Citizenship Papers: Essays

There are those in America today who seem to feel we must audition for our citizenship, with “Patriot” offered as the badge for those found narrowly worthy. Let this book stand as Wendell Berry’s application, for he is one of those faithful, devoted critics envisioned by the Founding Fathers to be the life’s blood and very future of the nation they imagined. Adams, Jefferson, and Madison would have found great clarity in his prose and great hope in his vision. And today’s readers will be moved and encouraged by his anger and his refusal to surrender in the face of desperate odds. Books get written for all sorts of reasons, and this book was written out of necessity. Citizenship Papers, a collection of 19 essays, is a ringing call of alarm to a nation standing on the brink of global catastrophe.

Customer Reviews:

Re-connect

By Patricia Kramer - March 16, 2004

Wendell Berry throughout this book describes the real meaning of citizenship. Not citizenship of a country but citizenship of a place, a community, an ecosystem. Berry writes that security comes from being self sufficient within that community. The fact that a breakdown in transportation in this country would leave grocery stores bare should give us all pause. How much more sense it would make to know the farms still exist locally to provide the food, to know the farmer through a Community Supported Agriculture arrangement, to not be dependent on food shipped across the country and even across the oceans.The problem is current and past policies are driving small farmers out of business and local businesses are being driven out by megastores such as Walmart. But Berry points out we can resist being driven along this path and stand up and say no. Join a CSA, shop at the farmer's market, buy organic, support the local shops. Wendell Berry says it better. "This, of... read more

Read it with an open heart and consider ways we must change

By A Customer - October 12, 2003

This man is wise and we need to listen to him. Even more, we need to think hard about what actions we can take to address the concerns raised here. For most of us, our actions will necessarily be considered "radical", for most of us have strayed far from living with a consideration for the health of the earth and the local communities we live in. I am frightened at the direction this nation is going and I hope and pray more people pay attention to what Bush and his crew are doing and kick him out next year. But that is only a small part of what needs to happen. Berry consistently gets to the hard roots of many of our modern crises and is always clear-headed and forceful in his analysis. An amazing writer and a master stylist. Read him now. Now is when we most need to hear him.

Citizenship Papers

By Josh Goode - July 4, 2012

When I first heard about this book I thought it would be a treatise on what it means to be an American citizen. Having now read the book, I can say that my expectation was true to a certain extent, but I think it would be more accurate to say the book is a treatise on what it means to be a citizen (American or not).

Mr. Berry has a marvelous way of getting to the heart of the problem. One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is the unique perspective and solutions he offers in contrast to the tired, oft repeated views you hear or read from the mainstream media and political commentators. It's really wonderful the way he's helped me look at problems from a totally different angle.

I'd also mention that through the whole course of my reading I kept thinking how I wish I could have read this book prior to college. It's an excellent introduction to a wide range of topics and I'd encourage all to read it to help develop their understanding and living out of... read more

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