The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion
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The Wind in the Willows
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The Wind in the Willows-pre-reading chat
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Looking forward to reading it. I know I read it but can't remember anything about it or even when I did read it.
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I think I attempted to read this somewhere around age 10. But, unfortunately I thought I was a bit too old for talking animals and didn't complete the book. Don't remember anything about it now. I may attempt reading this to my 5 year old, but she may not quite have the attention span for it yet. It'll be fun to try it. Fortunately I've grown out of that silliness and can now enjoy books and movies intended for children. :)
I was in the stage version ("Toad of Toad Hall") when I was little. I was a ferret ;-) All of my ballet school year were either ferrets, stoats or weasels so the choice wasn't amazing...
I have read it before and look forward to reading it again. A true classic.
I read the book at school, I was aged 8 at the time, I think and I was completely captivated. I haven't re-read it since but I remember watching an excellent TV adaptation, 2 or 3 years ago with Matt Lucas as Mr Toad.
Haven’t read it since my first year of college, when I translated one of the chapters—“The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”—into Latin for a term assignment. Bit off a lot more than I could chew with that one! Tibicen in ostiis aurorae. Looking forward to cozying up with the English version!
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Lyn-perhaps we can organize a virtual communal viewing of the TV adaptation once we've finished the read!
Well, “translated” is probably an overstatement. My professor heavily corrected the first three pages and then graded me based on effort, not accuracy.
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I have never read the book before either. You are not alone, Lori.
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That makes at least three of us
Frances, a virtual communal viewing of the TV adaptation to round off our read sounds a great idea :)
I'm with Lori. I've never read it, but saw a TV version some time ago. Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web are also purported to be children's books, but I read them for the first time in my 40's or 50's.
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I read Stuart Little as a child. It was a favorite
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I found an annotated edition
It will be interesting to compare illustrations, I've ordered the Inga Moore book because her illustrations are so beautiful. I think that the Arthur Rackham illustrations are the best known.
I found this one with illustrations by Paul Bransom. Still looking for Rackham.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27805/...
Would this book appeal less to adults than Stuart Little or Charlotte's Web? I remember nothing from the TV version, but the other 2 are vivid for me.
I found this one with illustrations by Paul Bransom. Still looking for Rackham.http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27805/..."
and an appreciation:
https://thefirstgates.com/2011/08/08/...
I've tried reading this several times, both to myself and with my son. Have never succeeded completely. Am looking forward to the read here. I will have to pull the lovely illustrated version from my shelf and check the various credits on it to know what version I have. I have, of course, encountered a number of the stories within it in various places over a lifetime -- rather like Alice in Wonderland or Peter Rabbit or Winnie the Pooh or others that can be broken into collections of overlapping independent stories.
The thing with children's classics is read them slow and gently. Let the rhythm and the pace of a gentler life seep into you and suddenly the story takes on a different meaning.
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I've searched the web, and Rackham illustrated only one edition, published posthumously in 1940. He had originally turned down the job, but later regretted it. It's a limited edition with 12 illustrations. Shepard and Bransom are the other two fine illustrators. Didn't Shepard illustrate or write Winnie the Pooh?The original Rackham editions are priced as high as $3,200. Not a typo. I've found some used reprints at Ebay, if anyone's interested. These have free shipping:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=...
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Brit wrote: "I have never read the book before either. You are not alone, Lori."Me neither! It is the first time I actually hear anything about this book. It's not famous here in Brazil... I am looking forward to reading it!
Seems there are several of us who missed Rat and Toad and their buddies until now. I'm in, although I don't yet know if I'll read or listen. It depends on the illustrations I find in a library copy, I expect.
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Lynn-I looked up the book and indeed the illustrations are gorgeous. I did notice however that at least one of the books on offer (and there were several) is an abridged version.
Frances, which version do you recommend?
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I did find some second hand versions of the Rackham edition on amazon.ca which look lovely, as did the Shepard, although they were VERY Winnie-the-pooh-ish pictures. I agree with Lyn that the Inga Moore illustrations were gorgeous but I couldn't actually see the Bransom ones.
