It is the summer of 1944, and nine-year-old Andy Catlett is engrossed in the wide easy countryside near Port William, Kentucky. But sadness, loss, and mystery invade Andy’s world on a hot July afternoon when his Uncle Andrew is murdered.
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"I'm really enjoying this series from Wendell Berry - a glimpse into a simpler way of living on the farm in the 40's. Berry has a way of bringing to life the characters. This book is one of a profound loss affecting young Andy Catlett. A great read, much recommended. " — Tim (5 out of 5 stars)
"I'm really enjoying this series from Wendell Berry - a glimpse into a simpler way of living on the farm in the 40's. Berry has a way of bringing to life the characters. This book is one of a profound loss affecting young Andy Catlett. A great read, much recommended. "
“Wendell Berry is absolutely unique in American letters…Berry is uninterested in stylistic leaps or postmodern bravura: he is interested in a profound, well-told tale of honor and memory and community.”
“Brilliantly detailed characters and subtle social observations distinguish Berry’s unassuming but powerful fifth novel. [Berry] writes with the authority of a man steeped in the culture of a time and place…This is simple, soul-satisfying storytelling, augmented by understated humor and quiet insight.”
“Writing with his customary limpid grace, Berry transforms an elegy into a hope-filled hymn.”
“This gentle tale deals with big issues: grief, love, truth, and loss—and their effects on a young mind trying to grow.”
“Berry deftly balances Andy’s investigation into the town’s past with an equally moving portrait of his growing realization not only of the sustaining value of memory but of the manner in which people are shaped in enduring ways by what they love. This is a modest, resonant work, both a sharp portrait of a small farming town nursing its secrets over several decades, and a penetrating celebration of the hold of family on the imagination.”
" As my first Wendell Berry book, I really like his writing style. There are parts of this story that I connect with as it depicts life, losses, and love amongst a family. "
" An enjoyable book but not his best although the last chapter pulls it all together right at the end, and that is why I decided to give the book 4 stars. Otherwise, the book was a solid 3.5. "
" Perfect Sunday afternoon read. Prose is so clear and evocative it will take you back to your simple country childhood, even if you didn't have one. "
" From the eyes of Andy Catlett (?) as a young child dealing with the Murder of an uncle. "
" This is a writer I wasn't familiar with, and I now want to read more. His prose is just beautiful. Simple, but poetic. He knows how to put words together. Has written many essays and a lot of poetry as well. "
" Stayed up late to finish this one. Named after his beloved uncle, Andy Catlett tries to understand the brief life of this man he hardly knew. "
" Wendell Berry is a great writer for meditation and reflection. In this novel, Andrew Catlett reflects on his childhood in the 1940s, which was profoundly changed by the murder of his namesake Uncle. "
" More Berry fiction....his newest...weaving joys and tragedies in a rural KY family and community. Many tales of the heart...much wisdom about life. "
" This a short, but meaty book about a young boy and his his relationship with his family, especially his wild uncle who is murdered. I thought Mr. Berry did a wonderful job describing the time, place and people in the book.; "
" Good book, kind of an authors introspective look at how you feel when people die. A real good story, and an easy read. "
Wendell Berry was born in Henry County, Kentucky, in 1934, and lives and farms with his wife, Tanya Berry, close to the place of his birth. A poet, critic, storyteller, and activist, he has written more than fifty books. He is the recipient of The National Humanities Medal, awarded by President Barack Obama, and was named The Jefferson Lecturer for 2012. He is a winner of the Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Michael Kramer is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration, and recipient of a Publishers Weekly Listen-Up Award. He is also an actor and director in the Washington, DC, area, where he is active in the area’s theater scene and has appeared in productions at the Shakespeare Theatre, the Kennedy Center, and Theater J.
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