But then a few weeks later I saw that H Is For Hawk was available on Audible as part of my membership. The author, Helen Macdonald, was the reader and that's not always a great idea but in this case it worked out wonderfully. Helen Macdonald is a an excellent reader and writer. And when I got to the part of the book where Helen purchases her goshawk Mabel and retreats to the English countryside to begin Mabel's training I was hooked.
And I particularly liked that Helen takes her treasured copy of T. H. White's memoir Goshawk (1951) with her on her journey. T. H. White was a British writer best known for his classic novel The Once And Future King. And throughout the course of H Is For Hawk, Helen rereads T. H. White's Goshawk and reflects on his life and her own:
"Like White I wanted to cut loose from the world, and I shared, too, his desire to escape to the wild, a desire that can rip away all human softness and leave you stranded in a world of savage, courteous despair."
And then there is Mabel, the young goshawk. Helen does a good job in H Is For Hawk in trying to interpret what Mabel is thinking and feeling. And it does seem at first that they are bonding. But part of training a hawk is taking them hunting and that's where the other side of Mabel emerges and it's disturbing. At one point Helen is injured when Mabel turns on her in the woods
I would have sent Mabel packing at that point but for Helen, fascinated by hawks since childhood, training Mabel was a way to get over her grief at her father's death. Training Mabel became a way to deal with that loss. But Helen comes to realize through her experiences with Mabel and reflecting on T. H. White's life that isolating oneself from people is not the answer.
H Is For Hawk is a book I didn't think I would be able to finish when I first picked it up and now I would say it's a five star read.
I am glad you gave this book a second chance. I also listened to it, and loved it. There were various threads that I thought the author tied together so well. I remember finding the part about T.H. White very sad. I love birding and birds but would never in a million years take on the task of training a goshawk. I have a book of essays by MacDonald, Vesper Flights, that has been sitting unread on my tbr shelf for a few years--must find time to read it!
ReplyDeleteHi Jane, the second time worked wonderfully for me and what an excellent reader as well as writer Macdonald is. And though I am not a birder I love books and so Helen bringing along her copy of Goshawk and meditating in her memoir on the life of T H White and his troubles and then seeing similarities in her own life really made the book for me. Never read T H White but I'm tempted.
DeleteI am a birder, but I've never been interested in reading this book. I don't know why. But I'm glad the audio version turned out to be such a good choice for you. :D
ReplyDeleteHi Lark, the audio version really made the difference for me and not because the writing wasn't excellent but Macdonald got me through the first 40 pages or so which I was struggling with because I m not a birder. But even the first time when I was reading the book on a kindle I knew hiw great a writer Macdonald is.
DeleteI avoided this book for a while because I just did not think it would appeal, and I don't read a lot of nonfiction. But I think I got a copy last year at the book sale, and I plan to read it someday.
ReplyDeleteI am not a birder but I do like birds, so I am hoping I will like this.
Hi Tracy, I do recommend H Is For Hawk. Beautifully written. I had a hard time getting into it and that is why I really recommend the audio version read by the author because she got me through the first 50 pages and then when the training of Mabel begins I was sold.
DeleteNice! So glad you made it through. I have attempted this book twice and put down, but I still want to read it sometime. I think I would really love it as I can relate to being close to animals/creatures and liking nature. I just need to find the right time to slow down and take it in. It seems a little dense but perhaps once you're hooked it gets easy & enjoyable. I admire the author and what she did.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, I can't stress enough how much reading the book in audio by the author helped. The book is wonderfully written but the audio version got me though the first 40 pages or so because I am not a birder but then with the audio it really picked up.
DeleteI also liked the way that Helen Macdonald in writing her memoir brought together various threads as Jane says. There was the grief over her father's death, the training of Mabel and then her focus on the life of the writer T H White and what she could learn from him.
Okay thanks Kathy. I think I will try it on audio -- if I get through the beginning, I'm sure it will eventually hook me.
DeleteSo good to read your thoughts.This book was very timely for me. My thoughts are here:
ReplyDeletehttps://journeydestination.org/2020/02/01/memoir-h-is-for-hawk-by-helen-macdonald-2014/
She writes so beautifully - I've since read Vesper Flights.
Hi Carol. Thanks for posting and just read your review of H Is For Hawk. Very nice and I agree this is a book about grief and Helen's attempt to deal with it by training Mabell but isolating herself too which isn't such a good idea and Helen discovered that at the end. Part of me is curious to check out T H White's Goshawk.
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