For greater than fifty years, Wendell Berry has been telling us tales approximately Port William, a legendary city at the banks of the Kentucky River, populated through the years through a solid of unforgettable characters residing in one position over many years. during this new assortment, the author’s first piece of latest fiction because the book of Andy Catlett in 2006, the tales date’s diversity from 1864, whilst Rebecca Dawe unearths herself in her personal mirrored image on the finish of the Civil battle, to at least one from 1991 whilst Grover Gibbs’ widow, Beulah, attends the public sale as her domestic position is accessible on the market.

It feels as though the whole club, all of the Catletts, Burley Coulter, Elton Penn, the Rowanberrys, Laura Milby, the preacher’s spouse, Kate Helen department, Andy’s puppy, Mike, approximately each person returns with a narrative or , to fill within the gaps during this lengthy story. these simply now becoming a member of the club may be charmed. these who’ve attended prior to should be enriched.

The tale of the group of Port William is among the nice works in American literature. released within the author’s 78th yr, this assortment, the 10th quantity within the sequence, is the ideal celebration to have fun his large achievement.

"And so it’s all long past. a brand new time has come. a number of ones of the outdated time preserve religion and forestall via to work out me, Coulter and Wilma and some others. however the one I wait to work out is Althie. sounds like my complete lifestyles now could be lived lower than the sensation of her hand touching me that day of the sale, and each day still.
I lie unsleeping within the evening, and that i can see all of it in my brain, th outdated position, the home, every thing I took care of goodbye. i presumed i'd leave out it, yet I don’t. The time has long gone while I oculd do greater than fear approximately it, and that i claim it’s a load off my brain. however the techniques, nonetheless, are a type of company."
-- Beulah Gibbs