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lissan's reviews
842 reviews
She Came to Stay by Simone de Beauvoir
4.0
I have had this novel for a couple of years and was always afraid to read it, mostly because I was not sure whether it would be so theoretical that it was really above me. On the contrary, it turns out, this is a fantastic book, utterly fascinating. The book is partly based on the relationship between Simone de Beauvoir and her life-long companion Jean-Paul Sartre. To understand the book I think we have to have a short resumé of their lives.
Simone de Beauvoir was born in 1908, and was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography and papers on philosophy, politics and social issues. Her best known novels are She Came to Stay, The Mandarins and The Second Sex. She was born into a wealthy family which lost most of their wealth after World War I. She started to study and she was only the ninth woman who received an exam from the Sorbonne. Women had just recently been allowed into higher education. She went on to study philosophy and that is where she met Jean-Paul Sartre, Paul Nizan and René Maheu. She passed her exam as second after Sartre.
Beauvoir and Sartre became a couple, but they never married. Beauvoir said later she could not accept his proposal since she had no dowry! The couple always read each others work and there has been discussions who has influenced who and written what in several of their works. Beauvoir was known to have relationships with women. It was rumoured that she seduced her students and in 1943 she was suspended from teaching due to an accusation of having seduced a 17-year-old student.
In 1943 Beauvoir published She Came to Stay which was her first novel. It is a fiction of her's and Sartre's relationship with the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Olga was one of Beauvoir's students and she grew fond of her. Sartre tried to pursue Olga but was refused so he began a relationship with Wanda. When he died Sartre was still supporting Wanda and had also supported Olga for years. She later married Jacques-Laurent Bost, one of Beauvoir's lovers.
As you see, quite a complicated life. The book is based on this drama, but Olga and Wanda are changed into one young girl, Xaivère. The novel is a fictive metaphysical novel and it treats the questions of existentialistic thoughts about freedom, anxiety and 'The Other'. We have to go to Wikipedia to have an explanation of these things (at least me).
Metaphysics is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it. Traditionally, it tries to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms: 1. What is ultimately there? 2. What is it like?
The Other opposes the Same. Other is identified as "different". It has been used in social science to understand the processes by which societies and groups exclude 'Others' whom they want to subordinate or who do not fit into their society. de Beauvoir changed the Hegelian notion of the Other and used it in describing a male-dominated culture. This treats woman as the Other in relation to man. That indicates that the Other is an important concept for studies of the sex-gender system. In the world of Beauvoir the Other is the minority, the least favoured one and often a woman.
Now to the book. The book takes place just before France is forced into the World War II. Françoise is a writer and Pierre a director/writer who sets up theatre productions. They share everything; life, love, secrets, passion for the theatre. They are one, separately they are nothing. They have a free relationship and is closely connected intellectually. Everything works very well until Xavière comes into their lives. It is not clear how Françoise got to know her but at the start of the book she is visiting Paris from Rouen where she lives with her aunt and uncle. She is young, has no education and no work. Françoise and Pierre decide to invite her to Paris and they will pay for her until she can get a job. Both of them are attracted to Xavière and she likes both of them. However, she does not understand their relationship and tries to separate them. Françoise who always was very content with her life now sees that she is the weakest partner. All of a sudden she is just one among the crowd. Her jealousy almost kills her and she must be free, although she sees now how this can be.
The book follows them during a little bit less then a year and there is their daily lives, cafés, restaurants, dances, drinks and night-life. How they have the energy to work I don't know! But they do, except Xavière. She doesn't want to do anything. She is not interested in any of the educations that they try to convince her to take, she does not want to work because she is not interested in any work. She tries acting, but tires rather fast. She sleeps during the day and sees them during the night. She is lazy, nonchalant, sloppy and self-absorbed, she has no will or ambition but still wants to become famous. A rather unsympathetic type in other words.
