Generous Earth

Rating:
Summary: The Generous Wisdom of "The Generous Earth"
Review: Phillip Oyler's "The Generous Earth" is a lyrical poem in prose to a world we have lost. Written in 1950 about his discovery and settlement into the river valley of the Dordogne in France after the First World War, Oyler's skill at observation and the ability to describe with beautiful language what he has seen and felt carry you back to that time and place. Moreover, it makes those of us not born to the land, and especially not to the mechanized agribusiness operations we see here in the States, understand the true meaning of being one with the earth and its cycles of life. The peasants of the Dordogne (the term is used with pride by them and the author)understand the rhythms of nature, the land and its people. Oyler's narrative captures their wisdom,joy and pride in their hard work as they go about the daily routines that define their lives. He rejoices in their care and support for each other; how they share their labors communally for individual benefit; and the way in which they celebrate the passages of life. He comiserates with the elders who see the seductive forces pulling their children away from the farms and the impact of mechanization on the land. Yet it is the book's descriptions of food, conviviality and appreciation of nature that preserves an image of this life gone by and help the modern reader to understand a lifestyle that had more to offer than mere existence. In the end, this book passes along wisdom that took generations to discover. We need it now more than ever.

Rating:
Summary: The Generous Wisdom of "The Generous Earth"
Review: Phillip Oyler's "The Generous Earth" is a lyrical poem in prose to a world we have lost. Written in 1950 about his discovery and settlement into the river valley of the Dordogne in France after the First World War, Oyler's skill at observation and the ability to describe with beautiful language what he has seen and felt carry you back to that time and place. Moreover, it makes those of us not born to the land, and especially not to the mechanized agribusiness operations we see here in the States, understand the true meaning of being one with the earth and its cycles of life. The peasants of the Dordogne (the term is used with pride by them and the author)understand the rhythms of nature, the land and its people. Oyler's narrative captures their wisdom,joy and pride in their hard work as they go about the daily routines that define their lives. He rejoices in their care and support for each other; how they share their labors communally for individual benefit; and the way in which they celebrate the passages of life. He comiserates with the elders who see the seductive forces pulling their children away from the farms and the impact of mechanization on the land. Yet it is the book's descriptions of food, conviviality and appreciation of nature that preserves an image of this life gone by and help the modern reader to understand a lifestyle that had more to offer than mere existence. In the end, this book passes along wisdom that took generations to discover. We need it now more than ever.