a richly human community

The Memory of Old Jack by Wendell Berry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first taste of Wendell Berry's rich fictional world of Port William KY. This tale is the told through a series of remembrances of a crusty old farmer, interleaved with his interactions with the people and events of the present. The character of "Old Jack" is a strong yet flawed, deeply human old farmer who is among of the last of his generation. Jack's life has been spent stubbornly fighting for his independence and for his ties to his land and surrounding country that he both loves and belongs to. This tale is a wonderful incarnation of the wholesome and healthy philosophy that Mr. Berry espouses and lives out in his life and writings. I am looking forward to more tales of this richly human community.

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