Tom Slayton, a Vermont journalist, was the speaker at the morning meeting of the Chester Rotary Club on May 25, 2017. Tom spoke about the interdependence of rural Vermont culture and literature. There are two types of writers in Vermont; those that live in Vermont and those that write about Vermont. The latter helps the reader get a better understanding of Vermont culture which is characterized by its independence, commitment to community, unique sense of humor and skeptical attitude. Tom went on to talk about playwright David Budbill and novelist Howard Frank Mosher. David Budbill was known as the “People’s Poet” and Howard Frank Mosher was known as the “Voice of Vermont.” Both authors captured the history and culture of Vermont from the past. Today, the challenge is to keep that sense of place in a changing digital world.
