The Achievement of Wendell Berry: The Hard History of Love

Culture of the Land

by Fritz Oehlschlaeger

Arguably one of the most important American writers working today, Wendell Berry is the author of more than fifty books, including novels and collections of poems, short stories, and essays. A prominent spokesman for agrarian values, Berry frequently defends such practices and ideas as sustainable agriculture, healthy rural communities, connection to place, the pleasures of work, and the interconnectedness of life.

In The Achievement of Wendell The Hard History of Love, Fritz Oehlschlaeger provides a sweeping engagement with Berry's entire corpus. The book introduces the reader to Berry's general philosophy and aesthetic through careful consideration of his essays. Oehlschlaeger pays particular attention to Berry as an agrarian, citizen, and patriot, and also examines the influence of Christianity on Berry's writings. Much of the book is devoted to lively close readings of Berry's short stories, novels, and poetry. The Achievement of Wendell Berry is a comprehensive introduction to the philosophical and creative world of Wendell Berry, one that offers new critical insights into the writing of this celebrated Kentucky author.

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1978, Oehlschlaeger made significant contributions to the understanding of American literature, not only by publishing in his original field of transcendentalism, but also by writing on a variety of figures and periods ranging from the late 18th century to the present.

He worked diligently to become an interdisciplinary scholar concerned with bringing into conversation the fields of literary criticism, philosophical ethics, bioethics, and Christian theology. As a result, Oehlschlaeger wrote three books, co-authored a fourth, edited or co-edited three others, and published more than 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters.

As a teacher, Oehlschlaeger taught, advised, and mentored undergraduates at every stage of their course of study. He developed and taught well over 30 different courses during his career.

Reviews

[David Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers have been inundated by a plethora of recent books about Wendell Berry. However, most of these tomes deal with his essays. Fritz Oehlschlaeger's significant contribution is to also write critically concerning Berry's poetry and fiction. I am a recent convert to Berry's fiction, finding in his Port Royal sagas a delightful commitment to stories well told. Oehlschlaeger does a wonderful job of surveying these works. His essay "Imagining the Practice of Peace in a Century of War: "A Place on Earth, Hannah Coulter, and Jayber Crow" is both thoughtful and insightful. I am not a poetry expert but appreciated Oehlschlaeger's selection of Berry's poetry. My only beef is with the price of the text. While I would be the last to begrudge compensation to the author, especially one who poured such significant amounts of scholarship onto the pages of his book, I fear the 35 dollar price tag will not reach Oehlschlaeger's pocket.

[Sarah]

Always grateful to interact with Mr. Berry--I don't always agree with him, but he makes me work for it.