The open relationship that Françoise and Pierre have changes when Xavière comes into their lives. The book is written from Françoise's point of view and it is her thoughts on existentialism, anxiety, jealousy and the meaning of life that we come to share. The menage à trois affects all three of them and not in a very positive way. It is difficult to see what it is that makes these two highly, intellectual, freely thinking and independent people so dependent on this young girl. They follow all her whims, all her moods. Even when they are by themselves they discuss how she is and what her moods will be when they meet. Xavière is jealous on Pierre's special love for Françoise. Françoise notices this and feels that Pierre does not care or notice. Pierre spends much less time with Françoise and when he does they seem to discuss only Xavière.
The philosophical thoughts in the book about life in general, relationships, the threat of the imposing war is very interesting and gives you something to think about. It is fascinating to say the least. You wonder where this will all lead in the end. Well, for me, it lead in a direction that I could not have imagined! You have to read this book.
Simone de Beauvoir was born in 1908, and was a French writer, intellectual, existentialist philosopher, political activist, feminist and social theorist. She wrote novels, essays, biographies, an autobiography and papers on philosophy, politics and social issues. Her best known novels are She Came to Stay, The Mandarins and The Second Sex. She was born into a wealthy family which lost most of their wealth after World War I. She started to study and she was only the ninth woman who received an exam from the Sorbonne. Women had just recently been allowed into higher education. She went on to study philosophy and that is where she met Jean-Paul Sartre, Paul Nizan and René Maheu. She passed her exam as second after Sartre.
Beauvoir and Sartre became a couple, but they never married. Beauvoir said later she could not accept his proposal since she had no dowry! The couple always read each others work and there has been discussions who has influenced who and written what in several of their works. Beauvoir was known to have relationships with women. It was rumoured that she seduced her students and in 1943 she was suspended from teaching due to an accusation of having seduced a 17-year-old student.
In 1943 Beauvoir published She Came to Stay which was her first novel. It is a fiction of her's and Sartre's relationship with the sisters Olga and Wanda Kosakiewicz. Olga was one of Beauvoir's students and she grew fond of her. Sartre tried to pursue Olga but was refused so he began a relationship with Wanda. When he died Sartre was still supporting Wanda and had also supported Olga for years. She later married Jacques-Laurent Bost, one of Beauvoir's lovers.
As you see, quite a complicated life. The book is based on this drama, but Olga and Wanda are changed into one young girl, Xaivère. The novel is a fictive metaphysical novel and it treats the questions of existentialistic thoughts about freedom, anxiety and 'The Other'. We have to go to Wikipedia to have an explanation of these things (at least me).
Metaphysics is a traditional branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world that encompasses it. Traditionally, it tries to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms: 1. What is ultimately there? 2. What is it like?
The Other opposes the Same. Other is identified as "different". It has been used in social science to understand the processes by which societies and groups exclude 'Others' whom they want to subordinate or who do not fit into their society. de Beauvoir changed the Hegelian notion of the Other and used it in describing a male-dominated culture. This treats woman as the Other in relation to man. That indicates that the Other is an important concept for studies of the sex-gender system. In the world of Beauvoir the Other is the minority, the least favoured one and often a woman.
Now to the book. The book takes place just before France is forced into the World War II. Françoise is a writer and Pierre a director/writer who sets up theatre productions. They share everything; life, love, secrets, passion for the theatre. They are one, separately they are nothing. They have a free relationship and is closely connected intellectually. Everything works very well until Xavière comes into their lives. It is not clear how Françoise got to know her but at the start of the book she is visiting Paris from Rouen where she lives with her aunt and uncle. She is young, has no education and no work. Françoise and Pierre decide to invite her to Paris and they will pay for her until she can get a job. Both of them are attracted to Xavière and she likes both of them. However, she does not understand their relationship and tries to separate them. Françoise who always was very content with her life now sees that she is the weakest partner. All of a sudden she is just one among the crowd. Her jealousy almost kills her and she must be free, although she sees now how this can be.
