Andy Catlett has lost his right hand in a corn picker along with his purpose. In the months following the accident he makes life hard for himself and everyone around him that cares for him--he just can't let the loss of his hand go and forgive himself for the one moment of thoughtlessness that led from his transformation from being someone who provided for others to that of a person for whom others provide. His poor wife Flora is nearly at the breaking point. She loves Andy more than ever, but can't bear his inability to shed his poisoning outlook since the accident. Andy has been called to fly from his small horse-powered farm in Port William, Kentucky to that of a major Agriculture conference in San Francisco in 1976. The speakers there applaud the death of the family farm and the rise of the industrial agrarian economy. Andy is a small-fry, a farm journalist and a farmer who actually milks cows and spreads manure. He was invited to speak to this group of businessmen and officials as a novelty--an opponent who can't hope to stand in the way of progress. Andy must contend with the modern world, the loss of his hand, and see if he can find himself again on the streets of San Francisco on a lonely dark night that seems far removed from all he has ever held dear. This is an amazing short novel(120 or so pages). I writhed to read the description of Andy's hand being destroyed, cried at his sense of hopelessness, and grieved and rejoiced along with him. Each of Berry's Port William novels argue for a rural life where people are tied to the land and the land to those people and their descendents. I want to go into more detail, but I've already spoiled enough of the story. Go read it and treasure Remembrance's poetic prose, deeply human characters, and sense of elegiac hopefulness.
This is one of those books where you think, "What a great book! But, I am not enjoying it." It's not meant to be enjoyed. It is a very poignant story, at times bittersweet, at times gratitude-inducing and at other times maddening. He tells the truth. The truth can be difficult. For me, there were two take-aways... One is about the people and places that both created and sustained us, particularly as we were growing up. The other is how we have made a mockery of food and the whole purpose of food...living. Even those who approach food in a modern, predatory way find it eating them eventually. The first point regarding people and place will probably take more time to fully resonate in my mind and heart but it has made me think about to whom I'm still connected that are also those to which I've always been connected. There aren't many of those people left and some of them, the connection is strained. It's not anything either of us ever wanted or needed, but nonetheless there it is. So, I will probably ruminate on this book for some time.Again, you will not likely enjoy the book, per se. However, it is worth your time and it is a quick read. It is testimony to his skill as a writer that he is able to take you on a journey entirely in a man's mind and you stick around until the end.
What do You think about Remembering (1990)?
The Washington Post called this "a beautiful and ennobling book." When all transient fiction has run its course and others are contemplating the real contribution to American letters from our lifetime, Wendell Berry will stand as one of the few enduring authors whose work, like revered authors before him, will be much more appreciated in subsequent generations. If you enjoy Wendell Berry's work or are new to this author, read Remembering. Read Jayber Crow. His works retain a coveted place in my library and are more often than not, found lying around the house, open-faced from wear or face down on an armchair or table, ink-stained and pencil marked.
—Bobby Lehew
Honestly, not my favorite Wendell Berry Book. Story of Andy Catlett later in his life. Andy is very introspective, 'remembering' the ups and downs of his life and the causes of these. Pretty obvious comparison between an agri-business farm and an Amish farm.
—Philip Van
This book is getting interesting... and I'm agree with you, you learn a lot of things for example, you see the past YOUR past in a different way, without hurting you... and about how to star a new live,,, and keep moving...
—Linda
