The Village is a fictional account of life in a small Vermont town as told by a narrator who is a member of a family that purchased a country store that became the center of their new life after leaving New York City.
The narration paints a picture of Vermont that has all but faded into oblivion. The lives of three local characters and an encounter with tourists shopping at the store give the reader glimpses into the values and ethos of Vermont at a time when most of the inhabitants of the state were born there and stayed close to where they were born, while making a life for themselves and their families.
The characters are based on people that the writer met when he was working as a home health nurse in the West River Valley. It was a time of transition. Working with the local people it was clear that the old way of life for Vermonters would soon be lost.
This account is an attempt to preserve some of Vermont’s history. Most of the people who were part of the rural self-sufficient farm culture have passed on and it is important that we preserve some of their stories. The target audience is any person interested in understanding the history of Vermont from a cultural perspective.
