The Unsettling of America was first published in 1977, and it has been a vital work in establishing sustainable farming through many editions ever since.

What does this book cover?

In the author’s own words, “this book has not had the happy fate of being proved wrong”. The decline Berry recognised in 1977 is still very much evident, and the time remaining to reverse it before the collapse of the agricultural system is running out fast. That’s why a new edition of The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture was necessary.

A few highlights of the book include:

• The argument that ‘good farming’ is not an economic concept, but rather one that must be addressed through the lens of culture and spirituality
• A condemnation of large-scale agribusiness’ shift away from the concept of personal farm ownership, and the family’s place in the industry
• The argument that a business cannot adequately care for and maintain the land – because the agribusiness model is inherently exploitative and unsustainable

About the Author 

Wendell Berry has been a farmer in Kentucky for more than 40 years. He is the author of more than 50 books, spanning poetry, collected essays and fiction. He has won the Cleanth Brooks Medal for Lifetime Achievement, the National Humanities Medal and the Louis Bromfield Society Award.

The Unsettling of America hopes to help young farmers revitalise the industry on a spiritual and philosophical level.