Hi bookworms, how goes it? Anything going on in your neck of the woods? So far we’ve had mild and windy conditions here the past month, and you can see from this sunset picture that all the leaves are down.
We might even go for a bike ride later today since it’s supposed to be 60 degrees in the afternoon. It’s all pretty warm for our parts now. Just last week, I had the snow tires put on the car to get ready for the season, but who knows when the snow will actually hit.
Even the bears are still out and about. My husband and brother-in-law saw this family of a mama grizzly and three cubs last week when they went hiking in the local mountains. They were in the car and not on the trail at the time. A police officer told them that the bears had been seen along that stretch of road all summer.
It’s good the bears are all right and have not been hit by a car. When you see an amazing family like that, you definitely stop the car and watch them amble along, minding their own business. The cubs are getting big as you can see. Soon I hope they’ll be hibernating in a den away from the road.
Meanwhile the Booker Prize winner will be announced Monday night. It could be a surprise pick or not. The judges seem to like to trick us, right?
I’ll wait to hear as I’ll be recovering from my knee replacement surgery that very day, argh. There’s nowhere to hide now. I’ve waited on a surgery list for almost two years and now the time has come. I’ll try to be brave. I offer this photo of a 1000-piece puzzle on rescue dogs that I finally finished after it was on our dining room table all summer long. I left it there in frustration as I couldn’t get much going on it for long a while. Then in October inspiration struck, lol.
And now I’ll leave you with a review of what I finished lately.
H Is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald / Grove / 288 pages / 2015
This popular memoir was first published in the U.K. back in 2014 and then in North America in 2015. It was big then … about an English professor at Cambridge, a falconer, who details her year of training a young goshawk bird all the while navigating her grief over her father’s sudden death from a heart attack.
Many of you have read this one, and I had started it at various times but then got waylaid. So when Kathy at the blog Reading Matters reviewed it so favorably in August, I decided to add it back to my list. I thought it might help with my own father’s passing earlier this year.
My Thoughts: 4 stars. I loved the adventures the author has with her goshawk Mabel, especially when Mabel starts flying in wild habitats with the author following in dogged pursuit. Mabel is quite the hunter (as a bird of prey) and every pheasant and rabbit should beware … many end up dead in the book. I also liked hearing about how Macdonald comes to understand the bird and the training they go through, which is very gradual over time. The descriptions of Mabel and the woodlands where she thrives are terrific. And it’s evident how Macdonald’s time with Mabel helps her with the grief over losing her father, which is palpable.
I was less drawn to the parts she writes about of the author T.H. White and his 1951 bird-training book The Goshawk, which Macdonald draws parallels to throughout her memoir. White seemed to be fighting his own demons and for some reason these extensive parts in Macdonald’s memoir distracted me from the parts about Mabel that I wished to get back to. I could have used less about T.H. White and more about how her pursuits helped with her grief over her father, which could’ve been talked about a bit more.
I listened to the audiobook version narrated by the author who reads it wonderfully. I’m late to the party on this book but better late than never. It’s interesting to note that I have the ebook, the paperback copy, and the audio of this memoir (a trifecta of sorts), so I really wanted to get to it.
Also I had no idea there is the film H is for Hawk coming out this December (with wider release in January) with Claire Foy as Helen Macdonald. Yay! Author Emma Donoghue was a co-writer on the screenplay. Here is a peek at the trailer for it.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read this and what did you think? What are you reading now?
Weather is everything in November. I just walked in the small amount of snow which is now turning to slush. Big splats are falling from the still-autumn-leafy trees. Clouds are not pretty today — grey and overhanging. Good luck with the weather where you are!
Thanks Mae, November usually turns brisk here but so far it’s been pretty mild. I hope you took some snow pics there. We have high wind warnings today. Crazy.
Have a great week.
We are getting cold in Ohio and have our first winter storm watch, anywhere from 2-5, or 5-10 inches depending on the report. Good luck with your knee surgery. My best advice is to start your PT immediately and stick with it. My MIL did not and 12 years later still has trouble out of her knee.
Hi Cindy, thanks for the advice about PT after surgery. I’ll try to get on it and keep with it. That will be my goal to improve the outcome.
Hard to believe you are getting that much snow. Wow. Batten down the hatches!
Enjoy your week.
My book group read H is for Hawk and I found the parts about T.H. White very depressing. I suppose it helped the author know she wasn’t alone in her angst-ridden life but it didn’t help me! I enjoyed the parts about the hawk, however. I have only been to one movie in a theater this year but saw a trailer for this and for Hamnet (usually trailers are for movies one would not want to see!). Claire Foy is very talented; it will be interesting to see this.
I hate that the bears think the road is safe!
Here is my review: https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2017/05/h-is-for-hawk-book-review.html#more
Hi Constance, I’m glad for your thoughts and review of H Is for Hawk. The TH White parts were dark and grim as you say. She really looked to his book quite a bit, but I didn’t have the same draw to White. Still I liked her trying to understand her bird and her nature writing. Thx for your link. The bears need to hunker down somewhere safe.
Cheers. Have a great week.
