What Are People For?: Essays Second Edition, Kindle Edition

by Wendell Berry (Author)

55 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-1582434872

ISBN-10: 1582434875

Why is ISBN important?

Added to

Unable to add item to List. Please try again.

Share <Embed>

Buy

$10.94

eBook features:

Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
Page numbers are just like the physical edition
Length: 225 pages
Word Wise: Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Page Flip: Enabled

Available on these devices:

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

includes VAT

Digital List Price: $14.82

Print List Price: $15.95 Save $5.01 (31%)‎

Deliver to your Kindle or other device

Enter a promotion code or Gift Card

See all 7 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions

Price

New from

Used from

Kindle

"Please retry"

$10.94

—

Hardcover

"Please retry"

—

$83.27

$24.99

Paperback

"Please retry"

$13.36

$9.36

$6.96

Audio, Cassette, Abridged, Audiobook

"Please retry"

—

Ranging from America’s insatiable consumerism and household economies to literary subjects and America’s attitude toward waste, here Berry gracefully navigates from one topic to the next. He speaks candidly about the ills plaguing America and the growing gap between people and the land. Despite the somber nature of these essays, Berry’s voice and prose provide an underlying sense of faith and hope. He frames his reflections with poetic responsibility, standing up as a firm believer in the power of the human race not only to fix its past mistakes but to build a future that will provide a better life for all.

Product details

File Size: 557 KB
Print Length: 225 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0865474370
Publisher: Counterpoint; Second edition (June 10, 2010)
Publication Date: June 10, 2010
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00APDAVG0
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

X-Ray:

Not Enabled

Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Screen Reader: Supported

Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #247,097 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #97 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Nonfiction > Sports > Outdoors & Nature > Nature Writing
- #344 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Anthologies & Literature Collections > United States
- #384 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Essays & Correspondence > Essays

Would you like to tell us about a lower price?

Be the first video

Your name here

55 customer reviews

Review this product

Write a customer review

Showing 1-8 of 55 reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Lori R. Dowell

my favorite being Hannah Coulter

November 11, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I have read several of Wendell Berry's novels, my favorite being Hannah Coulter, but have never read his essays before. His message in Hannah Coulter is similar to his message in this book, which is for us to think about the meaning of our lives, exactly as the title says. What is important to us and what should be important to us? This is an excellent book that I recommend to everyone. I will be buying several copies of this book for my friends for Christmas and Birthday gifts.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Kyle Gardner

Essential Reading!

March 14, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Wendell Berry is a national treasure. His contributions are monumental. This collection of essays is especially worthy of reading again and again – insightful brilliance throughout! I especially enjoyed his essay about Ed Abbey (who we lost 25 years ago today) and the piece entitled “Nature as Measure.” There is no better indictment of industrial agriculture and the cultural mindset which seeks only profit.

Only Berry could say this: “There is no sense and no sanity in objecting to the desecration of the flag while tolerating and justifying and encouraging as a daily business the desecration of the country for which it stands.” And that was 1989!

If you’re a fan of Wendell Berry you know and you nod in agreement. Now, can we spread the word? Berry’s wisdom, which is rooted in the land and his experience working the land, is critical for retaking the moral and political high ground from the corporate destroyers of the land. People are becoming aware and are willing to speak out. Can this tip the balance favorably?

We couldn’t do it without Wendell Berry!

Kyle Gardner, author, Momentary Threshold

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Jim Wilder

"This successful life we're livin' got us feuding ..."

March 7, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book inspired me to believe individuals and community can mutually enhance each other, and that God intended for us to enjoy our time on Earth much more than we generally do. It's full of inspiring quotes, e.g. "The more coherent one becomes within oneself as a creature, the more fully one enters into the communion of all creatures." The author is a philosopher, and his unique voice of exhortation is not overly preachy.

Mr. Berry touches on many far-ranging topics of quotidian life: the real values of education; the merits of decentralized control; the inherent biases toward, and the effects of, centralized control; the idea that language and writing should involve all senses; the concept that the future is faith based on all that we do now. The author delves into the most fundamental human motivations, and why we should be stewards of the Earth.

This book was a joy to read, and in these times of economic crisis it left me inspired that we can adapt and improve, and I feel sustained warm thoughts for the author. It was the first work of his I've read, and I'm eager to read more of his nonfiction and novels.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

markfav

Berry's insightful prose casts a light on our nature.

December 15, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Wendell Berry's essays are far ranging and diverse in topic, but unified by his curiosity about the human condition. These are essays and reviews that you can read over and over, and likely will, because they resonate with an inner longing of the reader. Berry has a way of persuading the reader, not just telling him, about something of import - taking him from unaware to deeply affected. A very worthwhile read.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Andrew M. Gordon

in the American grain

June 1, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I first read Wendell Berry's novel Hannah Coulter. These reviews and essays explain the philosophy and ecology behind the fiction. While not as entertaining as a novel, his prose is very well crafted and a pleasure to read. Berry sometiems comes across as cranky, old-fashioned, or a Luddite (technophobe), but he is in the American grain of Thoreau. He emphasizes the values of community and loving the land and stresses all we have lost in the modern world.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

JAY BREMYER

Wendell Berry Is a Treasure

November 14, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I've been reading Wendell Berry for 55 years, many of the books several times, and never come away less than moved, informed, and inspired.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Joel Patrick Senkar

Even though the essays were written many years ago, ...

May 21, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Even though the essays were written many years ago, "What Are People For?" is a thought provoking read that I wish had been introduced to me earlier. Take the time to at least think about the messages contained within.

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

JC_

As good as it gets

March 19, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I gave this book a 5-star rating not because I agree with everything Berry has to say about economics or conservation. The 5-star rating comes from Berry's mastery of the English language. Even if you disagree with everything Berry has to say you will love his style.

Here is a sample: “Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.”

Beautiful.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Comment

Set up an Amazon Giveaway

Amazon Giveaway allows you to run promotional giveaways in order to create buzz, reward your audience, and attract new followers and customers. Learn more about Amazon Giveaway

This item: What Are People For?: Essays

Set up a giveaway

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.

Would you like to report poor quality or formatting in this book? Click here

Would you like to report this content as inappropriate? Click here

Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? Click here

What Are People For?: Essays Second Edition, Kindle Edition

Sponsored products related to this item (What's this?)

Product details