If you’ve ever walked into our shop on Church Street, chances are Cal has at least attempted to sell you a copy of Wendell Berry’s book Jayber Crow. Cal and his wife, Heather, are both dedicated evangelists for Wendell Berry’s work, which spans fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and even a children’s book. (Once, when a customer gave us a Christmas list of about a dozen relatives of all ages and interests, Cal tried to sell her a Wendell Berry book for each one of them, insisting that there’s a perfect Berry pick for everyone.)
Mr. Berry is an excellent writer, but it takes more than clever writing to make us rave this much about an author. His books teach thoughtfulness, community and the importance of creating a life of substance and authenticity. They help us see the beauty in the way our lives are intertwined with others’. They turn us toward the truth that the seemingly small actions in our lives, from the things we buy to the way we spend our free time to the way we treat our neighbors, actually mean a great deal.
Cal contemplates the meaning of community on our patio.
Wendell Berry is speaking tonight at Samford, and we’ve rarely seen Cal so excited. The rest of us are making fun of him a little (after all, he’s acting a bit like a girl from The Ed Sullivan Show seeing The Beatles for the first time), but we know that this is about more than being a superfan. It’s really about being able to share the work of someone who has profoundly influenced your life with others.
It’s a privilege that we’re thankful for today especially, as we sell copies of Jayber Crow and Hannah Coulter, as Cal recites poems from A Timbered Choir and looks forward to seeing one of his heroes tonight. But it’s also the reason we started this business in the first place — to get to share our passions with you, and learn about yours in return. Thank you for letting us do that, every day.
Click here to buy tickets to see Berry speak tonight — he’ll be signing books after, so be sure to stop by Church Street today to pick up a copy of one of his books.