Donald Hall Books

The collection features essays that explore the deep connection between memory and place, focusing on Donald Hall's return to Eagle Pond, New Hampshire. He reflects on his childhood, the seasonal rhythms of rural life, and the legacy of his ancestors who worked the land. Through heartfelt narratives, Hall shares personal insights and addresses profound questions about solitude and belonging. Additionally, the essays serve as a tribute to his family's history and a celebration of his relationship with language, making this a poignant exploration of home and heritage.

Set in the summer of 1910, this companion to Lucy's Christmas follows young Lucy Wells through a memorable season. The narrative is enriched by award-winning poet Hall's lyrical storytelling, while McCurdy's stunning scratchboard illustrations bring the historical setting to life with vibrant detail. Together, they capture the essence of a bygone era, offering readers a glimpse into Lucy's enchanting world. Full-color artwork enhances the experience, making it a visually captivating journey.

The narrative offers a poignant exploration of life on a New Hampshire farm, reflecting on the author's childhood summers spent with his grandparents. As he matures, he witnesses the decline of the farm and the aging of his loved ones, capturing the complexities of nostalgia and loss. Each story-essay reveals a deep affection for the land and its people, while also hinting at the inevitability of change and the passage of time. In the Epilogue, Hall's return to the farm after twenty-five years adds a layer of reflection on memory and legacy.

You might expect the fact of dying--the dying of a beloved wife and fellow poet--to make for a bleak and lonely tale. But Donald Hall's poignant and courageous poetry, facing that dread fact, involves us all: the magnificent, humorous, and gifted woman, Jane Kenyon, who suffered and died; the doctors and nurses who tried but failed to save her; the neighbors, friends, and relatives who grieved for her; the husband who sat by her while she lived and afterward sat in their house alone with his pain, self-pity, and fury; and those of us who till now had nothing to do with it. As Donald Hall writes, "Remembered happiness is agony; so is remembered agony." Without will touch every feeling reader, for everyone has suffered loss and requires the fellowship of elegy. In the earth's oldest poem, when Gilgamesh howls of the death of Enkidu, a grieving reader of our own time may feel a kinship, across the abyss of four thousand years, with a Sumerian king. In Without Donald Hall speaks to us all of grief, as a poet lamenting the death of a poet, as a husband mourning the loss of a wife. Without is Hall's greatest and most honorable achievement -- his give and testimony, his lament and his celebration of loss and of love.

Exploring the complexities of human relationships, this collection features twelve short stories that delve into themes of divorce, adultery, and emotional neglect. Hall's narrative style echoes that of Alice Munro and William Maxwell, skillfully revealing the connections between generations. Notable stories include a child's perspective on her mother's infidelity and the life of David Bardo, whose experiences from childhood to adulthood highlight the interplay of desire and betrayal. Hall's insightful storytelling captures the profound impact of personal choices on lives.

Romanian Furrow, written in 1933, is an enchanting and evocative chronicle of a journey made by a young Englishman, Donald Hall, to Romania in search of a rural lifestyle that was rapidly disappearing in Western Europe. Hall's account of rural life in Romania—surprisingly much of which has survived today—admirably meets the reading requirements of Green or Eco tourists, a market segment that Romania is investing much of its tourism budget to attract.

Set against the backdrop of a picturesque New England winter, this story captures the warmth and nostalgia of Christmas through vivid imagery and heartfelt storytelling. Drawing inspiration from Dylan Thomas's "A Child's Christmas in Wales," it evokes a sense of wonder and reflection, celebrating family, tradition, and the magic of the holiday season. The narrative weaves together memories and experiences that resonate with the joy and simplicity of childhood, making it a timeless tale for readers of all ages.

Experience the warmth of a traditional New England Christmas as it captures the joy of handmade gifts and family togetherness. This nostalgic journey emphasizes the value of creativity and personal touch in holiday celebrations, inviting children to appreciate the charm of simpler times. The narrative celebrates the spirit of giving and the satisfaction derived from crafting presents, fostering a deeper connection to the holiday season.

Capturing the essence of life at Eagle Pond Farm, Donald Hall reflects on his deep connection to this New Hampshire landscape, where he spent cherished moments with his grandparents and later his wife, poet Jane Kenyon. The collection features previously published works alongside uncollected essays and a poem, offering a rich tapestry of experiences through the seasons. Hall's writing blends humor and nostalgia, celebrating a vanishing way of life while exploring themes of love, loss, and the passage of time in a changing world.