The Wind in the Willows in Never too Late to Read Classics

Jan 13, 2013 Yair Ben-Zvi rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

How telling that a book comprised of a mostly animal cast is one of the most human books I've read up to the point of this writing. This book can only be termed 'delightful' and even surprisingly so. I began this as yet another in a series of 'check-list' reads, books that most of the English speaking peoples of the world have read and memorized that I've only just now gotten to because I only discovered the wonderful drug of the written word in high school. But this wasn't that, not even close. How telling that a book comprised of a mostly animal cast is one of the most human books I've read up to the point of this writing. This book can only be termed 'delightful' and even surprisingly so. I began this as yet another in a series of 'check-list' reads, books that most of the English speaking peoples of the world have read and memorized that I've only just now gotten to because I only discovered the wonderful drug of the written word in high school. But this wasn't that, not even close.

Reading this was like experiencing a long and wonderful conversation with one or even many great friends over an incredible meal off near the canals of Venice with, without either you or your friends realizing, the conversation segues into the sunset and the very beginning of a sublime summer festival. Candles set in paper boats and sent off to sea, champagne never ending, and a night that teases you with the idea that it could last forever.

Yes, it's that good. Originally the written adaptations of the bedtime stories the author was telling his son at the time, Kenneth Grahame's story definitely shows its roots but very quickly goes leaps and bounds beyond them. First, the tone while sweetly sentimental, never strays into the dreadful territory of schmaltz. Similarly the dialogue is incredibly charming, disarmingly so, without ever detracting from the overall story. Actually, what struck me near profoundly about this book is its near impossible accomplishment. It succeeds at telling a compelling story with no real conflict (the vestigial one towards the end regarding the retaking of Toad Hall doesn't really count to me) or overarching plot.

The characters are warm and all feel like old friends after only a few pages of depiction. Mr. Toad stands out as a delightfully arrogant but still good at heart braggart and the chapters devoted to his prison escape are incredibly entertaining as well as his tongue firmly in cheek obsessions with cars. It was refreshing to read about technology gone ridiculous as opposed to dehumanizing and chaotic, for once. The sections, the early ones at least, with Mole and Rat and to a lesser extent Badger are different, though not negatively so. There's a gradualness to these early installments that, far from being boring, are almost like fireside conversations or even meditative wanderings through fields and woods.

The best of these are without a doubt, the two 'controversial' chapters wherein Mole and Rat while looking to rescue Otter's son 'Portly' encounter (without him being named but only lyrically described) Pan the satyr God of nature from Greek mythology. This appearance by Pan has been described as 'anomalous' and I do agree, but oddly, I feel it adds immeasurably to the text. It's one of the few instances I've read in all my literary travels of a just and loving God giving help without any desire for praise or sacrificial remuneration, it's just done because it's right. The fact that Pan wipes the memories of Rat and Mole only serves to sweeten it. I can only describe this as naively profound.

My other favorite section, where Rat speaks with the 'wayfarer', the rat of the sea who seems to embody the idea of the world being his nation and his address being only where he settles for the moment, is also well told, simultaneously stirring and jarring. This dual (and duel) idea of the one loving his one home and the other loving his wanderings, and the temptations of the one versus the other as the two converse, is loving, bittersweet, and like the rest of the text, sweetly nostalgic about roads not taken and regrets that never quite fade, even with time.

Like everything else, the text isn't flawless. One could take umbrage with its various inconsistencies. Why are there reference to the animals worshiping Jesus yet also showing reverence towards Pan? How are the animals anthropomorphized to such an extent and yet still living in a world populated by human beings of a (more or less) equal level of civility? But to focus on these and a few other niggling points is to miss the overall point of the story, and that's to enjoy it. It's to read it and be swept away by the emotional earnestness of the text. To genuinely feel and to care and to meander with the characters and to be sincerely moved by their plights no matter how objectively silly or even ridiculous they may be.

My only real gripe was that the story had to end and that I had to, cliche warning, say goodbye to these characters. I've enjoyed stories for various other equally valid reasons before this one, but none have touched me in such a fundamental and even wonderful way as this one has. Please, don't let considerations of genre or age deter you from experiencing this incredible story. Those of you with kindles or e-readers can grab this book for free and you luddites out there could probably pick up a decent used copy on the cheap (just make sure it's unexpurgated, certain editions exclude the pan and wandering sea rat sections and they are KEY to loving the story completely).

I'd implore any and all of you reading this review to please read and please enjoy this story. But I only ask instead to please read, the rest will take care of itself, and you will be swept away as I was. ...more

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Jul 05, 2016 Katherine Sas rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, animals-and-nature

So we all agree that Rat is the coolest, right?

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Jan 06, 2011 Tim rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, water100a, big-read-200, 99-for-99, booksellers-choice, water100c, 501-must-read-books, guardian-1000, 30before30, 100-must-read-fantasy

How did I reach adulthood before I read this?

Okay so this 'novel' came 16th in the BBCs The Big Read in 2003 and also 16th in Waterstones Novel of the 20th Century in 1997. So what can you say about The Wind in the Willows that hasn't already been said. Firstly it is part novel part episodic. It starts by following the adventures of Mole and Rat who in the course of their adventures meet Mr Toad of Toad Hall but later the novel switches in focus to follow Toad's adventures. Mole and Rat have sin ...more

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Mar 23, 2010 Lucy rated it really liked it

Such a beautiful little story about the animal world, it does make you smile. Nearly everybody reads this as a child but I never did, now I know I was missing out.

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