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The Keeper of the Bees
This quintessentially American story, containing Gene Stratton-Porter’s characteristic blend of optimism and faith in nature, has inspired several movies.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1925
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5412 people want to read
About the author
Gene Stratton-Porter
239 books668 followersShe was an American author, amateur naturalist, wildlife photographer, and one of the earliest women to form a movie studio and production company. She wrote some of the best selling novels and well-received columns in magazines of the day.
Born Geneva Grace Stratton in Wabash County, Indiana, she married Charles D. Porter in 1886, and they had one daughter, Jeannette.
She became a wildlife photographer, specializing in the birds and moths in one of the last of the vanishing wetlands of the lower Great Lakes Basin. The Limberlost and Wildflower Woods of northeastern Indiana were the laboratory and inspiration for her stories, novels, essays, photography, and movies. Although there is evidence that her first book was "Strike at Shane's", which was published anonymously, her first attributed novel, The Song of the Cardinal met with great commercial success. Her novels Freckles and A Girl of the Limberlost are set in the wooded wetlands and swamps of the disappearing central Indiana ecosystems she loved and documented. She eventually wrote over 20 books.
Born Geneva Grace Stratton in Wabash County, Indiana, she married Charles D. Porter in 1886, and they had one daughter, Jeannette.
She became a wildlife photographer, specializing in the birds and moths in one of the last of the vanishing wetlands of the lower Great Lakes Basin. The Limberlost and Wildflower Woods of northeastern Indiana were the laboratory and inspiration for her stories, novels, essays, photography, and movies. Although there is evidence that her first book was "Strike at Shane's", which was published anonymously, her first attributed novel, The Song of the Cardinal met with great commercial success. Her novels Freckles and A Girl of the Limberlost are set in the wooded wetlands and swamps of the disappearing central Indiana ecosystems she loved and documented. She eventually wrote over 20 books.
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May 8, 2011
Gene (Geneva) Stratton-Porter and this book, The Keeper of the Bees, are both sadly overlooked. The Keeper of the Bees is a classic. It’s a beautiful story, wonderfully written, and filled with characters so real, you think you might meet one of them yourself any day now.
Gene Stratton-Porter was brought up in the forests of Indiana – when Indiana had forests – before the trees were cut down for timber – and she was a lover of nature. The natural world plays such importance that is a character in all of her books, and in all of them you can find her belief that nature can heal us and teach us valuable lessons that we miss if we spend all our time in the city. This is a belief I feel very in tune with. My relatives, on both sides of my family, lived in the countryside, and I grew up spending summers in the country. I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything.
Stratton-Porter’s books are filled with everything in just the right amounts. They possess a quiet humor, but in no way are these books comedic; they contain tragedy, but the prevailing mood always remains one of optimism; they are filled with love, but in no way are they romances. They are, above all else, human, and they reflect the human condition. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to identify with them, for everyone I know who’s taken my suggestion and read Gene Stratton-Porter, and most especially, The Keeper of the Bees, just falls in love with the book and wants more from this very special author.
The Keeper of the Bees is Stratton-Porter’s last novel and is set in 1920s California, the state she adopted as her home. The story revolves around Jamie McFarlane, a man of Scottish descent, who has been sent to a California military hospital after being severely wounded in World War I. The hospital wants to send Jamie away, to a rehabilitation camp, but Jamie knows tuberculosis, not health, is running rampant at the camp, and he rebels. Though he’s weak and without family, he leaves the hospital for parts unknown. At least he can die on a tranquil beach. Or so he thinks.
Some people think we draw to us what we, ourselves are. A kind of “like begets like” sort of thing. And so it is with Jamie. As luck – or destiny – would have it, he ends up at the door of the Bee Master, a man who is also trying to recover his health in the face of serious heart problems. The Bee Master needs to spend some time in the hospital, and even though Jamie’s a stranger, the Bee Master asks him to take care of his beloved hives for him while he’s gone. At least Jamie has youth on his side, something the Bee Master does not. And so Jamie begins to learn about beekeeping, and also how to care for the beautiful flowers that surround the Bee Master’s lovely seaside home. The reader, by the way, will learn more about beekeeping in this lovely book than in most manuals on the subject, but don’t let that put you off. Stratton-Porter always makes it the most fascinating subject.
