The Harrows of Spring: A World Made by Hand Novel (World Made by Hand Novels) Hardcover – July 5, 2016

I love Kunstler's commentary on current events, as well as Geography of Nowhere, but I never thought to read one of this series. I guess one reason is that in picturing a post Peak Oil world the question I tend to wonder the most is by what mechanism does the human population drastically shrink, as I believe it inevitably will. This book does not cover any of that. However, I always figured there would likely be a rebirth of human society, just with a far smaller human population. The world as Kunstler describes it in this book is highly plausible, however it gets there.As far as content, for some reason I expected that a lot of what was in the books of this series would be boring narratives about stuff like people figuring out how to make cloth and grow corn. Wow did I ever get that wrong. This book is full of action and drama.Sitting around during the coronavirus lockdown, I have lots of free time, and I think occasionally about whether this is the apocalypse. That spurred me to read one of this series. Some reviews suggested that this might be the best of the lot. I don't know about the others (yet, I certainly now intend to read them all), but this one is a mindblower. Brilliant weaving together of a number of gripping stories that produce a beautiful tapestry.I found the story line of the threatening neighboring socialist state intriguing. The story as it appeared to be playing out would have been very plausible- a remnant of idealistic progressives producing an authoritarian government and seeking to expand their territory by force, while viewing their mission as virtuous. That they turned out to be a band of self-aware robbers masquerading as an idealistic socialist government was a interesting twist. For one thing it somewhat softened the extent to which it constituted a critique of socialist progressivism. (Although the book would still no doubt be viewed with horror on college campuses). From a practical standpoint, it seems strategically questionable to attempt to take over communities of rugged individualists by posing as socialists. However, I see this as food for thought rather than a plot hole. As pervasive as progressive wokesterism is in our society today, it could be that in the time Kunstler is describing that it would still have some influence in parts of New England, just not in Union Grove.The one other thing that could be viewed as a plot hole is how unwary the community was about hostile outside forces. That they were so isolated to have been spared major prior hostile action I would say is hard to swallow. But if it's a flaw, it's a small one.One thing I loved is Kunstler's frequent references to what particular individuals did prior to the apocalypse, often shedding light on the role they came to serve in the new world.Overall, what makes this book is the composition. In my opinion this book is of as high a caliber as those widely regarded as the great works of fiction. I can't wait to read the other three.

This review covers the entire series of novels.Welcome to the town of Union Grove, New York, where the men are brutal, the women are subservient, and non-white people don’t exist. Set in a post-collapse America, devastated by the near-exhaustion of oil, Kunstler’s novels presuppose that society would magically revert to 19th-century lifestyles, down to gender roles, clothing and hairstyles, and even music and dances, with nearly everything post-1950 erased from existence save for the occasional carbon-fiber fishing rod or plastic jug.As the story progresses in this misanthropic masturbatory fantasy world, we get a disturbing picture of Kunstler’s world-view through the various factions that appear. Karptown is a conclave of low-brow “trailer trash” who scavenge the local dump for useful items to resell. Their entertainment consists of public torture (described in visceral, brutal detail by Kunstler), as well as re-enactments of old TV shows and XXX films. They’re apparently not interesting enough, as they’re only briefly mentioned after Book 1.The New Faithers, run by Brother Jobe, are a Christian cult who turn the former Union Grove high school into a compound. While vehemently pious, they aren’t pushy in their proselytizing, and end up cooperating with the townies in many ways, setting up a tavern and later a hotel. They worship a psychic, precognitive woman named Mary Beth Ivanhoe, who is bedridden, epileptic, morbidly obese, for no apparent reason; her grotesque physical description has no bearing whatsoever on the plot.Bullock, a farmer with a large amount of land near Union Grove, has created an actual plantation, with him as the lord. Although several characters remark that he is a dangerous man, it’s obvious that they are referring to his power, rather than the feudal society he has created; in fact, Kunstler explicitly muses on the possibility that a feudal society may be preferable to democracy in general. I’m sure he assumes that in such a situation he’d be one of the lords, and not one of the serfs — although he takes great pains to point out how Bullock’s “workers” are well-treated, and are happy with their stations in life. He rules with a brutal, iron fist, torturing and killing those who cross him; this is portrayed as disturbing, but acceptable as they were all “bad men”.The remains of the previous US government have established a new capital in Michigan, after Washington, DC was nuked by radical Islamic terrorists. (As an aside, LA was also nuked; as none of these books take place anywhere near the West Coast, there seems to be no in-universe reason for this. Maybe Kunstler just hates LA.) The Federals, as they’re called, aren’t described in great detail, save for their single special-ops branch known as The Service, who recruit a young man in Book 3 to carry out an assassination.The South has been split into the Foxfire Republic, a white-supremacist theocracy led by a former female country singer-turned-politician; and New Africa, led by a former payday-loan tycoon. The two are engaged in a bitter race war, with Foxfire having expelled or killed every non-white individual in their territory; explicit comparisons are made between them and Nazi Germany. Despite all this, Kunstler’s main beef with Foxfire doesn’t seem to be the genocide — oh, it’s awful, he agrees, but really New Africa is doing the same to white people, so “both sides” dontchaknow — but rather the fact that Foxfire levies very high taxes on its people. (At least Kunstler is smart enough not to write much at all about New Africa, as I can’t imagine how he would portray black people.)But the faction that is so unbelievably cliched that it propels these stories out of the realm of “prepper wet-dream” and into full-blown farce, is the “Berkshire People’s Republic”. Every conservative stereotype of liberals is in full display here, cranked up to 11, the ultimate straw man. Led by Flame Greengrass, who is described in decidedly un-feminine terms, and her father, a *literal former NPR personality*, they preach socialism and sing “kumbaya” around a campfire. Some claim to be vegan, some are homosexual, and they talk about “enforced diversity” and social justice. And, of course, it’s all actually a front to scam people and/or steal from them.Kunstler’s view of women, in particular, is as men’s property in all but name. The only “strong” female character in the series is the “Witch of Hebron”, a strikingly beautiful, middle-aged matronly persona. Her powers? Apparently, to cure erectile dysfunction. I’m not making this up, this is literally her job in the books. As for the other women, they are there as necessary to be props, window-dressing to propel the male characters’ stories forward.The one gay character is a confirmed bachelor who muses whether homosexuality really is an orientation or just something done to fit in to a crowd.To summarize: Kunstler is a very bitter, angry old white man, and it shows.

