The Disease of the Town of Port William

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.