As Stratton-Porter describes Jamie’s initial lessons in beekeeping and gardening, readers can hear the surf as it crashes onto the sandy beach; they can smell the fresh salt air; they can see the beautiful blue flowers that grow in the Bee Master’s garden; they feel they can reach out and pluck a ripe tomato fresh from the vine; they can hear the hives humming and taste the sweet honey as soon as it’s made. Stratton-Porter’s writing is that immediate and that filled with sensory detail, something that’s very rare in books published today.
Jamie doesn’t jump right into all this beauty and tranquility and heal, both physically and spiritually. At least not immediately. In fact, one stormy night finds Jamie on the beach, so distraught that he considers ending his life. Instead, he meets a mysterious woman whose life is in worse shape than his, and who will be instrumental in his own restoration to health and wholeness. (It’s not a spoiler to reveal that Jamie does return to health and wholeness; you only have to read two or three pages of this wonderful book to see how very life affirming it is.)
There’s nothing about The Keeper of the Bees that isn’t just plain, old-fashioned wonderful. This is storytelling at its finest. Storytelling. This book isn’t concerned with exploring some new form of experimental literature. It isn’t concerned with taking us off to worlds that only exist in the author’s imagination. It isn’t concerned with being “coy” or “cute.” Yes, those things have their place, and with the exception of “coy” and “cute,” I, too, like most other readers, enjoy many different kinds of literature. If I had to choose one kind, however, it would be the realistic portrayals found in The Keeper of the Bees. Stratton-Porter seeks to illuminate the bonds that connect us all, that make us human, and she succeeds wonderfully. The people you meet in The Keeper of the Bees are the kind of people you’d probably like to get to know in real life. People you’d enjoy having as neighbors and friends. Jamie, himself, is a wonderful, three-dimensional character. And then there’s the Little Scout.
Little Scout is a character that might be frowned on today, as we’re unsure, for most of the book, whether Little Scout is a boy or a girl. All we know is that he/she is nothing short of delightful. Little Scout bubbles over with life. He/she runs a little faster, works a little harder, and loves a little better. And, in the last part of the book, we do find out whether Little Scout is a boy or a girl, but I won’t reveal the answer to that question here. If you want to know, and if you want to know what happens to Little Scout, you have to read the book.
If I have one criticism of this book, it might be that Stratton-Porter could get a little “preachy” about things she felt were morally reprehensible, but she never overdoes it, and her strong morals never interfere with the story.
The Keeper of the Bees manages to be a quintessentially American story, though really, the events this story depicts could have happened just about anywhere. I guess the difference lies in the fact that they would have been told in a different way if they would have happened in a different country. Or maybe not. Maybe The Keeper of the Bees is a story that could have happened to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Maybe it’s that universal.
This is a book to read and reread, to cherish, and to pass along to those we love, so they can read it, too.
5/5
Recommended: Absolutely. If you’re just looking for a heartwarming, wise, and wonderful story, this book can’t be beat. It’s life-affirming on every page.
You can read my reviews, writing tips, etc. on literarycornercafe.blogspot.com
Gene Stratton-Porter was brought up in the forests of Indiana – when Indiana had forests – before the trees were cut down for timber – and she was a lover of nature. The natural world plays such importance that is a character in all of her books, and in all of them you can find her belief that nature can heal us and teach us valuable lessons that we miss if we spend all our time in the city. This is a belief I feel very in tune with. My relatives, on both sides of my family, lived in the countryside, and I grew up spending summers in the country. I wouldn’t have traded that experience for anything.
Stratton-Porter’s books are filled with everything in just the right amounts. They possess a quiet humor, but in no way are these books comedic; they contain tragedy, but the prevailing mood always remains one of optimism; they are filled with love, but in no way are they romances. They are, above all else, human, and they reflect the human condition. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to identify with them, for everyone I know who’s taken my suggestion and read Gene Stratton-Porter, and most especially, The Keeper of the Bees, just falls in love with the book and wants more from this very special author.
