The World-Ending Fire: The Essential Wendell Berry Hardcover – May 8, 2018

This is one of those reviews that always frustrate me when I read them, but I want to share this information in case another purchaser makes the same mistake I do ... This book is an ANTHOLOGY of Berry's non-fiction writing over his whole career. It's a good list, but I'm very familiar with Berry's writing and had already read most of the essays here, so I was underwhelmed. I was really hoping that he was still publishing new essays! So, in that way, I was disappointed.

As a reader of Berry for over 30 years this new collection of essays brought to light amazing pieces (like the first essay, written in 1968) that I had never seen before. It is a treasure-trove of work for those who know well, and don't yet know, Berry's exceptional work in this genre. A must have for Berry fans and new readers alike!

Wendell Berry is not a man of our time but he is most certainly a man FOR our time. Berry is old-fashioned in the best sense of that overused word, but a man whose ideas should be most fundamental to a nation who is often at sea, wandering in the wilderness and unable to find its way back home. This book is a collection of essays imbued with Berry's profound convictions concerning the significance of community, of a sense of place and belonging, and of the need for infinitely sustainable land use practices. Too often he is a voice crying in the wilderness, but his is a voice we forsake at our own peril. He is both a superb farmer and writer. He deserves a wider audience than his already substantial and devoted one.

Good collection of essays but the font was very tiny; would have appreciated if the publisher split this into two volumes with more attention to readability.

Wendell Berry should be required reading for every one on the planet. this collection of his writings is as flawless as his precious insights and awakened consciousness.

I'm reading slowly in order to really absorb the thoughts he poses.

I love his romantic poems to his wife. He also did a mini play about a couple whose ghosts visit the place where they lived and loved. Very nice.

Still to read.

Think Little is just one of the essays in the collection. It's the one that I found way back in 1970 when it was written and published in the hippies companion The Whole Earth Catalog (amongst other places). I was sold on his ideas and have recently re-read it twice. Twice, because Wendell Berry's ideas about how the world is run, how agriculture is practised are as relevant today as they were when he wrote in 1970. Visionary writing can so often look misguided after half a century - this really doesn't because his views are now so evidently correct - well to me, and certainly to a great many others. I recommend that if you are interested, you should start by reading Think Little and consider it in view even of the recent Extinction Rebellion movement. Here is a man with a view which shows how things might have been and how they could be. It makes for inspiring and interesting, educational reading, even though, to my mind, there is faint hope of it coming to pass - but every little helps. His words and this work must be passed on.

Excellent read. Goes far beyond the narrow environmentalism of our times and identifies core solutions on the level of relating to ourselves, communities and surroundings

His observations as a longstanding farmer about the simple practical ways that modern methods of farming are eroding the land in America plus the loss of knowledge and skills of how best to farm the land and his thoughts about how to bring about change - second to none. I hope he is a popular read in the USA. Should be compulsory reading for US presidents.

Still 'walking through it' with Wendell! Very enjoyable so far! :)

As expected, in terms of quality and delivery time