I'm a little red faced to admit this but I've bought the annotated version of the book though I'm still awaiting delivery. I've ordered the version with the Inga Moore illustrations from my library though again I haven't received the book yet. I've actually started listening to an audio version of the book, narrated the late great Michael Hordern whose voice is so right for the story...So I'm hoping to have the wonderful luxury of the best of all worlds when it comes to appreciating the book. I don't know whose illustrations are in the annotated version. I was rather surprised by how many illustrators there have been over the years.
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I have the annotated version too
Lynn, I will also be listening to the audiobook. The version I have has a different narrator, but at least it is unabridged. I will be stuck in a car for 24 hours as of Friday evening, driving north to visit family, so I hope to knock out a few books during the commute.
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I requested the book from the library, and they sent me a paperback, so I went to the children's room and found a lovely hardcover version, so now I have two versions.
I haven't participated with this group for awhile, but seeing that you guys are going to be reading The Wind in the Willows got me excited. :) I read it for the first time maybe ten years ago, so I was well into adulthood. My husband gave me a copy as a gift after he was shocked to find out that I had never read it before then. That edition was illustrated by Ernest Shepard. But your talk of editions and illustrators prompted me to check the old hardcover copy that I have high up on a shelf (to be admired and only carefully handled) that had once belonged to my grandfather. It has an old nameplate inside which my mother must have put there when she was a girl as it has her name carefully written in cursive. Anyway, it is a 1940 edition illustrated by Arthur Rackham, where each illustration is it's own glossy color page. I had never read it before because I didn't want to stress the book anymore than it already was. The book is actually in really good shape, but the dust jacket is well-worn. I would love to revisit Toad and friends with the group as I've been meaning to reread this one for too long now.
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Thank you, Frances and Rosemarie. It is definitely a treasure. It's sitting next to my grandfather's copy of King Arthur from 1927, which is literally falling apart. That one has my grandfather's name written in it, and it looks like he wrote it when he was a boy. So yes, that one is on the top shelf as well. :)
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I got the one copy that was in my library. It definitely isn't abridged, but very little illustrations. Someone by the name of Scott McKowen.
Sigh, my grandmother’s Rackham-illustrated edition of The Wind in the Willows having been sold by one of her daughters-in-law (insert decades-long family drama here), I am reading a Dell Yearling paperback edition with some pretty basic illustrations by Robert J. Lee.
Recently there was an Andy Warhol exhibit at the Williams College Art Museum. What may be common knowledge was news to me: He was an illustrator of children's books before he ... did what he did later.Philistine that I am, I much prefer his illustrations to his pop art. Here are some:
https://www.google.com/search?q=andy+...
They are much better seen in person, life (well book) size.
Definitely an improvement over the pop art, Jon!
Rackhams's characters wear Edwardian dress, Bransom's are naked, so you can spot them on some of the covers.I'm going to change your life, for which I expect some kind of payment. Just slip your money into a stamped envelope:
www.bookfinder.com
will find any book from a long list of vendors. If you have some time, try "grahame rackham" or "grahame bransom" in the "Author" box. I'm presuming it doesn't do Ebay because their stock is not permanent.
I have my mind set on this reprint on Ebay, because I've had some income coming in. I can put it next to my reprint of Alice in Wonderland that I've never opened.:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-WIND-IN-T...
Jon wrote: "Recently there was an Andy Warhol exhibit at the Williams College Art Museum. What may be common knowledge was news to me: He was an illustrator of children's books before he ... did what he did la..."I like them, although I wouldn't place him with the top illustrators. News to me too, so maybe the industry has brushed them off.
Abigail wrote: "Definitely an improvement over the pop art, Jon!"Yes. I like my Campbell's soup inside me, snuggled up with a toasted cheese sandwich. If I'm off my diet, I'd add a piece of Canadian bacon to the sandwich.
Linda wrote: "I haven't participated with this group for awhile, but seeing that you guys are going to be reading The Wind in the Willows got me excited. :) I read it for the first time maybe ten years ago, so I..."What a wonderful thing to have to cherish now and pass on to future generations.
The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910
Books mentioned in this topic
The Annotated Wind in the Willows (other topics)The Wind in the Willows: Illustrated by Arthur Rackham (other topics)
The Wind in the Willows (other topics)
I first read this book as a child (I don't remember how old I was, I would guess around 10) and then read it a couple more times aloud to my children when they were younger. I'm looking forward to reading it again in adult company (teenage members of the group, I consider you adults as well for the purpose of this reading) and seeing what if any new insights that might bring.