The book follows them during a little bit less then a year and there is their daily lives, cafés, restaurants, dances, drinks and night-life. How they have the energy to work I don't know! But they do, except Xavière. She doesn't want to do anything. She is not interested in any of the educations that they try to convince her to take, she does not want to work because she is not interested in any work. She tries acting, but tires rather fast. She sleeps during the day and sees them during the night. She is lazy, nonchalant, sloppy and self-absorbed, she has no will or ambition but still wants to become famous. A rather unsympathetic type in other words.
The open relationship that Françoise and Pierre have changes when Xavière comes into their lives. The book is written from Françoise's point of view and it is her thoughts on existentialism, anxiety, jealousy and the meaning of life that we come to share. The menage à trois affects all three of them and not in a very positive way. It is difficult to see what it is that makes these two highly, intellectual, freely thinking and independent people so dependent on this young girl. They follow all her whims, all her moods. Even when they are by themselves they discuss how she is and what her moods will be when they meet. Xavière is jealous on Pierre's special love for Françoise. Françoise notices this and feels that Pierre does not care or notice. Pierre spends much less time with Françoise and when he does they seem to discuss only Xavière.
The philosophical thoughts in the book about life in general, relationships, the threat of the imposing war is very interesting and gives you something to think about. It is fascinating to say the least. You wonder where this will all lead in the end. Well, for me, it lead in a direction that I could not have imagined! You have to read this book.
Røde Orm: Hjemme og i Østerled by Kjeld Elfelt, Frans G. Bengtsson
4.0
Röde Orm (The Long Ships) part I and II by Frans G. Bengtsson
These two books have been on my bookshelf for a very long time, maybe even 30 years! I can't even remember when I bought them. They are considered a classic in Sweden and tells the story about the Vikings in the 10th century. The books were written in 1941 and 1945 respectively and although written in a somewhat old fashion Swedish the books are surprisingly fresh. They are one of the most popular books in Sweden or at least it used to be.
It tells the story about Röde Orm (Red Serpent, red because his hair is red) and his adventures in the West and in the East. The first book is about his first trip (he is actually more or less kidnapped on board the ship) westwards. The aim is to find riches along the Normandy coast. Since it has already been plundered they venture further on and are finally captured by Al-Mansur in Andalusia. They work for him in his security forces and have to fight several wars before they manage to escape back home. The trip home takes them via England and Ireland before they end up in Denmark at the court of the great Viking king Harald Blåtand (Harald Bluetooth). Spending some time at the court Orm falls in love with one of the kings daughters, Ylva, and proposes. However, having no home, even if he has some riches, the king says he has to prove himself before he can earn his daughter. Furthermore, he has to be christened before he can marry her. These are the times when the first missionaries came up north to try to christen the heathens.
Orm sets out again to fight the English and to get their riches. After various adventures he comes to the king's court in England where Ylva is staying with her sister. Having won the fights the English king has to pay the Vikings and Orm marries Ylva, heads back to south of Sweden (Denmark in those days) to settle down.
The second book tells about the establishing of his home, his christening, his friendship with the priest Willibert who comes from the king's court to stay with him and try to christen as many as he can. He even builds a church on Orm's premises. Other friends from his Spanish days turns up, the neighbouring clans tries to live in peace and all is well. Then his long lost brother Are returns from his adventures in Miklagård (Constantinopel, present day Istanbul). He is blind, without tongue and one hand but manages nevertheless with the help of 'runor' (the Viking letters) to tell his story and how he managed to get his hands (before he lost one) on a golden treasure which he buried in the Dnepr river.
This is too good a temptation for the Vikings so Orm buys a ship, gathers a crew and sets of to capture the gold. Along the way they run into various fights, foreign tribes, meeting old friends and finally manage to get the gold and return home.
