The Land

Driving home from Chicago on the 88 was a distance. But it was the most beautiful trip, green pastures, old brownish red barns, stone silos. We drove with the windows down literally into the perfect pink and purple setting sun. This drive inspire me to reevaluate my aloofness with the land. At the risk of cliche, I felt home among the maples, horses, insects, and hills. I felt content and connected to all who live off the land past and present. And so I wanted to feel connected with these farmer souls, these country hearts. I wanted to go deeper by reading into these feelings, the lives of those who have lived this life. Those who have acquired a beautiful vocabulary and voice of the land. I wanted to read Wendell Berry, a farmer's journals, what life is like on the land.


So today after much searching, I finally came across a book that I think will provide a beautiful introduction and will lead me deeper. It is a book called Better Off, and it is about a man who lives in a village even the "Amish consider obscure" for a year, off the land, to find out what life is like without technology. Rather than jumping straight in to someone's life who is completely different from mine, I think this will be a great introduction. I am super excited to read it, and I found it used in perfect condition! For me, there is nothing more exciting than finding an amazing used book. It was a sale too, so I got David McCullough's bio of John Adams and also a collection of stories from NPR. Better Off was free because of the sale. What a Find!!!