James Rebanks chronicles his family's farm in England's Lake District across three generations, revealing the global transformation of agriculture and of the human relationship to the land.
Thank the gods of agriculture for James Rebanks ... We experience that esoteric life through Rebanks’s evocative storytelling ... Rebanks is generous with his descriptions, and patient in explaining the choices farmers make every day that will decide the fate of rural communities and the planet itself ... Rebanks shows clearly that hope hinges on who exactly is willing to pay the real price of food and good farming.
Superbly written and deeply insightful, the book captivates the reader until the journey’s end ... Mr. Rebanks’s arguments are cogent and rational: He warms to each of his themes without boiling over and resorting to hot-headed stridency ... The book is at its most compelling when it revolves around the author and his 'journey' ... Lyrical flourishes routinely enrich Mr. Rebanks’s prose ... Pastoral Song is a lament for lost traditions, a celebration of a way of living and a reminder that nature is 'finite and breakable'. Mr. Rebanks hits all the right notes and deserves to be heard.
Rebanks’ passion...permeates Pastoral Song ... His quiet strength and vision for the land is here. And perhaps more importantly, the story of his farm (and farming in general) over the last three generations is here, too ... Rebanks offers a sensible way to think about food and the planet. His answer may not appeal to everyone ... The book evinces...quiet, humble, patient strength ... His prose will transport readers, introducing them to both the harsh realities and the joys of everyday life on a piece of land that has deep, personal meaning ... Readers will close the book, as we left Rebanks’ farm, nourished by his vision and his hope.
