A Farmer

Since Jim Harrison's death I have been reading several of his novels and although they have a similar tone and some common themes, they all have been quite different stories. A Farmer (1976) is the story of Joseph Lundgren, forty-three who lives on a farm in upper Michigan and teaches at the local school since he injured his leg in an accident when he was young. The story takes place in the mid-1950s. Joseph is having something of a midlife crisis, he has been dating his best friend's widow, Rosalee, for several years when a new girl, Catherine, from the city moves into town. He starts an affair with the experienced and willing girl, which causes complications in his life. Joseph is obsessed with the sea that he has never seen and has been complacently living on the farm and teaching while following his passions of hunting and fishing. He has lived something of a sheltered life with few love affairs or excitement outside his hobbies. He knows he should stop his affair with Catherine and marry Rosalee, but he just cannot bring himself to do it. His best friend and hunting/fishing companion is a wise 70 year old doctor who is something of a gourmand and voice of reason for Joseph. It is written in Harrison's fluid contemplative style with characters that feel real to life.