Wendell Berry, influential Kentucky poet and essayist, dies

Renowned Kentucky poet, essayist, and storyteller Wendell Berry died on Monday, Aug. 31. Berry was a prolific author who published approximately 50 books during his career.

After teaching at New York University during the 1960s, Berry returned to his family farmland in Port Royal, Kentucky. He spent much of his life working the land and writing, often using traditional methods such as pencil and paper. His body of work frequently explored themes of land stewardship, rural life, and the subversion of modern ideals regarding growth and decay.