Wendell Berry (1934 to 2026) was an American novelist, poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic and farmer closely identified with rural Kentucky. He developed his agrarian themes across essay collections including The Unsettling of America (1977) and The Gift of Good Land (1981), and through the novels and stories of his fictional Port William, Kentucky, community, exploring the culture and economy of rural farming life. He received the National Humanities Medal and, in 2015, became the first living writer inducted into the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame.
Facts
Defining ContributionDeveloped his agrarian themes across essay collections including The Unsettling of America and The Gift of Good Land, and through the novels and stories of his fictional Port William, Kentucky community. 2 Connections
Associated With
American farmer and writer whose essays are a foundational voice for sustainable agriculture.
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Sources
1. Wendell Berry, Kentucky-Born Author Who Advocated a Simpler Life, Has Died at 92 (WOKV)
WOKV (Cox Media Group, via The Associated Press)Body textQuote, Body text
the Kentucky-born author and agrarian
2. Wendell Berry (Wikipedia)
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Berry developed many of his agrarian themes in the early essays of The Gift of Good Land (1981) and The Unsettling of America (1977).
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