Heirlooms: Letters from a Peach Farmer (Great Valley Books)

As suburbs swallow more and more rich farmland and reforms change the farming industry, the voices of farmers have never been more important. In his latest collection of essays, David Mas Masumoto reminds us that food remains the cornerstone of our society, even in the twenty-first century. Pervading his essays is a rooted, proud sense of community, family, and craftsmanship, and tales of toil and triumph over the land that produces the food in our groceries, farmers' markets, and restaurants.

Written in the form of letters, Masumoto's essays achieve an intimacy uncommon in American literature. Told by a man leading the fabled simple life, this writing speaks eloquently of the need to protect the so-called bread and butter of life--food, family, and community.