Wendell Berry, Kentucky-born author who advocated a simpler life, has died at 92
AP News • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Wendell Berry, a Kentucky-born author and agrarian known for celebrating farming communities and critiquing industrial society, has died at age 92 in Port Royal, Kentucky.
- Berry's extensive body of work, including over 40 books, emphasized the value of rural life, self-sustaining communities, and the connection between humans and the earth, influencing figures like Michael Pollan and Alice Waters.
- Despite never receiving a Pulitzer or National Book Award, Berry earned significant honors such as the National Humanities Medal and a lifetime achievement award from the National Book Critics Circle.
- He was a vocal critic of modern industrial agriculture and urban-industrial society, advocating for a return to authentic, hands-on living and expressing complex views on American history and social issues.
- Berry lived simply on an organic farm, rejected modern technology, and actively protested environmental degradation, embodying his philosophies throughout his life.
