The View From Poverty Ridge

About the Book

When Indiana photojournalist Joseph F. Persinger and his wife, Judy, sold their house in town and moved into a small cabin in a rural neighborhood known as “Poverty Ridge,” he decided to chronicle their experiences in a series of columns entitled “The View from Poverty Ridge,” referring to the view of the countryside from their new location as well as the editorial views of the author.

Combining humor, pathos, and nostalgia, the series attracted a loyal following of readers and was honored by the Hoosier State Press Association as “Best General Column” in the association’s Better Newspaper Contest. Judges described Persinger’s essays as “well written and interesting . . . Good grasp of small town America . . . Persinger tells the stories in his column very well, even sharing a lesson or two along the way . . . Persinger is not the ‘grouchiest old coot in Indiana’ and seeing through his facade is half the fun of reading his columns.”

This collection features 28 of those essays that will bring you a chuckle and perhaps a tear, and rekindle some warm memories of days gone by, especially if you grew up in small town America in the 1950’s. Twenty-two of the author’s scenic photographs provide an added bonus.

About the Author

Joseph F. Persinger has been an award-winning photojournalist, editor, and publisher for more than 50 years. Now retired from the newspaper business, he continues to pursue writing and photography independently. Many of his travel, wildlife, and landscape photographs can be viewed on Facebook. He is also a singer/songwriter who performs regularly at venues in southern Indiana, where he and his wife, Judy, make their home. This book is dedicated to the memory of the author’s parents, the late John and Margaret Persinger of Brownstown, Indiana.