B&AS Book Club REPLAY

Fidelity: Five Stories by Wendell Berry

“They sat or stood around Burley's bed,
reconstructing their membership around him”
~ Fidelity, Story Four

Five stories, each a different fabric square stitched together with a unifying thread fashion a rich tapestry called The Membership which holds and binds the folk of Port William.

This collection skilfully weaves the intersecting lives of the community to form a picture of a life we may never have known but one which speaks to an ancient ache within us to be known, named, held and bound.

This was a rich time of conversation as we shared our own observations and what spoke to our hearts. A common joy was that of the women folk portrayed in A Jonquil For Mary Penn. There is a rooted resonance in our longing to be amongst elders who make it their business to love and mentor those coming up behind.

Wendell’s presentation of such a people as his Port William families (though not idyllic) left us asking some important questions about how we might seek and cultivate such a connectedness in our own modern world. I think this is a sign of a great book in that we come away longing to be better, to make better and cultivate a greater good for our own neighbourhoods.

"Honey, run yonder to the house. Tell your granny to set another plate.
For we have our own that was gone and has come again.”
~ Making it Home, Story Three

I hope you enjoy the replay video and audio and would love to hear your comments below. Don’t forget to join in the conversation Thread here in the Substack app also.

June’s book selection is A Place To Hang The Moon by Kate Albus.

You can see the complete book list for 2024 here. Our Zoom for June will be Tuesday 2nd July 8pm BST. I will post the Zoom link nearer the time.

Blessings to you all and may God grant us a deep chair, a full cup and time to savour our reading!

Jacqui X