Silk parachute
By: John McPhee.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 227
ISBN-13: 9780374263737
Subjects: McPhee, John, -- 1931- -- Childhood and youth; Authors, American -- 20th century -- Biography; American essays
Genres: Biography
Description: The essay "Silk Parachute," which first appeared in The New Yorker a decade ago, has become John McPhee's most anthologized piece of writing. In the nine other pieces here--highly varied in length and theme--McPhee ranges with his characteristic humor and intensity through lacrosse, long-exposure view-camera photography, the weird foods he has sometimes been served in the course of his reportorial travels, a U.S. Open golf championship, and a season in Europe "on the chalk" from the downs and sea cliffs of England to the Maas valley in the Netherlands and the champagne country of northern France. Some of the pieces are wholly personal, including recollections of his early years, but each piece, on whatever theme, contains a personal aspect in which McPhee suggests why he was attracted to write about the subject, and each opens like a silk parachute, lofted skyward and suddenly blossoming with color and form.--From publisher description.

The brief, brilliant essay Silk Parachute has become McPhee's most anthologized piece of writing. In the nine other pieces here, McPhee writes, with his characteristic humor and intensity, about lacrosse, photography, weird foods, and other varied recollections.
Table of contents: title: Silk parachute; title: Season on the chalk; title: Swimming with canoes; title: Warming the jump seat; title: Spin right and shoot left; title: Under the cloth; title: My life list; title: Checkpoints; title: Rip Van Golfer; title: Nowheres.