The World-Ending Fire: The Essential Wendell Berry

Written by Wendell Berry and Paul Kingsnorth

Narrated by Nick Offerman

In a time when our relationship to the natural world is ruled by the violence and greed of unbridled consumerism, Wendell Berry speaks out in these prescient essays, drawn from his fifty-year campaign on behalf of American lands and communities.

The writings gathered in The World-Ending Fire are the unique product of a life spent farming the fields of rural Kentucky with mules and horses, and of the rich, intimate knowledge of the land cultivated by this work. These are essays written in defiance of the false call to progress and in defense of local landscapes, essays that celebrate our cultural heritage, our history, and our home.

With grace and conviction, Wendell Berry shows that we simply cannot afford to succumb to the mass-produced madness that drives our global economy?the natural world will not allow it.

Yet he also shares with us a vision of consolation and of hope. We may be locked in an uneven struggle, but we can and must begin to treat our land, our neighbors, and ourselves with respect and care. As Berry urges, we must abandon arrogance and stand in awe.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781980080381

Wendell Berry

Wendell Berry is a celebrated poet, novelist, essayist, and farmer. Known for its profound connection to nature, rural life, and community, Berry’s work explores themes of sustainability, stewardship, and simplicity. A staunch environmentalist, he has received numerous awards for his literary and ethical contributions.

Reviews for The World-Ending Fire

[pferdina · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Some of these essays were fine, some were interesting, some were tedious.

[jscape2000 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Plenty to agree and disagree with here. I nod along with the broad contours of Berry's critique of modern life, and the need to live closer to our food sources, the land that produces them, and the processes that create both foods and communities of mindful consumers. Likewise, I agree with Berry's anti-capitalistic impulses and his considered pacifism. At the same time, much of his writing steps too far into Luddism and tastes too freshly of privilege (of upbringing, of health, of temperament, of familial and economic resources) for me to believe that his life can reasonably serve as a model but for a select few disciples.

[library_lin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't generally read essays for entertainment. But after this introduction to the essays of Wendell Berry, I may change my habits. I'm a fan.

I had heard of Berry for years, but this anthology of his work was an excellent introduction. Berry is disturbed and angry about the effects our wasteful, self-centered society has on the planet. He began his call for change in the 1960s while writing about his one-family farm in Kentucky.

After reading his book, I am regretful of my personal choices but hopeful that it's not too late to come to peace with my life. He's helped me see the world in a completely new way, and I am excited to raise a small garden and be more appreciative of what I have.

[tenamouse67 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won an ARC in a GOODREADS giveaway! The essays were very interesting. Some were a bit dry but all gave me insight into his hopes for our future . #GoodreadsGiveaway