.
651 262 821 1032 831 803 1473 688 1512 1175 714 1224 442 718 24 1015 1261 1643 91 1374 1020 1172 232 333 975