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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
Without a doubt the most worthwhile book I've read so far this year. I've read a lot of Wendell Berry essays, and three of the best are in this collection: "Why I am not going to buy a computer," "Feminism, The Body & the Machine," and "Word and Flesh." Trying to get through the year with these words about the relationship between humans and technology, and the relationship between thought and action, seems to be an idea whose time has come, for me at least.
Rats and roaches live by competition under the law of supply and demand, it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.
In this collection of essays written in the 80s, Wendell Berry passionately conveys his concerns with the way America is headed. The first section contains poetry mainly about farming and the land. The second section has a more literary focus as he reviews several literary works/authors. The third section is more about the American economy and greedy consumerism. While Berry’s tone can feel disparaging towards the average American consumer, I think he also offers hope in his solutions to the problems. Regardless, these essays certainly give you much to ponder.
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
This little book is packing a lot of different things. Poems, book reviews, agricultural essays, all of it. There are some essays that are way better than others, but together they help give you a picture of a 1980's version of Wendell Berry.
Not recommended. There are some gems in there, but you've got to wade through way too much random stuff for those phrases.
For people who have never read Wendell Berry before: start with the Whole Horse. But if you’re already open to his thoughts, then this book is an eclectic mix. It has a bit of something for everyone, but I think that the first two essays, “What Are People For,” and “Waste” are really the must reads.
I doubt anyone would read this book and agree with all of it, but that’s what makes Wendell Berry such a unique thinker. His perspective on the world is grounded in physical agrarian experience, and so it’s not easily classified in the political and academic spheres. But even the essays I disagreed with I gained something from, and most importantly I was reminded of the truth that always comes to light when reading Wendell Berry: that to live tied to place and land is a delight, and that denying ourselves that is one of the substantial tragedies of modern western (colonial) life.
I doubt anyone would read this book and agree with all of it, but that’s what makes Wendell Berry such a unique thinker. His perspective on the world is grounded in physical agrarian experience, and so it’s not easily classified in the political and academic spheres. But even the essays I disagreed with I gained something from, and most importantly I was reminded of the truth that always comes to light when reading Wendell Berry: that to live tied to place and land is a delight, and that denying ourselves that is one of the substantial tragedies of modern western (colonial) life.
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
I can recognize that this was good writing, and appreciated some of his arguments. But it was not as enjoyable as I had hoped.