The Keeper of the Bees is Stratton-Porter’s last novel and is set in 1920s California, the state she adopted as her home. The story revolves around Jamie McFarlane, a man of Scottish descent, who has been sent to a California military hospital after being severely wounded in World War I. The hospital wants to send Jamie away, to a rehabilitation camp, but Jamie knows tuberculosis, not health, is running rampant at the camp, and he rebels. Though he’s weak and without family, he leaves the hospital for parts unknown. At least he can die on a tranquil beach. Or so he thinks.
Some people think we draw to us what we, ourselves are. A kind of “like begets like” sort of thing. And so it is with Jamie. As luck – or destiny – would have it, he ends up at the door of the Bee Master, a man who is also trying to recover his health in the face of serious heart problems. The Bee Master needs to spend some time in the hospital, and even though Jamie’s a stranger, the Bee Master asks him to take care of his beloved hives for him while he’s gone. At least Jamie has youth on his side, something the Bee Master does not. And so Jamie begins to learn about beekeeping, and also how to care for the beautiful flowers that surround the Bee Master’s lovely seaside home. The reader, by the way, will learn more about beekeeping in this lovely book than in most manuals on the subject, but don’t let that put you off. Stratton-Porter always makes it the most fascinating subject.
As Stratton-Porter describes Jamie’s initial lessons in beekeeping and gardening, readers can hear the surf as it crashes onto the sandy beach; they can smell the fresh salt air; they can see the beautiful blue flowers that grow in the Bee Master’s garden; they feel they can reach out and pluck a ripe tomato fresh from the vine; they can hear the hives humming and taste the sweet honey as soon as it’s made. Stratton-Porter’s writing is that immediate and that filled with sensory detail, something that’s very rare in books published today.
Jamie doesn’t jump right into all this beauty and tranquility and heal, both physically and spiritually. At least not immediately. In fact, one stormy night finds Jamie on the beach, so distraught that he considers ending his life. Instead, he meets a mysterious woman whose life is in worse shape than his, and who will be instrumental in his own restoration to health and wholeness. (It’s not a spoiler to reveal that Jamie does return to health and wholeness; you only have to read two or three pages of this wonderful book to see how very life affirming it is.)
There’s nothing about The Keeper of the Bees that isn’t just plain, old-fashioned wonderful. This is storytelling at its finest. Storytelling. This book isn’t concerned with exploring some new form of experimental literature. It isn’t concerned with taking us off to worlds that only exist in the author’s imagination. It isn’t concerned with being “coy” or “cute.” Yes, those things have their place, and with the exception of “coy” and “cute,” I, too, like most other readers, enjoy many different kinds of literature. If I had to choose one kind, however, it would be the realistic portrayals found in The Keeper of the Bees. Stratton-Porter seeks to illuminate the bonds that connect us all, that make us human, and she succeeds wonderfully. The people you meet in The Keeper of the Bees are the kind of people you’d probably like to get to know in real life. People you’d enjoy having as neighbors and friends. Jamie, himself, is a wonderful, three-dimensional character. And then there’s the Little Scout.
Little Scout is a character that might be frowned on today, as we’re unsure, for most of the book, whether Little Scout is a boy or a girl. All we know is that he/she is nothing short of delightful. Little Scout bubbles over with life. He/she runs a little faster, works a little harder, and loves a little better. And, in the last part of the book, we do find out whether Little Scout is a boy or a girl, but I won’t reveal the answer to that question here. If you want to know, and if you want to know what happens to Little Scout, you have to read the book.
If I have one criticism of this book, it might be that Stratton-Porter could get a little “preachy” about things she felt were morally reprehensible, but she never overdoes it, and her strong morals never interfere with the story.
The Keeper of the Bees manages to be a quintessentially American story, though really, the events this story depicts could have happened just about anywhere. I guess the difference lies in the fact that they would have been told in a different way if they would have happened in a different country. Or maybe not. Maybe The Keeper of the Bees is a story that could have happened to anyone, anywhere, at any time. Maybe it’s that universal.
This is a book to read and reread, to cherish, and to pass along to those we love, so they can read it, too.
5/5
Recommended: Absolutely. If you’re just looking for a heartwarming, wise, and wonderful story, this book can’t be beat. It’s life-affirming on every page.
You can read my reviews, writing tips, etc. on literarycornercafe.blogspot.com
June 23, 2023
Gene Stratton-Porter is best known for her YA literature.
