I am a country man, raised in the fields and woods of north-central Georgia. I do not care for cities, and so I live in the forest on a ridge over Wildcat Creek, a bold stream that flows, half a mile away, into the Oconee River. . . . Our house is halfway down the ridge, just before it plummets sharply to the creek. I have found archaic chert scrapers on our property, more recent potsherds with intricate decorations. I say that we own these seven acres, but we’re really just passing through.

With his opening lines Philip Lee Williams defines the territory of this intricate and lyrical memoir: life with his young family on the ridge, his coming of age, and the legacy of his southern family. That legacy, which includes a love of literature, a passion for music, and an insatiable curiosity about the natural world, also includes a defective heart valve.

Crossing Wildcat Ridge combines the drama of Williams’s open-heart surgery with contemplative essays on the natural world. The gentle counterpoint between the two elements illuminates both in remarkable and profound ways. Confronting his mortality, the author struggles to determine his place in the world. His sober consideration of things left undone is juxtaposed with the contemplation of a mound of fire ants: “There is no uncertainty in that world; each knows his job, doesn’t know why, can’t ask. None knows he will die.” As the author slips into depression during his postoperative recovery, he studies the flora and fauna of the ridge, its lights and shadows, the dunes beneath the waters of the creek. With poetic imagery, he shares not only his crystalline observations of nature but also their healing effects―how he learns to receive the gift of a mockingbird’s song, how the tracks of elusive woodland creatures bolster his faith in the existence of things we cannot see, how sensory memories reconnect him to the boy he was and the man he hopes to be.

All thinking, feeling adults search for the right path to self-discovery. Philip Lee Williams’s luminous account of his journey is one satisfying and effective road map.

About the Author

PHILIP LEE WILLIAMS is the author of eleven books, including The True and Authentic History of Jenny Dorset and Crossing Wildcat Ridge. His novel A Distant Flame is winner of the Michael Shaara Award for Excellence in Civil War Fiction. Williams lives with his family near Athens, Georgia.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

We have been in the bookselling business for over 25 years and have collected for over 50 years. We frequently are called on to do appraisals - institutional and private libraries - and give talks all over the country on collecting for pleasure and profit to civic groups, art leagues, historical societies, etc.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

M & M Books
GA, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

Georgia residents please add 7% sales tax. Please include $5.00 (US) for media
mail within USA: $1.00 more for each additional item. Books are sent via US
Postal Service unless other arrangements are requested. For INTERNATIONAL
PURCHASES, PLEASE contact M & M Books at mandmbks@gmail.com at the time of your
order and we will email you the exact cost quoted us by the shipping agency.
NOTE: USPS NO LONGER SHIPS SURFACE MAIL TO OVERSEAS. We will ship GLOBAL
PRIORITY where possible, minimum charge o...

More Information

Shipping Terms

Please include $5.00 (US) for media mail within USA, 5-14 days; $1.00 more for each additional item. Books are sent via US Postal Service unless other arrangements are requested. For INTERNATIONAL PURCHASES, PLEASE contact M & M Books at mandmbks@gmail.com at the time of your order and we will email you the exact cost quoted us by the shipping agency. NOTE: USPS NO LONGER SHIPS SURFACE MAIL TO OVERSEAS. We will ship GLOBAL PRIORITY where possible, minimum charge of $11.00, maximum weight 4 pounds. For packages over 4 pounds, we will contact you via email with exact charges. Georgia residents please add 7% sales tax. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we will contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 5.00	US$ 12.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.