Optimism Is Cowardice

This week, Scott and Karl read “Pray Without Ceasing” which is included in Wendell Berry’s collection of short stories That Distant Land. 

Berry writes about a murder committed in the summer of 1912, 78 years before the narrator learns its details, a crime that has haunted Port William ever since. Still, if you're of the Port William membership, this story is part of your history. Scott says, "He writes the way I recollect things. It's a familiar groove for me."

Berry’s idea of a healthy community, which relies heavily on filial piety, is embodied in all his fiction. Karl says, "Filial piety is a virtue that used to be everywhere that we've lost a bit. It's clearly in this story." 

Tune in to hear more about this fascinating short story, brought to you by onlinegreatbooks.com.