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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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From:
Dave Green <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 27 Feb 2002 15:17:38 -0500
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  I just finished reading "The Secret Life of Bees" by Charleston writer Sue Monk Kidd, who visited us to get background on keeping bees, which is one theme of the book.

   The main themes of the book are the coming of age of an adolescent girl, and the bitter race relations of the time, which is the era of the civil rights marches in the South. It dances around with an old taboo, interracial romance, without coming to a conclusion on this part of the story. Sue is brilliant at creating colorful characters. The mental image of (black) Rosaleen pouring her bottle of tobacco spit on the local rednecks who tried to stop her voter registration is full of humor and pathos. And I related to the spinster beekeeper mentor encouraging Lily (the young girl) that the bees would not hurt her, if she focused on sending them love.

   It makes a very interesting story, quite realistic, with a little fantasy thrown in. It will help build empathy for our black brothers and sisters who lived thru this time. I felt just a little unhappy that some threads of the story were left unresolved, but I guess that is more like real life than the imaginary world we'd sometimes prefer.

  I'm not sure how a devout Catholic would respond, because the idea of a Black Madonna is another important theme. She almost takes on the aspect of a goddess. She's actually a statue off an old ship's prow, which was found by slaves, and has been passed down to the modern era.

   My own perception of the book was colored by my interest in how accurate Sue portrayed the beekeeping. She did surprisingly well, for a non-beekeeper. Obviously she did a lot of preparation for the beekeeping aspects of the story. She had a couple of minor things that were ahead of their time, but all-in-all, she did an excellent job of giving a picture of beekeeping in that era. We felt we had a little stake in the book, because she had come to us for info. Every now and then, something she added popped out at us, as something we had introduced to her, such as the comments on purple honey.

   I would recommend the book. Beekeepers and non-beekeepers would enjoy the beekeeping side, I think, for different reasons. And it makes a thoughtful yet entertaining tale for anyone.


Dave Green   SC  USA
The Pollination Home Page (Now searchable): http://pollinator.com

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