The Water Dipper

Berry’s Dissent, Procreation, and Rotten STEM

“A Shared Place: Wendell Berry’s Lifelong Dissent.” Jedediah Britton-Purdy writes a long and thoughtful review of Berry’s essays and body of thought. He avoids...

Homesickness, Landscape of Despair, and Mass Barbecue

“Wayfaring in America.” Brian Smith reviews The American Road Trip and American Political Thought, by Susan McWilliams Barndt—a book that reflects on what Americans’ fondness...

George Herbert, Simone Weil, and Front Porches

“What a Famous Poet Can Teach Rural Pastors.” Stephen Witmer looks at George Herbert’s classic and asks, “what if we were to read Country Parson for...

Educating Nones, Water, and Killing Umps

“5 Questions with Gracy Olmstead.” Gracy Olmstead talks about rural communities, seasonal rhythms, and more. “Inhabiting Memories and Landscapes.” Brecon Cathedral in Wales is hosting...

Air Conditioning, Modern Friendship, and Rooftop Farming

“The Great Land Robbery.” In the Atlantic, Vann R. Newkirk II narrates a tragic story about black land ownership in the Mississippi Delta. Between...

Addictive Technology, Land Use, and Saving the Amazon

Most of my reading time this week went to poring over proofs for the first issue of the FPR print journal. We should have...

Beyond Capitalism, National Conservatism, and Millennial Nuns

“Going Home with Wendell Berry.” Amanda Petrusich corresponded with Berry and then spent two days in Port Royal continuing their conversation. The result is...

Convenience, Abortion, and Friendship

I’ll be taking a break from the internet for a couple of weeks to recreate (and to get some writing done). I’m not sure...

Plastic, Local Feasting, and Family Farms

“Book Review: Dignity by Chris Arnade.” Jake Meador uses Patrick Deneen’s recent work to frame a reading of Arnade’s photographs and stories. In a...

Pelagians, Lithium Mines, and Progressive Occultism

“The Politics of Dystopia.” Ross Douthat seems to be thinking about Deneen’s book these days: “On right and left, it has become easier to...