Pretty sunset photo! We have so many evergreen trees in our area that our forest really doesn’t change much throughout the year. There are some alders and vine maple that lose their leaves, as well as all the elderberry shrubs, but it’s very green here year-round. We had gusty winds last week, but it’s pretty calm here, and quite balmy. Currently 60! I missed getting photos of the King Tides last week, but if you Google Depoe Bay and King Tides, you’ll see a lot from our little town and the sea wall. Pretty exciting for the tourists!
Wowzer! Look at those big grizzly bears! Glad they weren’t hit by a car or out on the trail where Robert and your BIL were hiking. Eek! I saw one grizzly when we were in Glacier (east side), but he was up on the hill quite a ways away from the road. Sure wouldn’t want to see one while hiking, even with bear spray.
Good job on the puzzle. It looks like a tough one!
So your surgery is tomorrow? I’m sending positive thoughts your way, my friend. You’ve got this!
I had to go back up re-read my review of H Is for Hawk. You liked it a bit more than me, but we agree on the parts about T.H. White. I wrote “I enjoyed Macdonald’s memoir, particularly her thoughts on grief (and not so much her comparisons of falconry to T.H. White’s novel), but I didn’t love it, and it took me nearly an entire month to listen to all 11 hours. (review here) I was stunned to see that I read this 7 years ago! Honestly, where do the years go?? Anyhow, I love Claire Foy and look forward to watching the film once we can stream it at home.
Take good care, Susan. Speedy recovery! xoxo
Thanks Lesley for your note. And the link to your review of H Is Hawk. I want to read what you thought (in a bit). The TH White parts I didn’t like much but I liked many of the other parts with the bird. The film might be good. We’ll see.
We are having high winds today. Ugh. Scary when the trees blow like that.
My husband & BIL hiked after seeing those bears! He said the bears were headed elsewhere. But it’s still a bit leery. They had bear spray but these other hikers they saw did not. Crazy. Wishing you a good week. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thx so much for your encouragement. Cheers.
I had no idea H is for Hawk was a memoir. For some reason I thought it was a series of mysteries but your review has me very interested.
Fantastic photo of the bears and I love the puzzle. I am wanting to start a new puzzle soon but we saved my card table for the Halloween setup so now I am free to do one again.
Doug has a few doctor appointments tomorrow after the ER visit so I am making a meatloaf so we have leftovers tomorrow. It’s getting dark early and now our temps are really dropping. I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow and I know you’ll be glad when it’s done and you are on the road to recovery. I’ll write you lots!
Hi Tina, yes H Is for Hawk is a memoir. It’s a bit dense in places with info but personal and revealing in other parts. It took me a couple times to fully get into it and complete it. It’s not totally easy but it was worth it. Some great nature writing in it.
The puzzle was hard! It was on the table for months. argh but I finally conquered it, yay. You should start one.
Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement. Much appreciated. talk soon. Have a good week.
Good luck on your surgery and fingers crossed all goes well with it and your recovery! That grizzly family looks amazing, all fatty. What a great picture! The puzzle is a toughie. The guys are all so cute! Glad you liked H is for Hawk so; based on your review I would love to read it too. Hope all goes smoothly tomorrow and you recover quickly and fully!
Thanks Carmen, the bear photo is a doozy eh? A big day today. I just need to relax a bit. Thx for your well wishes and encouragement. I was quite pleased to make it through H Is for Hawk …. it’s not totally an easy read but I thought it worthwhile and I’m a bit awed by Helen Macdonald and her nature writing. I will try her other book next year perhaps. Have a good week & enjoy your reading.
I’ll be thinking of you tomorrow – hope the surgery is easy and the recovery speedy! I’m looking forward to the Booker announcement, too.
Thanks JoAnn. I appreciate your thoughts. I’ll try to keep calm & positive. And keep an eye out for the Booker announcement. Should be interesting. Have a great week.
Hi Susan, so glad you liked H is For Hawk and thanks so much for the shout out. For me who is not a birder I rated it so highly because of the writing and the audio. H is For Hawk was stalling for me in ebook form even though the writing was excellent. But the audio made all the difference.
All the best on your knee surgery
Yes Kathy I agree. The audio of the author helped me through. The writing was really good — loved the nature parts of the bird flying & her going thru the brambles. I’m so pleased I finished it and found it so worthwhile. Your review really spurred me to get to it. So thanks. I’d like to try her other book next year. Wishing you a great week. & thx for the best wishes.
I would think you’d prefer for the snow to hold off as long as possible, Fall is generally the best season
I hope your surgery goes well and your recovery is quick.
Wishing you a great reading week
Hi Shelleyrae, it is nice to have a mild but nice fall. We even went bike riding yesterday, which is rare at this time of year, lol.
I hope I can read lots while recovering … Thx for your kind words & best wishes.
Have a great week too.
Happy fall: gorgeous photo! I like to think of that little bear family snugged up for the winter with a honey pot or a dozen in the larder underground. And it’s funny how a puzzle can be stuck and, then, one certain section gets cleared up and it seems to pave the way to completion. I hope you have another (or ten) in the wings for entertainment while you recover! I haven’t read the Hawk memoir (I know M needs to eat, but I didn’t want to read about the process of her meal prepartion; still, I have enjoyed what I’ve heard about the author in interviews and found it quite moving. Rest up and enjoy the stack and tabletop amusements!
