Questions About H is for Hawk

by Helen Macdonald

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about H is for Hawk, please sign up.

Answered Questions (17)

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)

Dmitry Everybody does.

flag

Is 'H is for Hawk' appropriate for a young teen to read?

Christian Cull Absolutely, this is suitable. It is an open and honest account that reflects a challenging attitude and a sense of inquiry. It is unflinching and all …moreAbsolutely, this is suitable. It is an open and honest account that reflects a challenging attitude and a sense of inquiry. It is unflinching and all the better for it. My 13 year old daughter loved it, and I was delighted when she said she wanted to read it. (less)

flag

I wonder if others found this more of a psychological book than anything else? Not done yet, but 3/4 through it and I find this book to be very psychological and to be about identity, grief and relationships of care.

Patti Charron It is a memoir of, as you note, grief, loss, parental bonds, etc. it is not psychological, per se, as it is not written or evaluated by a psychologist…moreIt is a memoir of, as you note, grief, loss, parental bonds, etc. it is not psychological, per se, as it is not written or evaluated by a psychologist. It us the author's incredibly raw and insightful memoir. (less)

flag

On page 60 and I'm not sure I want to continue -- I don't want to read about animal cruelty and particularly in the case of White, it seems that things won't go well for his hawks. I don't think anything in this book could make me think that enslaving a hawk has any value (and does the animal's suffering make the human suffering better?) -- should I keep reading or not?

Too Fond of Books Concerning "animal cruelty" -- Although it was uncomfortable to me to read about White's bumbling attempt at falconry, it was incompetence rather than…moreConcerning "animal cruelty" -- Although it was uncomfortable to me to read about White's bumbling attempt at falconry, it was incompetence rather than cruelty. Take heart by knowing that now, at least in the U.S., there are strict regulations for falconry. Falconers have to be trained (through an apprenticeship) and licensed. And once it flies free, the hawk can choose NOT to come back.
As to whether "enslaving a hawk has any value", actually, there is. The best example is the story of the peregrine falcon. Peregrines were critically endangered in North America due to the use of the pesticide DDT. After DDT was banned, Dr. Tom Cade of Cornell University persuaded falconers to send their remaining captive birds to him to attempt breedings. Against the odds, the captive breeding and release into the wild worked. The peregrine falcon was removed from the Endangered Species list in 1999.(less)

flag

This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)