This is the last book in “The World Made By Hand” series and, my only complaint is that this wonderful series has come to an end!! There are so many great things about this series that I wouldn’t know where to begin. All I can say is I got to know so many of these characters so well throughout the series, many of them absolutely love-able, and I will miss them all. Thinking of getting the Audible companions at some point to listen and revisit my old friends.One interesting note about all this is, about half way through this last book in the series, the COVID-19 disaster has hit the world. So many things have already changed in our lives, things normally taken for granted, that I (along with many others I imagine) can’t help but wonder whether we may now be on the brink of a real apocalypse. So personally strange to me that this real world occurrence has come during my reading of this series!Even stranger is a longing I experienced during my reading to actually live in this fictional world devoid of all modern conveniences known today, but a world which moved at a far slower pace and where people in a much reduced population connected face to face, ate much cleaner food devoid of chemicals, relied upon one another in real ways, etc. Dare I say “be careful what you wish for” ??

Good fiction book.

Here he's back at it with some new goodies for the eyes and brain. Haven't finished it yet but, so far, right up there with Books 1 & 2. Writing wise, Book 2, The Witch of Hebron, is fantastic writing. Book 3 not quite up to par, but still fun reading. The concept is always great, mind you. When I finish Harrows maybe I'll add to this review. Harrows starts a pinch slow and if you're reading them in sequence you'll wonder why he sometimes seems to be writing for someone who hasn't read the previous three. But it's very good.Great for a guy like me living on an organic farm somewhat in the middle of nowhere on a slow lane island. Entertaining with some good survivor information laced in with the sweet smoothie of story. Also great for these times when some of the not so great leaders of our countries seem hellbent on driving a good thing into the toilet.OK! Finished Harrows and it is as good as The ding dang 'Witch Of Hebron' and possibly better. Really good stuff. This man knows his bidness. That's Brother Jobe speak for those of you who haven't read any of this terrific quartet of Dystopian Wonder. My advice, start now. It's fun and entertaining and a bit of a shot across the bow of our lame status quo.

Returning us once more to his "World Made By Hand", Kunstler does not disappoint. I am, however, a little disappointed that this is to be the last book in the series, but maybe it's best to quit when you are ahead. The world would probably have been a better place if George Lucas had quit after the fourth "Star Wars" movie.What I like about these books is that there is something here for everyone. Superficially, it's an adventure story about virtue (mostly) triumphing over adversity in a difficult, violent world set in the America of the near future. However, if you want to delve deeper you can read between the lines and see Kunstler's social commentary on the insane cult of political correctness which is currently strangling our universities, and the equally insane global fiat money system which has existed since Nixon closed the gold window in 1971. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it and it really is just a tale of adventure. Whatever, it's a great story, and should be compulsory reading for all politicians and economists. I will be interested to see what Kunstler comes up with next.

I read all four novels in the series and I'm heartbroken that this is the last one. Kunstler is a wizard at the post-apocalyptic genre - not robot wars or global warfare, just everyday stuff breaking down and people finding ways to cope (food, transport) or not (infectious disease). While I'm not completely in agreement regarding his views on his blog, his fiction is balanced and clearly thought out. Hopefully he sees his way to writing a couple of sequels, I need to find out how Union Grove gets on in the new world.

The only thing about the book that I did not like, is that this is the last of the series. I enjoyed the content, the style, and the subject matter.