The stories in How It Went are not just tales of the past; they are an "elegy to time gone" and a meditation on the end of a traditional way of life.

noted that the collection is imbued with sensitivity, focusing on how life's trials affect family and self-image.

: The collection documents the "Great Interruption," where shared memory and the mutual support of neighbors began to disappear under the weight of modern industrialization.

Wendell Berry’s , published in November 2022, serves as a poignant late-career addition to his legendary Port William saga. This collection explores the memory and imagination of Andy Catlett, one of Berry's most beloved characters, spanning nearly a century of rural American life from 1932 to 2021. Core Themes and Narrative

Discovering How It Went by Wendell Berry: A Guide for Readers

Critics have hailed the book as a "miracle," praising Berry’s "crystalline precision" and compassionate prose.

: Through Andy Catlett’s eyes, readers witness the deep connection between the health of the land and the well-being of the people who tend it. Critical Reception