Nathan Coulter: A Novel

· Port William Book 1 · Catapult
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Welcome to Port William. In his debut novel and the first in his beloved series, Wendell Berry introduces readers to a place where community becomes "membership," bound by affection, duty, and an inseparable devotion to the land

Nathan Coulter
, Wendell Berry’s first book, was published in 1960 when he was twenty–seven. In his first novel, the author presents his readers with their first introduction to what would become Berry’s life’s work, chronicling through fiction a place where the inhabitants of Port William form what is more than community, but rather a “membership” in interrelatedness, a spiritual community, united by duty and bonds of affection for one another and for the land upon which they make their livelihood.

When young Nathan loses his grandfather, Berry guides readers through the process of Nathan's grief, endearing the reader to the simple humanity through which Nathan views the world. Echoing Berry's own strongly held beliefs, Nathan tells us that his grandfather's life “couldn't be divided from the days he'd spent at work in his fields.” Berry has long been compared to Faulkner for his ability to erect entire communities in his fiction, and his heart and soul have always lived in Port William, Kentucky. In this eloquent novel about duty, community, and a sweeping love of the land, Berry gives readers a classic book that takes them to that storied place.
Welcome to Port William. In his debut novel and the first in his beloved series, Wendell Berry introduces readers to a place where community becomes "membership," bound by affection, duty, and an inseparable devotion to the land Nathan Coulter, Wendell Berry’s first book, was published in 1960 w...

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Ratings and reviews

1 review
Toby A. Smith
September 3, 2024
The first novel Wendell Berry wrote in his "Port William" series about life in rural America. This novel is a slow, coming-of-age story that takes place on a family farm and primarily explores the relationships among a group of male characters of different ages.
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About the author

WENDELL BERRY (August 5, 1934 – August 31, 2026), was an essayist, novelist, and poet. During his life, he was honored with the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry, the John Hay Award of the Orion Society, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award, among other distinctions. In 2010, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama, and in 2016, he was the recipient of the Ivan Sandrof Life Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle. Berry lived with his wife, Tanya Berry, on their farm in Henry County, Kentucky.
WENDELL BERRY (August 5, 1934 – August 31, 2026), was an essayist, novelist, and poet. During his life, he was honored with the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Aiken Taylor Award for Modern American Poetry, the John Hay Award of the Orion Society, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize Richard C. Holbrooke D...

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