Preview
  • The Harrows of Spring

  • The World Made by Hand Novels, Book 4
  • By: James Howard Kunstler
  • Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
  • Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (428 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Harrows of Spring

By: James Howard Kunstler
Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.90

Buy for $17.90

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

"From the renowned social critic, energy expert, and bestselling author James Howard Kunstler, The Harrows of Spring concludes the quartet of his extraordinary World Made by Hand novels, set in an American future of economic and political collapse, where electricity, automobiles, and the familiar social structures of the "old times" are a misty memory.

In the little upstate New York town of Union Grove, springtime is a most difficult season, known as "the six weeks want," when fresh food is scarce and winter stores have dwindled. Young Daniel Earle returns from his haunting travels around what is left of the United States intent on resurrecting the town newspaper. He is also recruited by the town trustees to help revive the Hudson River trade route shut down peevishly by the local grandee, planter Stephen Bullock. Meanwhile, a menacing gang of Social Justice Warriors styling themselves as agents of the Berkshire People's Republic appear one evening to camp on the outskirts of town. Their leaders are the imposing Amazonian beauty Flame Aurora Greengrass and the charismatic grifter Sylvester "Buddy" Goodfriend, progressive to a fault in their politics and intent on extracting whatever tribute they can from people of Union Grove.

Romance, politics, bunko, violence, and family tragedy swirl through the thrilling finale to Kunstler's bestselling series. The Harrows of Spring is a powerful, heart-wrenching, and satisfying conclusion to this poignant history of the future."

©2016 James Howard Kunstler (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about The Harrows of Spring

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    323
  • 4 Stars
    76
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    324
  • 4 Stars
    55
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    291
  • 4 Stars
    70
  • 3 Stars
    23
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome and unpredictable

This is my 1st of my120 books that wasn't predictable.
It was a great series and I hope to find more like it

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Series!!!

Well written series about the world in chaos. Read them you won’t be disappointed for sure.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another jewel from a World made by hand series

Great story and performance - had read and or listened to all of the books from this series- wish that the saga continues :)

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good enough!!

I really like the World Made by Hand series. Sort of like zombie fiction without the zombies. This volume has room for improvement , but I anxiously await the next volume just the same.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good book

I enjoyed this series. It clearly opines for the days of yore. But it’s a pleasant and entertaining listen. Good story, good narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Iike a fireside, warm blanket

I enjoy end of days stories. Apocalyptic, mutants, rough and tough… action. But this series is nothing like that. However, I still really enjoyed the complete series. It is Little House On the Prairie-esk, meets end of (modern) days. I was nice listening to the story and I enjoyed all books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The best series ever!

No series of any author, topic, or kind has been written to compare . Sci fi romance ( just a touch) adventure, prepper( just enough) foodie ( glorious ) and drink , I am standing by , yeasty rich full bodied triple tripel ale in hand

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A bittersweet history of the future

I have been transfixed by the four book series A World Made by Hand. Mr. Kuntsler has presented the horrors and resilience of a future that we may be facing in one form or another. I for one hope it does not come to pass, but I honestly believe that the best way to avoid such an outcome is to consider it's very real possibility. We are a wondrous and resilient nation, filled with people who have the capacity to rise to any occasion and to truly care about one another. I hope these books inspire readers to carefully consider becoming vital and powerful forces in their own communities to build local resilience and reduce the deleterious footprint that we are having on the natural world and the peoples of other nations.

My only critique of the fourth book is that Mr. Kuntsler spent a little too much time reminding us of all of the elements that were laid out in the previous three books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The storytelling. And the story

It is an important and well crafted project to imagine a very possible future that awaits us if we don’t wake up to the seriousness of the time we live in.

A moving, fun, complex tale, not without anger, but also with affection for well developed delightful characters and the places that they and he call home.

This novel and the series of which it is a part attempts, and for me succeeds, to show us that we need to decide what we really value and to recognize what we may have to give up to leave a viable home for those who come after us.

But, too, a reminder to enjoy life as we find it when we can. And to grieve our loses.

A fine achievement.

Jim Meskimen is an excellent reader, giving each character his or her own voice. And tells the tale at a fine pace.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Read

I really enjoyed the telling of Daniel’s story in this 4th book of the series. As with the first three books, the story revolves around people in a small New England town surviving despite the loss of all modern conveniences. The author does a fantastic job intertwining the characters’ stories and weaving together harsh reality with a touch of mystical/miraculous thrown in. In addition to being entertaining, the story reminds the reader of many things we should be grateful for. Excellent narration and great tale!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful