I finished reading again Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry tonight. I’ve probably read it at least once a year the last four years, and each time, new things stand out. It’s one of Berry‘s Port William novels, and essentially the story of one woman’s life and the grief and gratitude present throughout. Having lost my dad last June, the theme of grief and how we experience it came through in a different way. Here are a few quotes from Hannah Coulter and Jayber Crow, my two favorite fiction books (both by Wendell Berry), on grief and loss.
Tag: Wendell Berry
Favorite Quotes from Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
If I had to pick my favorite fictional book, it would be a neck and neck finish between two Wendell Berry novels. It might depend on which I read most recently. But the two finalists would be Jayber Crow and Hannah Coulter.
Continue reading Favorite Quotes from Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
Wendell Berry and the Gift of Remembrance: November Gratitude Reading Plan (Day 26)
(This devotional is day twenty-six of a 30-Day Thanksgiving Challenge. Each day includes a daily reading that will be accompanied by a post on this blog.)
Read Psalm 105
“[Tol Proudfoot] had become an elder of the community, and had recognized his memories, the good ones anyhow, as gifts, to himself and to the rest of us.”[1]
Maybe it’s my small-town upbringing, but I feel at home when reading Wendell Berry’s fictional stories. His characters aren’t larger-than-life heroes or villains but they capture the ordinary, beautiful, flesh-and-blood people I’ve encountered in life. His plots aren’t moved along by intense action, but in their familiarity as true to life stories you might hear at your own family gathering.
Continue reading Wendell Berry and the Gift of Remembrance: November Gratitude Reading Plan (Day 26)
Wendell Berry Poem
After recently preaching, I was reminded of a Wendell Berry poem about how we work but we ultimately rest as God does the work. I think this applies not only to preaching and ministry but to parenting, relationships, speaking truth to someone, any attempt at making a difference, gardening, our work, and many other things. There’s so much work for us to do, and yet in some ways so little we can do. Much has to be “left to grace” while we rest.
indycrowe 