Hi Marcie, good hearing from you. Yes I’ll need puzzles and books for a long recovery! thx for the good wishes.
There is quite a bit of dead rabbits and pheasants in H is for Hawk … so I put that out there for a bit of a trigger warning. Luckily it’s not too gratuitous but it did give me pause in places. I am quite in awe of Macdonald just from this book. And might read her other nature book next year. Have a great week & thanks for stopping by.
Sending good thoughts for healing from surgery! My son’s mother-in-law finally bit the bullet and had surgery. Now she’s having troubles caused by not taking medications prescribed by the doctor. Hopefully you will not be so rebellious!
I’m eager to see who wins the Booker.
Hi Deb, Thanks for the good wishes with the surgery. I’m a bit curious how long ago his mother-in-law’s surgery was? I will try to follow all the instructions the docs & nurses give me. Though some of the pain medications can make you feel sick to your stomach. So I sympathize with her a bit. hmm.
The Booker winner is anyone’s guess … lol. Have a great week.
No snow in CO yet, not even on Halloween, which is a tradition! Love the bear family–they are clearly beefing up for the sleepy season.
I loved the hawk training parts of H is for Hawk, but I found the T.E. White section difficult to read and so sad. It kind of ruined The Once and Future King for me, to be honest. Sometimes I just don’t want to know that much about a writer’s private life. I assume the movie will not go into that part of the book but focus just on the hawk and Helen.
Forgot to add, good luck with the knee surgery. My husband has had both knees replaced and is so happy with the results. Best wishes.
Hi Jane, we had some snowflakes yesterday but it’s melted today. Still pretty clear here. I was interested to know your thoughts about H is for Hawk and I agree that the T.H. White sections in the book were quite dark …. and depressing and wasn’t the author trying to relieve her grief over her dad’s death with the hawk & book? I liked the hawk’s training parts too. It seems the movie will likely bypass the White parts of the memoir. I’ll be keen to see it. Cheers!
Ps. I’m really pleased to hear your husband has done both knees too and all is well. That’s wonderful. Thanks for the wishes and pep talk.
I felt the same way as you about H is for Hawk: I enjoyed the hawk parts, but not so much the stuff about the other author.
I hope the surgery went well!
Thanks Helen, I’m back at home post-surgery and managing so far. First days were rough but now it’s better.
Glad for your thoughts on H Is for Hawk. I think the movie might also be enjoyable. Cheers.
I read this one way back in 2016 (I guess when it first came out) and in my rating system, I actually gave it five out of five stars which I almost never do. So I’m very much in agreement with your assessment.
I hope your knee surgery went well and that your recovery sets a new record for speed. I’ll be sending all the positive energy I can spare your way!
Hi Dorothy, good to know you liked H Is for Hawk so much. Macdonald seems quite the nature writer. It took me years to get to the book entirely. So glad I did.
And thanks I really appreciate your positive thoughts about my surgery. I’m back home now and starting the recovery. Yay.
After read H is for Hawk I decided I needed to read/reread The Once and Future King. Reading leading to reading. Here is my review: https://headfullofbooks.blogspot.com/2017/10/three-interconnected-books.html
Hey Anne, thanks I’m really glad for your link and thoughts on the books and how they’re interconnected. I plan to check it out. I’ll comment there. It surprised me a bit how much of her memoir talks about White. I guess I should know more about his Goshawk book. Interesting about both.
Susan, hope your surgery has gone well and your recovery will be smooth. Thinking of you! Love the bear picture!!
Hi Thanks Kay! So sweet of you to say. I’m holding on here, lol. Back home and starting recovery. I love looking at the bears too. Cheers.
I want to start with my hopes that the knee surgery went well and you are recovering with no problems.
We just started getting rain in Goleta / Santa Barbara and we are expected to have rain through at least Saturday, Nov 15, maybe longer. I am loving it.
H is for Hawk is on my TBR but I don’t know when I will get to it. I just picked up the very very long book about the Vietnam conflict by David Halberstam, The Best and the Brightest. I was inspired to get that book after reading The Women by Kristin Hannah, which I loved. I know you had several quibbles with it and I don’t disagree, but I just loved it anyway. It resonated so much with me. Not so much the Vietnam part but the expectations her parents had that she would marry and have children, etc. And I had no idea about how women’s roles in Vietnam were ignored and denied. I will also be looking for oral histories from people who were there.
Thanks Tracy, I really appreciate your wishes about my surgery … all seems to have gone well. I’m back home recuperating. It was hard at first but a bit better now.
And I can’t believe you’re getting a big rain storm there! Wow that’s pretty early. Good for California. It won’t be so dry.
That’s wonderful to hear that you loved The Women novel. I was pretty caught up in it especially the first half. I had some quibbles in the 2nd half, but overall it seemed effective. I will look for your review. The Halberstam book should be a good read. I guess it’s a key book on the Vietnam conflict. I think I read parts of it for school but not the whole thing. It would probably take me forever. Good luck reading it. Cheers.