It is in its own way a fascinating book, telling in an understandable way the life of the Vikings and the times. You see how they were living, their homes, the violent times, the problem between the heathens and the christians etc. It is told in a charming way and the books were a much easier read than I expected. Then of course they live in the area in the south of Sweden where I grow up and some of the names are still the same. Makes it a little bit extra interesting.
More on my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.be
These two books have been on my bookshelf for a very long time, maybe even 30 years! I can't even remember when I bought them. They are considered a classic in Sweden and tells the story about the Vikings in the 10th century. The books were written in 1941 and 1945 respectively and although written in a somewhat old fashion Swedish the books are surprisingly fresh. They are one of the most popular books in Sweden or at least it used to be.
It tells the story about Röde Orm (Red Serpent, red because his hair is red) and his adventures in the West and in the East. The first book is about his first trip (he is actually more or less kidnapped on board the ship) westwards. The aim is to find riches along the Normandy coast. Since it has already been plundered they venture further on and are finally captured by Al-Mansur in Andalusia. They work for him in his security forces and have to fight several wars before they manage to escape back home. The trip home takes them via England and Ireland before they end up in Denmark at the court of the great Viking king Harald Blåtand (Harald Bluetooth). Spending some time at the court Orm falls in love with one of the kings daughters, Ylva, and proposes. However, having no home, even if he has some riches, the king says he has to prove himself before he can earn his daughter. Furthermore, he has to be christened before he can marry her. These are the times when the first missionaries came up north to try to christen the heathens.
Orm sets out again to fight the English and to get their riches. After various adventures he comes to the king's court in England where Ylva is staying with her sister. Having won the fights the English king has to pay the Vikings and Orm marries Ylva, heads back to south of Sweden (Denmark in those days) to settle down.
The second book tells about the establishing of his home, his christening, his friendship with the priest Willibert who comes from the king's court to stay with him and try to christen as many as he can. He even builds a church on Orm's premises. Other friends from his Spanish days turns up, the neighbouring clans tries to live in peace and all is well. Then his long lost brother Are returns from his adventures in Miklagård (Constantinopel, present day Istanbul). He is blind, without tongue and one hand but manages nevertheless with the help of 'runor' (the Viking letters) to tell his story and how he managed to get his hands (before he lost one) on a golden treasure which he buried in the Dnepr river.
This is too good a temptation for the Vikings so Orm buys a ship, gathers a crew and sets of to capture the gold. Along the way they run into various fights, foreign tribes, meeting old friends and finally manage to get the gold and return home.
It is in its own way a fascinating book, telling in an understandable way the life of the Vikings and the times. You see how they were living, their homes, the violent times, the problem between the heathens and the christians etc. It is told in a charming way and the books were a much easier read than I expected. Then of course they live in the area in the south of Sweden where I grow up and some of the names are still the same. Makes it a little bit extra interesting.
More on my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.be
The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt
4.0
Some years ago I read Berendt’s book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and I absolutely loved it. Wonderfully written, wonderful out of the ordinary people. When I saw that he followed up this book with a book about Venice, The City of Fallen Angels, I bought it and it has decorated by TBR shelves ever since.
Finally, I grabbed it and started reading. As with his other book you are drawn in to the history of the city. He manages to find all these interesting people that he contacts to get their story. As with the Midnight book, the main story is a legal one. The opera house in Venice burnt down while it was renovated. Now they are searching for the people responsible, either by arson or by accident. This leads us into the thorny area of Italian law, where for a foreigner, once your inside, there seems to be no way out!
The wonderful palazzos of Venice also hold a big part of the story. Family histories that goes back a long way, the difficulties of keeping up the palaces today. Henry James was here, which should be no surprise. He seems to have been in most of the lovely places in Europe. The Barbaro palace (during the writing of this book it was sold by the family who had inhabited it since the middle of 19th century) was the fictional Palazzo Leporelli in James’ The Wings of the Dove, and he was a frequent houseguest of the Curtis family. It seems that even today his description of the palace is recognisable. I have not read this one so it is now on my list to read (as if it was not long enough!).
