What else I read

I recently finished reading Population: 485 by Michael Perry. The subtitle of the book is "Meeting your neighors one siren at a time" referring to his work as a volunteer firefighter and EMT. He works on a team with his mother and three brothers. I actually had Perry's book Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting on my list of potential books to read for this project, and when I was visiting my cousin in Wisconsin (Perry's home state) I noticed the book at her house and asked if I could borrow it. She was still reading it, but offered Population: 485 instead, which she had already finished. I couldn't read it right away because as soon as I moved it near our luggage James picked it up and started reading it. Anyway, we both enjoyed the book. Perry grew up up on a farm in rural northwestern Wisconsin, moved away and then came back. His writing is both eloquent and funny, which mirrors his personality - split between the rugged farmer/EMT/deer hunter side and the sensitive writer/nurse side. The photograph included with the author biography in the book shows any character you might run into at a bar in Wisconsin - an unsmiling man in a hunting cap and flannel jacket. He seems to have created a real persona. I am looking forward to reading Coop, but it looks like I may not get to it this year. I think I will read it during my next "year of" project "Celebrating the States". I will read one book from each state as part of the 2010 project.