By Jenny Savage-Dura, Grand Rapids Main Library

A few weeks ago, I was listening to the radio while driving to work and became so captivated by a review of author Wendell Berry’s novel, Hannah Coulter, I actually couldn’t help but arrive to work a little late, stuck in the parking lot, hanging on every beautiful word the radio guest had to say about this powerful novel.

Let me say, this radio program certainly did not disappoint.

In this novel, author Wendell Berry explores the fictional small farming town of Port William, where many of his books take place, and where many of his characters’ lives intertwine and reappear. With sweeping narratives and character-driven dialogue, the story paints vivid pictures of the community and their rich, yet simple lives.

In Hannah Coulter, our twice-widowed heroine looks back on her life story, now in her 70s, reminiscent of where her now-unrecognizable Port William has gone, so far-removed from the way things used to be.

Hannah Coulter most clearly communicates to its readers a feeling of ambivalence between two changing worlds: the charming old farming community of Port William and the fast-paced outside world, into which many younger members of Port William are venturing. Hannah’s voice is slow and wise, and Wendell Berry’s writing packs a profound message into a short novel.

I highly recommend reading this beautifully written novel and any of Berry’s other short novels about the characters in Port William. There is no real sequence or series to his books, so you can simply pick up and enjoy wherever you choose.