"The farmers are inundated with slick, high-tech messages, so we made a warm, human message with a handmade feel to cut through all the high- tech chitter-chatter, " says Willett.

FORBES: Gutenberg revisited

But here as always, Ms. Herzog uses her well-tuned ear for dialogue to reveal the personalities of her characters, and it doesn't take long to figure out that for all their glib chitter-chatter, Abby and Zack (even their names are right) are pitifully unequal to the harsh challenges of adulthood.

WSJ: Hoping Against Hope | Talley's Folly | Belleville | The Old Boy | Theater Reviews by Terry Teachout