When author Edmund Morris left the business world and bought a small farm in the early 1800s, he was so pleased with the results that he decided to tell others how he did it. His simply written chronicle one of the most popular books of its time emphasizes that agricultural success depends not on how much you grow but on what and how. Between thoughtful discussions of choosing the location, crop selection, and maintenance, he contrasts city and country life, despairs over weeds and raising pigs, and writes about the joy of establishing a home."