Nathan Coulter: A Novel [Paperback]

Wendell Berry (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1985

Nathan Coulter begins Wendell Berry's sequence of novels about the citizens of Port William, Kentucky- a setting that is taking its place alongside Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, and Winesburg, Ohio, as one of our most distinctive and recognizable literary locales.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An assured depiction of the coming of age of a young man in rural America... By any standards an unusual and rewarding writer, Berry is especially recommended to readers struggling with the moral and ethical questions confronting contemporary Americans." -- Newsday

"Spare, elegant and eloquent... Nathan Coulter... is an absolute jewel." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"The Coulter family, like the rest of the people who dwell in this tiny farming community... are caught on the wheel of nature, which is at once blindingly beautiful and unwittingly cruel... The narrative is stunning, the natural scene is beautifully evoked." -- Los Angeles Times

About the Author

A native Kentuckian, Wendell Berry lived and taught in New York and California before returning permanently to the Kentucky River region, where he farms on 125 acres in Henry County.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: North Point Press; Revised edition (May 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865471843
• ISBN-13: 978-0865471849
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,158,020 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The beginning of the Port William cycle, May 26, 2000

By 

Randall Ivey "Randall" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nathan Coulter: A Novel (Paperback)

This, Berry's first novel and the first to introduce his fictional Kentucky community Port William, displays the skill Berry shows as a poet. Not a word is wasted here; every one of them counts toward the whole. As with good poetry,as much is implied as stated outright here.

This is a story of initiation, of a young boy's coming to grips with his family and community and his own place in them. The book's final image, of the boy Nathan carrying his dying grandfather home, serves to sum up this theme perfectly.

This is a gentle novel and an auspicious beginning to an important saga of place and people.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Engaging work about people and community, October 1, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Nathan Coulter: A Novel (Paperback)

Nathan Coulter is the second best book by Wendell Berry. The best is "A Place on Earth" but you have to read this one as an introduction. This series of fictional works revolves around the Port William community. Wendell Berry is also known for his essays on the decline of community and the resulting cost. I find his fictional works communicate his ideas on community better than his essays. The sense of place is wonderfully communicated and the even the most noble character is kept plausible with imperfections none of us can wholly escape.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Life in a sleepy Kentucky county, November 30, 2009

By 

Joseph P. Menta, Jr. (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nathan Coulter: A Novel (Port William) (Paperback)

Memoir-like drama is perfectly readable and engaging but suffers somewhat from occasional dryness and an abrupt ending. There are also several disturbing instances of animal cruelty, undertaken by the bored young boys in the story. Ultimately, it's the colorful yet sensitive characterizations of the uncle and grandfather characters that make the book worth one's time.

Those attracted to minimalist, lyrical prose will likely enjoy "Nathan Coulter" (the first entry in Wendell Berry's "Port William" series) more than those who prefer more descriptive, meaty reading experiences.