Watership Down Review

This post is part of the Book Club Challenge by Marathon Bird.
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The book club assigned book for the month of May was Watership Down. I had never read it, I think in part because I had the idea that it was an innocuous children’s book that was too long. But I was completely wrong. I no longer think it is too long and I am not at all sure I would call it a children’s book. I kept wishing for a lapine dictionary, only to find a glossary at the end of the book. Too late, I had just finished the story.

Richard Adams did a great job of developing characters and making them appealing. I came to care about a great number of the players in the tale of the rabbits moving to establish a safe and pleasant home at Watership Down. I am not sure who I would call my favorite character, all of them had attributes that were compelling. I found myself identifying with Hazel, trusting Fiver, admiring Bigwig and fearing General Woundwort. As I read the book, I was especially entertained by Kehaar, the seagull that became an important ally in the battles of Efrafa. I think the reason I liked him is that I know some folks in the Caribbean that sound a lot like the feathered fellow from the “Beeg Vater”.

Adams was masterful in moving the story along and making me believe these rabbits have proverbs and prophecies, longings and loyalties. I am not sure what message Adams hoped to transmit to the readers, but the one that rang out loudest to me was that everyone in a community is an important element of the society, from the smallest and meekest to the wisest and strongest.

I was pleased with the book and am pleased that I spent the time to read it. The next selection for the group is The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom. If you would like to participate in the book club, read the book and post a review on June 25. Happy reading.

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To Kill A Mocking Bird

This post is part of the Book Club Challenge by Marathon Bird.

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The mockingbird that is singing in my Magnolia tree each morning when I go out to get the newspaper has suddenly become more alive in my thoughts as I finished Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. I remember as a boy with an air rifle that my dad would let me shoot at blackbirds and jaybirds and sparrows, but never at a mockingbird. I'm not sure my dad's reasoning was as profound as Atticus Finch's, but it was the rule at our house nonetheless.

Revisiting this book after many years without having given it much thought stimulated a lot of reflection on my growing up days in the South. I was some 15 or 20 years later than the setting in Maycomb, Alabama, but things had not changed a great deal in that period time. The balcony at the theater was still reserved for the blacks, although there were no blacks living in our immediate community. Water fountains and restrooms were segregated and the blacks were to enter the grocery store at the back door and wait to be served.

This reading of To Kill a Mockingbird reminded me of how much hypocrisy there is an mankind. We easily see the flaw in our neighbors, without ever recognizing the same flaws, or worse, in ourselves. I believe the part that appealed to me most in this book was the way Atticus realized that change takes place slowly and within individuals. He was concerned that his children not be the same as everyone around. His lessons are extremely important for all of us learn.

Thanks Holly, for selecting the book for our consideration.

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Bloggers Book Club Forming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A good friend of mine has decided to put together a
Book Club gathering of bloggers each month. She will post a book for any one who is interested in participating to read by the 25th of the month. Then each participant will post his or her report on the book on their own blog, with a link to the book club site. My friend will include links back to the various posts so that the participants can peruse the other posted reports.

The book to be read for the month of April is To Kill A Mockingbird. I have not read it since high school, so I will pick up a copy at the library and give it a reread.

The whole idea sounds like fun to me, and of course, the more the merrier!

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