Customer Reviews

The Rural Life

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Verlyn Klinkenborg's latest book has just been released and apparently it is flying out of bookstores everywhere (within 3 weeks of it's publication date, it had already gone into a second printing). Klinkenborg is a member of the editorial board of the New York Times, where, for the past five years, he has been writing a column entitled "The Rural Life." Some of us have been assiduously saving these essays, most no more that 700 words, not to mention the fact that we have been regularly sending them to our relatives and friends who don't read the Times. The fact that some 100 of them are collected into a single volume, ordered by the months of the year, seems almost too good to be true. This beautifully written book is about as close to poetry as prose gets.

The Rural Life is a book about observations, the observations of someone carrying the imprint of a childhood on farms Iowa and California, and now, in middle age, and somewhat to his own surprise, trying his own hand at farming on a small tract of land in upstate New York. One of the things that is so compelling about the book is the author's genuine sense of wonder and pleasure at noticing the small details of life in the natural world. By being quiet and gentle in his interactions, Klinkenborg finds himself receiving a free education where many have found only frustration. True, Klinkenborg has the luxury of not being dependent on farming for his livelihood. However, with so much bankruptcy in the world--financial, political, spiritual-we need somebody to remind us that if we just pay attention to the small change there's enough wealth for everyone.

Richmond, MA 12/20/02

To read this delightful little book was to be carried into his space and more fully into my own. It made me breathe slower. I know of no higher praise to give. Once, right in the middle of reading, I stopped, called a friend on the phone and asked for a moment to read a passage. She, too, was delighted.

The two-star review from the farmer in Iowa is well-meaning and correct about his life, but Verlyn Klinkenborg--although he hails from that background--is writing from another place. No, Klinkenborg is not out doing the tough physical work to earn his living, but what he tells us about living is essential to those of us who often imagine ourselves in his shoes and appreciate what he shares. If you want a sense of the book, read the Editorial Reviews, which well describe his poetic love for the rural experience.

To my knowledge, no one describes the twelve months of the year more articulately than Klingkenborg. With a month-by-month description, he picks out all the details that he believes piece together a single day, and ultimately, a year. His words are deeply poetic; from the description of the windblown grass to the smell of the morning rain, the script strikes nostalgia into the hearts of all readers. The pure richness of Klinkenborg's book makes The Rural Life come to life with every word.

Not a substantial piece, but rather seemingly unrelated, random observations. I found the title, "The Rural Life," to be rather misleading. As one who grew up on a farm and whose parents still operate a farm, I found the random sketches to be rather affected attempts to capture what is clearly a heartfelt, respectful affection for "rural living," but when conjured up by a member of the New York Times editorial board play-acting at the rural life through a hobby farm in upstate NY, the concept seems disingenuous and hollow. The authenticity, starkness, simple pleasures and raw beauty are not found here, but seem to be replaced by a tone that is too manufactured and lacking in the genuine pitch and pace of rural life.
.... If you grew up on a real farm -- e.g. one where the farm provided your family's income rather than a job in NYC -- you'll find the author and the book take themselves a bit too seriously and that the work does not have a real feel for farm life. For less money, Kent Haruf's Plainsong and Enger's Peace Like a River are more lyrical and powerful works that effortlessly evoke the experience of rural life, or at least life in small farm towns.
....

Every time I read Klinkenborg's musings, I escape to a land not my own, coming out renewed. He has a vast command of the language, able to string common words together to make them sound brand new. I keep my copy in the loo, as the chapters are short and fully satisfying until my next visit. A worthy book to own or give as a gift to someone who appreciates quality prose that brings the reader close to the earth.

This book was very interesting to me. I just love the way the author seems to make the animals that are in the book such as the horses, birds, bees etc... have so much life. The country life seems to be fun and adventurous for someone like myself because things happen in the country that I would have never expected.the funniest part in the book was when the author is explaining to the readers how they had early birds singing get up songs. I also really enjoy the entire chapters being broken down into months because it was easier for me to coprehend what happened and when. This book is so inspiring and full of details.

Industrialized farming has provided our society with a steady supply of cheap and convenient food. Verlyn Klinkenborg's family was / is part of that industrialization success story. Even if that food from that industry has acceptable nutritional quality, many of us recognize that industrialized food is lacking in culture and spiritual substance. Something has been lost.

But it does not make sense for our society to ask for more expensive food or give up convenience. Those attributes afford us the opportuntity and resources to advance further. Collections like "The Rural Life" allow our society to critically, collectively explore, debate and evaluate our alternatives. This collection is particularly important because of the questions and hopes it raises regarding transcendent nature of agriculture.

The alternative to the transcendant approach is massive subsidization of an old, inefficient industry. Subsidization is politically expedient, but it's a zero sum game. We can do better -- we must expect more. Transcendance will require patience, wisdom and vision ... and a few good books like "The Rural Life."

About: A year-long chronicle of life on rural farms. Horses, weather, birds, insects and gardens are prominently featured.

Pros: Wonderful sense of place, well written.

Cons: Klinkenborg jumps around between several locations: Montana, Wyoming, New York, Colorado, Utah etc. It would have been much less jarring if he stuck to one place. Doesn't note until the last page of the book that this January-December organized work was not only written in several places but also written over several years and was originally just a bunch of essays. It would've been much more helpful if this information was given at the beginning of the book, so the reader knew what to expect. It would probably have flowed much better if he actually wrote the book as a book and not just tried to turn a bunch of essays into a book.

Like Klinkenborg I own a horse farm, and also like him I am a relative neophyte to the trials and pleasures of operating such a farm. it is from this perspective that I read and enjoyed his book. The intellectual rigor with which he argues his points, combined with the openness and honesty of his country naiveté is both charming and engaging. His description of the 9/11 aftermath was particularly memorable, but it was the every day acute observations of the changes and happenings on his farm which enthralled me. Even those potential readers who do not live in the country will enjoy his wit and insights.