White on White: Selections from the Works of E. B. White

Famous for his columns in "Harper's" and "The New Yorker", revered for his essays in "One Man's Meat" and "The Elements of Style", and immortalized through his classic children's books "Charlotte's Web" and "Stuart Little", E.B. White and his way with words have become legendary. During the last year of his life, his son, Joel White (1931-1997) visited him daily. These bedside hours were often spent with Joel reading excerpts from White's works aloud for them to enjoy together. Here, Joel reads some of their favorites including essays, letters and poems, plus a personal introduction that draws listeners closer to the life of E.B. White.

Library Journal

This sampler, complete with comments, is read by White's son Joel (who died in 1997). If nothing else, it is a listening experience that cannot be replicated. It brings together poems, letters, autobiographical notes, and fragments from essays (many of which appeared in The New Yorker or Harper's). White's writing is lightweight, the verbal equivalent of easy-listening music, further demonstrated by piano interludes. Excerpts from essays don't add any substance. And his poems (or rhymed verse) would fit better in the context of his famous children's books (most notably Charlotte's Web). The second tape is better, if only because listeners have gotten used to his style. It also includes the full text of "Once More to the Lake," a charming piece about taking his family on vacation every August. Recommended for listeners roaming the countryside on their own summer vacations.Rochelle Ratner, formerly with "Soho Weekly News," New York

With such classics as Stuart Little and Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White proved that books for young readers could be as elegant, graceful, and nuanced as the essays he wrote for adults in The New Yorker, where he was one of the magazine s most distinctive and distinguished voices.