“On his first visit as a house guest at Palazzo Barbaro, Henry James was met at the water entrance by white-gloved servants, who led him from his gondola on to the carpeted steps of the landing platform and up the courtyard stairs to the piano nobile. He was enchanted by all of it: the luxury, the polish, the reminders of the distant past ‘twinkling in the multitudinous candles’. But eve as he gazed at the Barbaro’s painted walls and sculpted ceilings, James had in mind a very different sort of palace.”
This different sort of palace was a derelict place inhabited by two lonely ladies. It was all fictional, and characters in his new novel The Aspern Papers (review here). A lovely book, like most of his books.
Other famous characters are Ezra Pound and his mistress Olga Rudge who lived in Venice for many years. Berendt gives us the story of their Venice life and the ‘menage a trois’ they lived in since Pound was married. Olga Rudge was a well known concert violinist and seems to have been an amazing character, full of life. She lived to be over 90 years old.
"Curious to have a look at the house where Ezra Pound and Olga Rudge had lived, I went to Rio Fornace, a tranquil canal in the quiet district of Dorsoduro. There, a few steps off the canal in a shady cul-de-sac, I found 252 Calle Querini, a narrow, three-storey cottage. A marble plaque mounted above the door bore the inscription ‘With unwavering love for Venice, Ezra Pound, titan of poetry, lived in this house for half a century.’"
Berendt takes us through many more events of Venice and it is a charming read. He choses a few people, famous or not, and gives us a glimpse of the life they live. He manages to make the city come alive with its characters that define the inhabitants of Venice. There are not only tourists there. I have been to Venice two times, and will go there again. This time I might bring John Berendt’s book with me, and follow him to see another part of Venice. As far as I can see, he has not written any more books, but I am eagerly waiting for the next one!
This was one of my TBR books, so glad that I finally took it down from those shelves to put it on the R (read) shelves! Small things in life make us happy.
From my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.com
Finally, I grabbed it and started reading. As with his other book you are drawn in to the history of the city. He manages to find all these interesting people that he contacts to get their story. As with the Midnight book, the main story is a legal one. The opera house in Venice burnt down while it was renovated. Now they are searching for the people responsible, either by arson or by accident. This leads us into the thorny area of Italian law, where for a foreigner, once your inside, there seems to be no way out!
The wonderful palazzos of Venice also hold a big part of the story. Family histories that goes back a long way, the difficulties of keeping up the palaces today. Henry James was here, which should be no surprise. He seems to have been in most of the lovely places in Europe. The Barbaro palace (during the writing of this book it was sold by the family who had inhabited it since the middle of 19th century) was the fictional Palazzo Leporelli in James’ The Wings of the Dove, and he was a frequent houseguest of the Curtis family. It seems that even today his description of the palace is recognisable. I have not read this one so it is now on my list to read (as if it was not long enough!).
“On his first visit as a house guest at Palazzo Barbaro, Henry James was met at the water entrance by white-gloved servants, who led him from his gondola on to the carpeted steps of the landing platform and up the courtyard stairs to the piano nobile. He was enchanted by all of it: the luxury, the polish, the reminders of the distant past ‘twinkling in the multitudinous candles’. But eve as he gazed at the Barbaro’s painted walls and sculpted ceilings, James had in mind a very different sort of palace.”
This different sort of palace was a derelict place inhabited by two lonely ladies. It was all fictional, and characters in his new novel The Aspern Papers (review here). A lovely book, like most of his books.
Other famous characters are Ezra Pound and his mistress Olga Rudge who lived in Venice for many years. Berendt gives us the story of their Venice life and the ‘menage a trois’ they lived in since Pound was married. Olga Rudge was a well known concert violinist and seems to have been an amazing character, full of life. She lived to be over 90 years old.