A classic of historical fiction set after the First World War.
Known for its stunning depiction of California's flora and fauna.
I am not a huge fan of YA literature. If you are, your rating will definitely be higher than mine. This is an excellent book to be read to a child or put into their hands if they can read themselves.
The follow up question is of course, “Why is it good for kids?” It teaches an appreciation of nature, of healthful eating habits, the value of exercise, the equality of the sexes, the importance of letting kids be kids as long as possible. The last is something I strongly believe in. It is wrong to rush children into becoming adults.
Girls that behave as tom-boys will enjoy this book. Boys that get into scrapes and are up to pranks will like it too. In my view, religion is pounded in a bit too hard. Empathy and consideration for others comes across loud and clear.
The story ends happily, but difficult times must be gotten through. Death is dealt with in a way that allows children to tackle the subject. The topic should not be ignored; kids need to talk through their fears, and this is done well here. Even the human suffering resulting from World War One is not shied away from but is presented in a manner suitable for a child.
The story has surprises, that even I, an adult reader, did not expect. Lots happens. The plot keeps your attention.
The audiobook is well read by Anne Hancock. She modulates her tone, capturing both the voices of children and adults, as well as girls and boys. The words are clearly spoken. Excitement is heard. Both joyous and sad times are appropriately captured. Hancock’s narration I have given four stars. I’ve heard her before; she is a very good narrator.
This book is a classic for kids worthy of recognition. The book is interesting also for what it says about bees.
A classic of historical fiction set after the First World War.
Known for its stunning depiction of California's flora and fauna.
I am not a huge fan of YA literature. If you are, your rating will definitely be higher than mine. This is an excellent book to be read to a child or put into their hands if they can read themselves.
The follow up question is of course, “Why is it good for kids?” It teaches an appreciation of nature, of healthful eating habits, the value of exercise, the equality of the sexes, the importance of letting kids be kids as long as possible. The last is something I strongly believe in. It is wrong to rush children into becoming adults.
Girls that behave as tom-boys will enjoy this book. Boys that get into scrapes and are up to pranks will like it too. In my view, religion is pounded in a bit too hard. Empathy and consideration for others comes across loud and clear.
The story ends happily, but difficult times must be gotten through. Death is dealt with in a way that allows children to tackle the subject. The topic should not be ignored; kids need to talk through their fears, and this is done well here. Even the human suffering resulting from World War One is not shied away from but is presented in a manner suitable for a child.
The story has surprises, that even I, an adult reader, did not expect. Lots happens. The plot keeps your attention.
The audiobook is well read by Anne Hancock. She modulates her tone, capturing both the voices of children and adults, as well as girls and boys. The words are clearly spoken. Excitement is heard. Both joyous and sad times are appropriately captured. Hancock’s narration I have given four stars. I’ve heard her before; she is a very good narrator.
This book is a classic for kids worthy of recognition. The book is interesting also for what it says about bees.
September 8, 2016
This is an incredibly beautiful book. The lead character, Jamie, is one of the noblest specimens of manhood that I have ever encountered in all literature.
This novel is full of timeless truths and virtue fighting for existence in a world increasingly going towards the enticements of vice. As John Steinbeck once said... "virtue is venerable as nothing else in this world is." (from East of Eden).
Having read and loved the Gene Stratton-Porter books that I could get my hands on since my early teen years, I was astounded at how different this book is from her other novels. Yes, there is still nature and insects :-) but there is so much more that you don't find in her earlier novels. By the way, this was the last book she wrote before she died.
When the story opens, Jamie, a WWI vet, is near death-- physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Throughout the course of this tome, Jamie not only gains his own life back but he becomes a life giving source to others.
I wish that all men would read this book, for through its beauty it teaches the art of manhood.
This novel is full of timeless truths and virtue fighting for existence in a world increasingly going towards the enticements of vice. As John Steinbeck once said... "virtue is venerable as nothing else in this world is." (from East of Eden).
Having read and loved the Gene Stratton-Porter books that I could get my hands on since my early teen years, I was astounded at how different this book is from her other novels. Yes, there is still nature and insects :-) but there is so much more that you don't find in her earlier novels. By the way, this was the last book she wrote before she died.
