Specify Books Supposing The Memory of Old Jack (Port William)
| Original Title: | The Memory of Old Jack |
| ISBN: | 1582430438 (ISBN13: 9781582430430) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Port William |
Wendell Berry
Paperback | Pages: 170 pages Rating: 4.28 | 2317 Users | 319 Reviews
Point About Books The Memory of Old Jack (Port William)
| Title | : | The Memory of Old Jack (Port William) |
| Author | : | Wendell Berry |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Deluxe Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 170 pages |
| Published | : | October 8th 1999 by Counterpoint (first published February 1st 1974) |
| Categories | : | Fiction. Novels. Historical. Historical Fiction. Literature |
Relation As Books The Memory of Old Jack (Port William)
In a rural Kentucky river town, "Old Jack" Beechum, a retired farmer, sees his life again through the sades of one burnished day in September 1952. Bringing the earthiness of America's past to mind, The Memory of Old Jack conveys the truth and integrity of the land and the people who live from it. Through the eyes of one man can be seen the values Americans strive to recapture as we arrive at the next century. "Few novelists treat both their characters and their readers with the kind of respect that Wendell Berry displays in this deeply moving account . . . The Memory of Old Jack is a slab of rich Americana." —The New York Times Book ReviewRating About Books The Memory of Old Jack (Port William)
Ratings: 4.28 From 2317 Users | 319 ReviewsWeigh Up About Books The Memory of Old Jack (Port William)
Wow, this one is kind of hard for me to review. I have tried to read so many things by Wendell Berry, probably for about the past ten years, and I've never managed more than a short essay or a dozen pages of a novel before giving up. I've always felt guilty for this. A farmer from Kentucky who writes about the evils of modern agriculture, the joys of engaging in meaningful work, and the importance of being connected to nature and place, it is all right up my alley, why couldn't I get into it?I am at a loss for words to review and it is because this book hits very close to home. The importance and weight of history and family runs all through this story and certain passages made me shake my head in sadness or wonder or joy, and look away when reading. I had thought to share some quotes but when I went back to find them, they didn't seem to stand on their own without the context of the whole story. I cannot recommend Wendell Berry enough.
Yes, yes, yes. Each sentence is a jewel from this farmer/poet/novelist. Read it carefully and within a few days' time. Don't miss it if you value land, relationships, reflection, drama.
4.5 stars. Wendell Berry's writing is so beautiful and elegiac, it makes my heart hurt. In a good way.
What stood out to me in this reading of Old Jack were the narrator's words on ambition, in conjunction with the well established sense of place present in all of Berry's fiction. Through his narrator, Berry offers a critique of unconsidered ambition, or ambition that adheres thoughtlessly to the ladder of success offered by the surrounding culture. This emerges first in the character of Andy Catlett, who wrestles with the knowledge that he has a powerful and able mind and wants to make something
Another beautiful book by one of my favorite authors, an eloquent writing surrounding Jack who in his old age reminisces about his life, in particular his marriage. There is a common thread that explores not only marriage but relationships in general which also includes the relationship of these people to the land.
4.5 starsMelancholy but heartwarming, the third novel Wendell Berry wrote and one that is part of his Port William series is a slow thoughtful and beautiful read. As we follow Old Jack in his perambulation round the town of Port William we also follow his descent into the past, a past that is more real to him now than the present. We hear about his farm and what he goes through to be free from debt, we hear about the courtship of his wife Ruth and the course of this marriage as well as the
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