Wendell Berry
02:58pm Tuesday, Sep 15, 2009 | 0 comments | 5.0/5 rating | Share

Making peace with farming: 

Famous for his essays and poems, Wendell Berry's (August 5, 1934 - present) poignant insights and visionary pursuits make him a prophet of our time. A Kentucky-born writer, academic, cultural critic, environmental activist and farmer, Berry voices the importance of humanity's interconnectedness with nature through his powerful poetry and prose.

"The most alarming sign of the state of our society now is that our leaders have the courage to sacrifice the lives of young people in war but have not the courage to tell us that we must be less greedy and wasteful," he said.

Berry's writing exemplifies the integral relationship between the individual and nature. His writing revolves around his own rural experience in Kentucky and his reverence of nature and the sacred beauty of creation. Author of more than 30 books of poetry, essays and novels, Berry's writing reflects his vision of a global humanity and his passion for sustainable agriculture, healthy rural communities, a connection to place and local economies.

Berry travels throughout the country to give lectures on the importance of humanity's connection with nature and community. Through these engagements, Berry is an outspoken critic of global capitalism, industrial farming, environmental destruction and the disappearance of traditional agrarian life. Berry educates his audiences on the effects of industrialization on the environment and its impact on our children.

Berry's prophetic authority lies in his way of life. After being a lecturer, scholar, and professor for nearly 20 years, Berry left formal academia to return to the farm where he currently lives a simpler and slower way of life. "We are going to have to start living according to the standards imposed by local adaptation - a familiar biological requirement that for some reason we have never applied to ourselves."

Learn more:

Profile on Poets.org

Full listing of resources about Berry

Berry's books website