When the story opens, Jamie, a WWI vet, is near death-- physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Throughout the course of this tome, Jamie not only gains his own life back but he becomes a life giving source to others.
I wish that all men would read this book, for through its beauty it teaches the art of manhood.
February 22, 2020
February 2014
I read this years ago on a recommendation from my mom and enjoyed it. This time through I'm in a completely different place in life and appreciate so much more the simple messages in the book.
This is the story of Jamie MacFarlane, a young Scotsman, who has served in World War I and received a shrapnel wound in his chest, a wound that will not heal. After a year of unsuccessful treatment in the hospital, the doctors decide to send him to a TB camp even though he doesn't "yet" have tuberculosis. Instead, Jamie walks away from the hospital, determined to face the end of his life on his own terms. But rather than death, Jamie finds a home, friends, eventual healing, and even love.
As always, Gene Stratton-Porter imbues the writing with her great appreciation and understanding of nature and its astounding beauty. The characters are superbly written and full-fleshed and I found myself wishing I knew them in real life.
The story is a very old-fashioned, sometimes moralistic, tale of how even though we expect life to unfold in a particular way, it often does not. That goodness of heart is its own reward, that there is such a thing as right and wrong. How finding the faith to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles may be the making of us, and of our lives. The writing does get a little preachy in places but that in no way detracts from the deeply spiritual, affirming message that the book holds. To me it was a beautiful (and timely) reminder that trusting in God is not always an easy thing, but that when we put ourselves in His hands miracles happen.
I'm moving this one to my favorite's shelf.
Nov 2019
Still a favorite!
I read this years ago on a recommendation from my mom and enjoyed it. This time through I'm in a completely different place in life and appreciate so much more the simple messages in the book.
This is the story of Jamie MacFarlane, a young Scotsman, who has served in World War I and received a shrapnel wound in his chest, a wound that will not heal. After a year of unsuccessful treatment in the hospital, the doctors decide to send him to a TB camp even though he doesn't "yet" have tuberculosis. Instead, Jamie walks away from the hospital, determined to face the end of his life on his own terms. But rather than death, Jamie finds a home, friends, eventual healing, and even love.
As always, Gene Stratton-Porter imbues the writing with her great appreciation and understanding of nature and its astounding beauty. The characters are superbly written and full-fleshed and I found myself wishing I knew them in real life.
The story is a very old-fashioned, sometimes moralistic, tale of how even though we expect life to unfold in a particular way, it often does not. That goodness of heart is its own reward, that there is such a thing as right and wrong. How finding the faith to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles may be the making of us, and of our lives. The writing does get a little preachy in places but that in no way detracts from the deeply spiritual, affirming message that the book holds. To me it was a beautiful (and timely) reminder that trusting in God is not always an easy thing, but that when we put ourselves in His hands miracles happen.
I'm moving this one to my favorite's shelf.
Nov 2019
Still a favorite!
April 27, 2009
Argh.
Positives: the story was interesting enough (barely) that I kept a-going to the end of the book. Maybe I need to get rid of that S on the end of Positives.
Negatives: This story was so moralistic and preachy I almost couldn't handle it. Now I like me a good moral tale, but I want the morality to come out in the characters and the events, not in lectures from the characters and narrator page after page. Sigh! I just hardly could even handle the hammering of the moral over and over, even though it is a moral with which I wholeheartedly agree.
It was completely obvious. I figured out the entirety of the plot from about the middle of the book. I kept reading because I was sure there had to be more to it, that more would be revealed than I myself had worked out, but nope. I stuck with it page after page just to read what I'd already surmised.
It is a sort of love story; but as in so many of the oldish books, love isn't based on any real knowledge of character or deed, it's all based on "Boy isn't she pretty, and she smells like sand verbena!" and guesses about what sort of woman she must be. He built her up to such a level in his mind that he fell in love with his image of her. There was so much other plot to wrap up that the love story was tied up in a matter of paragraphs and it wasn't satisfying to me at all when he finally was face to face with the girl that embodied his fantasy and *poof* they were "in love".
Positives: the story was interesting enough (barely) that I kept a-going to the end of the book. Maybe I need to get rid of that S on the end of Positives.
Negatives: This story was so moralistic and preachy I almost couldn't handle it. