Literary Book Reviews for March

Beloved children's author Dick King-Smith was born on March 27, 1922. This gives you a good reason to celebrate in his honor with a classic family film, Babe.  This film is an adaptation of The Sheep-Pig, one of over 130 books by the author. So what is a “sheep-pig?” This story introduces a pig named Babe who learns to herd sheep from Farmer Hoggett.

King-Smith was raised in Glouchestershire, England and at the age of 19 enlisted as a recruit in the Grenadier Guards. He served with distinction in World War II. Following four years of service, he married and became a farmer.  He had lots of farm animals: cows, goats, hens, pheasants, and of course pigs.  His love of animals and recognition of each one's unique personalities provided tons of inspiration for his stories.  King-Smith was also a primary school teacher for several years and it wasn't until he was in his fifties that he decided to begin writing stories about animals for children. Many of his stories have appeared in film or television.

King-Smith talks about writing, 'Writing my books is like handing out presents.  Giving children pleasure gives you a wonderful sort of Father Christmassy feeling.'

 

I chose to read a book about one of my favorite creatures, the hedgehog ...titled The Hodgeheg. Victor Maximilian St George, better known as Max, is a young smart hedgehog.  With constant danger in crossing the road to get to the park, he sets off in search of a way or place to cross safely. He notices that traffic slows for pedestrians as they walk over white lines.  Only this doesn't work for him since he is so small drivers don't notice him. When trying to scramble to safety, he is hit by a bicyclist and ends up with a bump on his head. The knock he took was a hard one, leaving him with mixed-up speech. Hence, he becomes a 'hodgeheg.'  I thought this was the funniest part of the story.  For instance, when his mother asks if he is OK and he assures her he is by saying “I am quite KO.”  He may have been OK, but he certainly was KO (knocked out) too.

Through the course of King-Smith's story, Max studies different methods of crossing used by humans. One place he discovers a “magic” spot where a little man light turns green when it is safe to cross and red when it isn't.  He learns about the purpose for sidewalks and discovers even more danger with a time of day known as rush hour.  Ultimately Max finds that traffic stops for school children who are waved across by a lady with a “big lollipop.” 

When thinking about how hedgehogs or other animals might interpret of perceive the actions of humans it is quite amusing.  I remember a recent news story where a woman wrote letters and called in to television stations, asking that deer crossing signs be moved to a lower traffic area. She was obviously convinced that deer were reading the signs and thinking that it was safe for them to cross, even though it was a busy road.  “Why are we encouraging deer to cross over the interstate?” she asked.

Whatever your favorite animal is I am sure there is a charming Dick King-Smith book or film adaption that will captivate you no matter what your age. 

French author, Boris Vian (b. March 10, 1920) wrote L'Ecume des Jours(Foam of the Daze)in 1947 and later it was translated to English several times under different titles. The translated version I read was published in 1967, by Stanley Chapman, and renamed again as Mood Indigo. Chapman like Vian, was a member of the College of Pataphsyics. This is a group who studies the 'science of imaginary solutions.'  Principles of this science state that “the world contains nothing except exceptions, and that a rule is precisely an exception to the exception; as for the universe – that is the exception to oneself.”

If you know jazz, than you know 'Mood Indigo' is also the title of a famous Duke Ellington song.  Not to mention Mood Indigo was the name of a French film (2014) based on Vian's novel. Some of my book club members couldn't find a copy of the book, so reading subtitles had to suffice.  If you are interested in seeing the movie, it is available on Amazon Prime and interprets the book fairly well. Directed by Michel Gondry (known for 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'), the film is a quirky cult classic and easy to follow for non-French speaking viewers.

The story revolves around Colin and Chloe a young, newly-married couple.  All seems to be fairy tale perfect as they meet, fall in love, and are married in an elaborate wedding.  While on their honeymoon, Chloe falls ill and is diagnosed with a strange illness … a waterlily is discovered on her lung.  The only way to keep Chloe alive, while waiting for medications and treatment to successfully kill the waterlily, is to surround her with fresh flowers.  Supposedly these flowers intimidate the waterlily and keep it from growing larger.  Other characters in this sci-fi/romance that play key roles include Nicholas, Colin's manservant, whose age mysteriously begins to accelerate as Chloe grows sicker. And Chick, friend and best man for Colin, a compulsive collector of anything written by or associated with philosopher Jean-Pulse Harte … actually Vian's spoof of Jean-Paul Sarte, real life French philosopher and close friend. Last but not least, there is an adorable mouse who lives in the couple's apartment and contributes to the story in a sort of Jiminy Cricket kind of way.  

Back to the Jazz connection, Mood Indigo is full of musical references.  When compiled they make a fantabulous Spotify playlist including songs such as: Black and Tan Fantasy, Loveless Love, Mood to Be Wooed, Slap Happy, Misty Morning, Blue Bubbles, and of course the song 'Chloe' used by Vian as the name of his main character.  Vian is an accomplished trumpeter with several excellent recordings of his own. His most famous piece was an anti-war song entitled, "Le Déserteur" (The Deserter). I also discovered an album by Dazie Mae, 'Froth on the Daydream' that tells the story of Colin and Chloe. I highly recommend this collection of songs styled in hypnotic jazzy blues with a touch of country and Cabernet too!

Vian had expertise in many areas not only as an accomplished writer and poet, but also as a musician, singer, translator, critic, actor, inventor, and engineer. He was a real “Renaissance Man.” After reading this book I researched the author and am convinced that his many talents are incorporated in the characters and setting of his novel.  In fact, this story is so surreal some would say the author had to have been on a hallucinatory dream ride when creating it. For example, there is Colin's bizarre invention, a pianoctail – a piano that mixes cocktails according to notes played. When Colin's finances are depleted after buying flowers for Chloe, he takes a job in an ammunition factory where the technique for making bullets and weapons requires the use of body heat.

When discussing the book, we all agreed that Vian's writing style was lush and lyrical. Here is a favorite quote from the novel to illustrate the author's way with words:

At the spot where a river joins the ocean there is a barrier that is very difficult to navigate. Wrecked ships dance helplessly in the great eddies of foam.  Between the night outside and the light of the lamp, memories flowed back from the darkness of the past, banging against the light and immersed in its glow, gleaming and transparent, flaunted their white fronts and their silver backs.

Vian is also well known for a series of criminal fiction parodies, published under the pseudonym Vernon Sullivan. Several of these stories where made into films during his lifetime.  Ironically Vian died in 1959 at the screening for the film version of his book I Will Spit on Your Graves. He was enraged over the producers' interpretation of his work and publicly denounced the film, calling for his name to be removed from the credits. Just before going into cardic arrest, he blurted out last words: “These guys are supposed to be American? My ass!”