A Story Like the Wind by Laurens van der Post
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Book Reviews of A Story Like the Wind
Book Review: Beautiful and Spiritual
Summary: 4 Stars
I've always been a fan of the Disney movie "A Far Off Place" and recently decided to read the books that inspired the movie. I just finished the first one and it blew me away.First off, it just shouldn't be this good. There is a lot the author does that normally irritates me to no end.
1) Paper thin plot - I could give a point for point plot summary in about 50 words, maybe 30.
2) Constant deviations from the story line to explain trivia about the characters
3) Totally explicit characterization and theme development - nothing is left for the reader; van der Post tells the reader everything.
And yet the book succeeds not only in spite of these things, but because of them.
A story like the wind (ASLtW) tells the story of 13 year old Francois as he grows up in interior Africa during the turbulent mid-20th century. His parents are educators who have run afoul of the colonial government for wanting a more equal relationship between Africans and Europeans. They set up a utopia-like community with the Africans and them partners in an enterprise rather than master and servants. Still, they retain some subtle Eurocentrism that eventually proves consequential. Francois, born late and the only child, doesn't really have the normal parent-child relationship with them (is there such a thing). He is raised by a bushman woman and Matebele tribesman with heavy influence from a white conservationist. As such, he comes to feel himself more part of the African world than the European.
The most obvious beauty of the book is the author's love for Africa. Details of the flora and fauna are told with such intricacy and personification that it is impossible not to fall in love with the place. The author really shows the complex life-death cycle of the African bush like no other. The only other novel I've read coming close to ASLtW in this aspect is Farley Mowat's "Never Cry Wolf" (also made into a Disney movie).
Surpassing the environmental detail, though, is van der Post's handling of sprituality. The book is a deeply spiritual book, though not in the classical sense. Van der Post weaves three entirely different world views throughout most of the novel. By the end two more are added. Details of the people and their values are treated with magnificent even-handedness and only the most callous of readers couldn't see the majesty in them all. Francois himself is is a wonderfully syncretic blend of Matebele, Bushman, French Huguenot and even Catholic by the end of the book. The only thing common among the beliefs is a deeply mystical approach to life. But even to class the book in the mystic tradition does it a disservice. Francois and his rolemodels are nothing if not pragmatic. There are sometimes when I was really expecting van der Post to venture into the realm of typical colonialist literature, but by the end of the book all this is resolved. For readers who feel any apprehensions in the beginning, remember, this is told from Francois' viewpoint. Characters and events that seem wrongly analysed in the beginning are reappraised in the end.
As I said, Disney made a movie from this book. Actually, only the last couple chapters had any part any the movie. Most of the movie came from the sequel "A Far Off Place." Anyways comparisons are obvious. I'll start off by saying that the Disney movie is still good and stands as one of my favorite family films. That being said, they took a very safe and simple approach. First, it isn't poachers that destroy Francois' and Nonie's families. This is a book about colonialism. Too avoid ruining the book for anyone, I won't say any more than that things aren't as clear cut, black and white when Francois and Nonie have to flee their home. The first couple chapters of A Far Off Place (AFOP) compound this even more.
Secondly, Nonnie isn't the expert on Africa. She is the newcomer. For the life of me, I can't figure why Disney felt they needed to flip-flop the roles. Nonnie isn't a stereotypical weak female in any sense of the word. Perhaps they were trying to be more PC, but they didn't have any problem totally elliminating Xhabbo's (the bushman's) wife Nuin-Tara from the story and she played a pretty big role in the end. I won't say I know what they were thinking, but it definitely appears that their cultural sensitivies extend only to Europeans.
All-in-all this is an outstanding book. While junior high could read it I think people with more life experience and refined concepts of spirituality would benefit a lot more from it. I've written lots of papers on mystic tradions and history of mystic thought in western religion for school. I'm fairly familiar with lots of different ideas, but this still blew my mind and made me think. I worry that younger people may focus on the details and miss the spirit of the message (explore the world, take nothing for granted, respect other ideas) and it's uniqueness. Ironically, one of the major themes of the book is mutual respect between old and young and I may be falling into this trap. At any rate, there isn't anyone I think is too old for the book. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
Book Review: A Last Glimpse of the Garden of Eden
Summary: 4 Stars
Laurens story of the world of the Bushman seen through the eyes of a teenager offers us a glimpse of the "Garden of Eden" soon after man eat of the fruit of the tree of life and death.
Francois, the teenager, does not have a first hand experience of the Bushman's world. However, through the eyes (and stories) of his nanny (Koba) he gains an appreciation of their values, their spirituality, and of course their way of live. Through the eyes of his father's partners on Hunter's Drift he comes to appreciate (in a practical way) the ways of the bush and the principles governing live in paradise.
Sadly by the end of the story paradise has been raped and all its principles violated in man's quest to bring civilization to this place of perfection. Paradise is gone with the wind!
Book Review: a beautifully written and captivating story
Summary: 4 Stars
Van der Post is one of those rare writers who can draw imagination stimulating word pictures about a subject both familiar and foreign. The familiar is the growing of age of a young boy. The foreign is the African setting with its rich native culture. The tension between Western beliefs and values and those of the indigenous people is neatly drawn through the eyes of Francois, a 13 year white, who has grown up in both worlds. Layered on top of that is the seemingly senseless turmoil and blood letting among African tribal groups. I could not put this book down!Book Review: A fascinating tale based on personal experience and history
Summary: 4 Stars
Laurens Van der Post has written a very insightful book based on his personal experience during the period of political upheaval in late colonial Africa. It details the transition of a boy into young adulthood at a pace not of his own choosing. The characters are well developed and the descriptions of the plant and animal life of the African veldt are intriguing. This is a book that is hard to put down. You may as well order the sequel, A Far-Off Place, at the same time. You will want to read it as well.Book Review: A beautiful, moving story.
Summary: 4 Stars
Rich with details of life in the African Bush. At times he drifts from the central story to pontificate in a ponderous style about the character's state of mind. But when he sticks with the story, it can transport you to a place and time fragrant with life at the edge of the Kalihari.