"Curious to have a look at the house where Ezra Pound and Olga Rudge had lived, I went to Rio Fornace, a tranquil canal in the quiet district of Dorsoduro. There, a few steps off the canal in a shady cul-de-sac, I found 252 Calle Querini, a narrow, three-storey cottage. A marble plaque mounted above the door bore the inscription ‘With unwavering love for Venice, Ezra Pound, titan of poetry, lived in this house for half a century.’"
Berendt takes us through many more events of Venice and it is a charming read. He choses a few people, famous or not, and gives us a glimpse of the life they live. He manages to make the city come alive with its characters that define the inhabitants of Venice. There are not only tourists there. I have been to Venice two times, and will go there again. This time I might bring John Berendt’s book with me, and follow him to see another part of Venice. As far as I can see, he has not written any more books, but I am eagerly waiting for the next one!
This was one of my TBR books, so glad that I finally took it down from those shelves to put it on the R (read) shelves! Small things in life make us happy.
From my book blog thecontentreader.blogspot.com
The Angelic Avengers by Pierre Andrézel, Karen Blixen, Isak Dinesen
4.0
My TBR shelves have hosted this book for about 20 years I think. That is when it was printed and it
makes sense that it was then I bought it. I had already started it, if I judge from the book mark still in it. However, I only had vague remembrance of the book, so I started afresh.
Like with a lot of other books from these shelves, I am wondering why I have kept it there for so long. It is a lovely book, but not a ‘thundering’ read, if you know what I mean. The story evolves slowly, slowly, but somehow there is always a new hint of something to come. The language is beautiful, calm, almost fragile in its prose.
Not to reveal too much here is a summary of the start. Lucan is alone in the world and has got a position as a governess with a wealthy widow. He makes her an offer that she can refuse and she runs away in the middle of the night. She is heading to her school friend Zosine which she has not met since school. Arriving at her mansion on the day of her birthday ball she is welcomed with joy. However, things are not as good as they seem. Zosine’s father is in bankruptcy and has to flee, the creditors are banging the door to the mansion the next day and the two girls have to leave.
Having no funds to live from they travel to London and apply for positions as governesses. Since they don’t want to separate it is difficult to find something. Then one day reverend Pennhallow enters the scene. He and his wife are looking for two girls to take in for charity. He will teach them for a year and they are to live with them in their house in France. Well, that all sounds rather good doesn’t it?
From here on we follow the girls during this year. It is difficult to put the novel in a genre since it touches on so many. I find it gothic, magic, supernatural, romantic and mysterious. Almost like a fairy tale. All in one story. It is magically written, with a calm movement forward of the story, romantic descriptions of the landscape and the daily life in this rural area. It reminds me a little bit of The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe but not that long lingering on descriptions.
It is not a book that overwhelms you with the story, but it stays with you after you have finished the book. Isak Dinesen the pseudonym for Karen Blixen is mostly known for her book The African Farm on which the film Out of Africa was based. I have seen the film but not read the book, although it is on my TBR shelves as well. I think it is time to read that one as well.
makes sense that it was then I bought it. I had already started it, if I judge from the book mark still in it. However, I only had vague remembrance of the book, so I started afresh.
Like with a lot of other books from these shelves, I am wondering why I have kept it there for so long. It is a lovely book, but not a ‘thundering’ read, if you know what I mean. The story evolves slowly, slowly, but somehow there is always a new hint of something to come. The language is beautiful, calm, almost fragile in its prose.
Not to reveal too much here is a summary of the start. Lucan is alone in the world and has got a position as a governess with a wealthy widow. He makes her an offer that she can refuse and she runs away in the middle of the night. She is heading to her school friend Zosine which she has not met since school. Arriving at her mansion on the day of her birthday ball she is welcomed with joy. However, things are not as good as they seem. Zosine’s father is in bankruptcy and has to flee, the creditors are banging the door to the mansion the next day and the two girls have to leave.
