488: Vice & Virtue — Courage

"The Selected Poems of Wendell Berry" presents a comprehensive collection of Berry's most significant poetic works, showcasing his deep connection to the land and his commitment to agrarian values. Berry's poems celebrate the beauty of rural life, emphasizing the importance of community, stewardship, and a harmonious relationship with nature. Through vivid imagery and thoughtful reflections, he explores themes of sustainability, environmentalism, and the challenges facing rural communities in the modern world. The collection offers a poignant critique of industrialization and consumerism, advocating for a return to simpler, more sustainable ways of living. His verses encourage readers to cherish the land, honor tradition, and cultivate a sense of belonging in a rapidly changing world.

In 'Thirst', Mary Oliver grapples with the profound grief of losing her partner of over forty years, while also chronicling her discovery of faith. The collection intertwines themes of natural beauty with emerging spiritual beliefs, reflecting on love, loss, and spiritual growth. Through accessible and evocative language, Oliver invites readers to reflect on their own experiences of love and grief.

The Screwtape Letters is a Christian apologetic novel written in a satirical, epistolary style. It consists of 31 letters from Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to 'Our Father Below' (the Devil), to his nephew Wormwood, a novice demon tasked with securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. The letters provide advice on various methods of undermining God's influence and promoting abandonment of God, while offering insights into human nature and the Bible. The book is a profound and striking narrative on spiritual warfare and the power of the devil, highlighting the subtle forms of sin such as vanity, pride, and distraction that can lead humans away from God.