The squirrel tree

by Mary Richards

86 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this charming book up at a vintage store. Published in 1974, it is authored by Mary Richards, an older woman living in a bed-sit in London (which is a small rented room with a fold-out bed/couch, no kitchen, shared bathroom down the hall). Her bed-sit, one of many inhabited by people with very low income and stability, is in the basement of a building. She calls the basement Death Row. She does spend some time in the book looking for something more suitable but everything is out of her budget. Really, the biggest thing I came away with from this book is how many people lived in London (and still do!) in complete poverty and it is just seems to be accepted as the way things are. Competely unnecessary and heartbreaking.

Nevertheless. Mary spends much of her time in the park feeding the squirrels and observing their complex relationships to each other and the other humans who tend to their needs. There are a few other friends as well - a goose and a small bird among them, but most of the action such as it is involves visiting the squirrels.

There's not much plot here, and while the book is divided up into chapters it reads more like a diary, but the author does have a lovely cadence and wry sense of humour. A short and enjoyable read.