Having no funds to live from they travel to London and apply for positions as governesses. Since they don’t want to separate it is difficult to find something. Then one day reverend Pennhallow enters the scene. He and his wife are looking for two girls to take in for charity. He will teach them for a year and they are to live with them in their house in France. Well, that all sounds rather good doesn’t it?
From here on we follow the girls during this year. It is difficult to put the novel in a genre since it touches on so many. I find it gothic, magic, supernatural, romantic and mysterious. Almost like a fairy tale. All in one story. It is magically written, with a calm movement forward of the story, romantic descriptions of the landscape and the daily life in this rural area. It reminds me a little bit of The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe but not that long lingering on descriptions.
It is not a book that overwhelms you with the story, but it stays with you after you have finished the book. Isak Dinesen the pseudonym for Karen Blixen is mostly known for her book The African Farm on which the film Out of Africa was based. I have seen the film but not read the book, although it is on my TBR shelves as well. I think it is time to read that one as well.
Kinship with All Life by J. Allen Boone
4.0
If you have any kind of animals this is a book for you but of course for all animal lovers. Dr Dolittle invited us to 'speak to the animals' and this is book that has the same message but maybe on another level. The initial story of the book is about the German shepherd Strongheart who was a famous movie dog in the 1920ies. He came to stay with the writer for some time and a very strong bond developed between the two. This was of course a very well trained dog and when you read about their time together he seems very human. Ah, but stop... this is exactly the point. Boone means that we humans always put ourselves above the animals and think ourselves superior. However, in the dealings with Strongheart the writer discovers time after time that the dog has his own private sphere and life which is on an equal level with himself. Mentally, we have to see each other as equal creatures and try to find the level where we can communicate with each other. Words are not always necessary although we often seem to think so. There are many fantastic stories in the book on how intelligent this dog was. You wish you had a dog like that to teach you a thing or two!
Having been very successful with Strongheart, Boone continues to investigate people who live very closely with their animals and seem to have a special bond, for example indians and their horses, bedouins and their camels and horses. They see their animals as equals and all of us have been created by a higher authority to understand each other. You have to open your mind to one another. You think though that to reach this universal language and understanding with animals it works with a dog like Strongheart. However, Boone tells in his book on how he managed to use this universal language of love to also capture the spirits of other animals. In the book he tells the stories how he befriended a skunk, ants, earthworms and Freddie the fly...!
This book came as a recommendation from my friend Yana who already have adopted a universal language with everything around here. She had a problem with mice in her kitchen. Everything had been tried to get rid of them, even a call to a company specialising in these kind of things. Nothing helped. After having read this book she took her time, sat down and talked with the mice and some time afterwards they had left her house! Exactly what happened with Boone and his ants which is described in the book. I therefore am now inclined to sit down in my garage, talk to the mice there in a friendly manner, tell them I love them but I don't really want them in my garage during the winter and maybe they should just try to find another resting place for the next winter! I will keep you posted!
Having been very successful with Strongheart, Boone continues to investigate people who live very closely with their animals and seem to have a special bond, for example indians and their horses, bedouins and their camels and horses. They see their animals as equals and all of us have been created by a higher authority to understand each other. You have to open your mind to one another. You think though that to reach this universal language and understanding with animals it works with a dog like Strongheart. However, Boone tells in his book on how he managed to use this universal language of love to also capture the spirits of other animals. In the book he tells the stories how he befriended a skunk, ants, earthworms and Freddie the fly...!
This book came as a recommendation from my friend Yana who already have adopted a universal language with everything around here. She had a problem with mice in her kitchen. Everything had been tried to get rid of them, even a call to a company specialising in these kind of things. Nothing helped. After having read this book she took her time, sat down and talked with the mice and some time afterwards they had left her house! Exactly what happened with Boone and his ants which is described in the book. I therefore am now inclined to sit down in my garage, talk to the mice there in a friendly manner, tell them I love them but I don't really want them in my garage during the winter and maybe they should just try to find another resting place for the next winter! I will keep you posted!