Sermons in Stone: The Stone Walls of New England and New York

By Susan Allport

Book Overview

Sermons in Stone is the surprising history of the walls, a story that begins in the Ice Age and has been shaped by the fencing dilemmas of the nineteenth century, by conflicts between Native Americans and colonists over land use, by America's waves of immigration and suburbanization. Beautifully illustrated by David Howell, this is an illuminating and entertaining work of the first rank.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039331202X
• ISBN13: 9780393312027
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

dry

it was very dry to me. My grandfather built his own stonewall around his 2 acre property in Orange Connecticut in the late 30's.

Rock Solid Read

This book has been sitting on my shelves or in boxes for years and I am very glad I finally decided to read it. The book is well researched and well written. I do like a lot of non-fiction, but still thought a book on stone walls may be pushing the limits. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone interested in New England or northeast US history and especially to those few with an interest in stone walls. I think this is a very complete history of all aspects of stone walls.

A Real Page Turner

If you think that a book on the stone walls of New England might be "dry," you are wrong. This brilliantly written and researched book is as riveting as any thriller. You will gain a new appreciation for the countless anonymous generations that went before us and left their mark-- those beautiful, enduring stone walls. An absolutely fascinating book!

An excellent history of the stone wall.

This book was truly an unexpected pleasure. Its not a how-to book but rather a history of the stone wall. Surprisingly, that history takes the reader into a wide range of topics: geology, botany, architecture, colonial american history, among others. Because stone walls were so commonplace, their builders left very little discussion of their motives and means. Allport acts almost like a detective, piecing the story together. Additionally, because she clearly loves stone walls (and writes well), she is able to capture the mystery and the beauty of her subject. This is a great read for a wide audience: from the historically curious to anyone who wishes to build a wall of stone.