This, the first title in the Port William series, introduces the rural section of Kentucky with which novelist Wendell Berry has had a lifelong fascination. When young Nathan loses his grandfather, Berry guides readers through the process of Nathan's grief, endearing the reader to the simple humanity through which Nathan views the world. Echoing Berry's own strongly held beliefs, Nathan tells us that his grandfather's life "couldn't be divided from the days he'd spent at work in his fields." Berry has long been compared to Faulkner for his ability to erect entire communities in his fiction, and his heart and soul have always lived in Port William, Kentucky. In this eloquent novel about duty, community, and a sweeping love of the land, Berry gives readers a classic book that takes them to that storied place.
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"This was my first book by Berry. I liked it. His style is easy to read and draws you into the Kentucky countryside. The story of Nathan's family life, however, was kind of depressing. I'm curious to see where Berry goes with it in further novels about the Coulters." — Jessica (4 out of 5 stars)
"This was my first book by Berry. I liked it. His style is easy to read and draws you into the Kentucky countryside. The story of Nathan's family life, however, was kind of depressing. I'm curious to see where Berry goes with it in further novels about the Coulters."
" So great! It was very different than Hannah Coulter and I enjoyed the differences. "
" I loved the author's descriptions of nature...so beautiful. The boy's thoughts about his father and grandfather were interesting as well. Otherwise, this was just ok. "
" I came across this book from a reference of bell hook's. I love the way that you can hear the accents in the voices :) "
" "And things that had been so before never would be so again. We were the way we were; nothing could make us any different, and we suffered because of it...." "
" This book is about a young boy growing up in rural Kentucky. The same great writing but I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did Andy Catlett... "
" I didn't love as much as Hannah Coulter, but it was still an excellent read. "
" I love Berry's gentle, spare way of telling the story. You find depth and compassion in his beautifully rounded characters. He manages to show life in a very lyrical way, while letting us know that the world can be a harsh place. "
" This was a simple coming-of-age story with good wit and character development. Many people have recommended Wendell Berry to me, and I am hoping his other novels are a little more engaging. "
" This book was very similar to Hannah Coulter in that I really liked it and really liked parts in it. As far as absolute favorite books, it wasn't so that's why I give it a 3, though the book itself is a 4 in it's writing quality. "
" Nathan Coulter was Berry's first novel, and his inexperience is evident. Most glaring to me was the lack of resolution--the book ends two short paragraphs after a major crisis. It felt too abrupt. Still a good first novel, but Hannah Coulter is a better story with many of the same characters. "
" A boy's childhood in rural Kentucky before WWII. I enjoyed learning more about the boy who later marries Hannah Coulter (a book I loved), but I didn't find this one as engaging. "
" When I heard of the book "Hannah Coulter" I thought I should go back to the beginning of the saga. So I read this one. Hard to believe it was finished in the late 1950's! "
" Reminds me a lot of reading Ferrol Sams. His work has been compared to writings by Sherwood Anderson. Like sitting at the feet of your old Southern grandfather and listening to him yarn, except I didn't have an old Southern grandfather ... "
" Wendell Berry - the great American thinker... "
" Great story of a boy coming to age, learning to love his family and their ties to the land. "
" Berry writes simply and directly. You can never get too much of that. "
" Wendell Berry is one of my favorite authors - great story telling, heartfelt, real, engaging... "
" I don't know for sure why I am giving this book four stars. A quiet, slow, brutal-but-still-hopeful-and-not-graphic, real coming-of-age story about a boy growing up in Kentucky. Not much action, but a good, satisfying read. "
" I didn't like this as much as the other Wendell Berry books/essays I have read. I never felt very connected to the characters. It may have been a fact of life in the time period he was writing about, but I didn't like the scenes where animals were mis-treated. "
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.
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
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