About land

For nearly 40 years, Ernst Halter has lived in the countryside of Aargau's Freiamt, where life has changed dramatically during this time. In the countryside, which has been overlooked in the ubiquitous discussions about the city, the pressures of urban recreation are felt. Yet the countryside remains a habitat and a way of life in its own right. With different rhythms, different biographies, different weather, different struggles, and different joys. Ernst Halter dedicates himself to this way of life in all its shades. He observes nature and people, agriculture and leisure activities. Essayistic forms coexist with descriptions of nature; he sketches portraits, recounts encounters, tells stories, and captures conversations. Beyond all idealization, a literary portrait of a way of life emerges, along with a report on the modernization of this landscape.