Forty Acres Deep

By: Michael Perry

Narrated by: Michael Perry

When farmer Harold wakes to find his wife dead beside him in bed and snow threatening to crush the last life from his dwindling farm, he takes drastic steps toward a fresh start. Set in a world of stark wintry beauty, Forty Acres Deep is the brief, unrelenting tale of one person's attempt to make sense of a world he no longer recognizes while pitilessly calling himself into account. Seamed with grim humor and earthy revelations, it is an unforgiving story...and yet leaves open the idea that we might surrender to hope.

©2023 Michael Perry (P)2023 Michael Perry

Devastating. Honest. Real.

Don’t be fooled by Perry’s other more light-hearted works. This mighty little book is deep & heavy. It’s a fast read, but you’ll probably need to pause & mull a poignant truth, consider an all-too-familiar pattern… heck, maybe just cry. Read it, but warn your heart first - especially if you know rural life, isolation, or depression.

Even if you don’t know those realities first-hand, prepare yourself before cracking into this one. You’re going to walk away looking at the world a little differently and with new compassion. It may be a work of fiction, but you’ll be seeing Harold at gas stations and coffee shops for a long time. You’ll find yourself giving him your most kind and warm smile - and wondering about him after you leave - and hoping beyond hope that you provided some warmth… which is really just something this world needed more of anyway.

Solemn and Real

The author captures those gut wrenching feelings so well. You want to help the character, shake him and say let's work on this, but not sure he'd listen. A really good read.

Self reflection

This book Really made me reflect on the wonderful relationship I have with my wife.

Unexpected

Michael Perry’s works are usually filled with bits of often self effacing humor. Not so with this dark story of a man feeling alone, isolated, and regretful. Perry’s skillful turn of phrase portrays the downward path of despair powerfully. An important read.

A good story by any author, but amazing by Michael

Dark, deep, and complex. I am from a small town in Wisconsin and relate so well to Perry's writing. In this book, which is such a departure from his others, Perry weaves the complexities of change, loss, sadness, thoughtfulness, stubborness, honesty, and about a dozen other life challenges, into a haunting portrayal of coping with our world, our choices, and our mental health. This was such a wonderfully sad and beautiful book.

The last of a kind

Mr Perry the author put in perspective of how a 8 stanchion dairy farmer is diapering, and at the same time, how loneliness can swallow you whole. He shows how we sometimes don't see who we are hurting. And how that hurt can come back to hurt us. it shoes how he has everything he has basically wanted out of life. He has his own hermitage basically. But now realizes that his own selfishness to be isolated has also affected the wife he once had. It also shows how he wanted to make a right in his life towards his dead wife in the end by giving everything away. The book is a beautiful epitaph to a dying breed of farmers out there. And maybe to the Men of Northern Wisconsin.

Great listen!

Loved all of it!

It’s dark, but it’s good.

Being read by the author made it all the better.

A story that is unpredictable

This was a good story, A man dealing with his demons. A deep look into himself and the world around him!

Tough topic, but masterfully shines light on growing concern in rural farming communities

Growing up on a small town farm, and watching my father selling the cows and recently rent the crop land, brings a flood of emotions. I could relate to the hardships of the main character, though not to his extreme, and felt the realness of each day. Amazing detail.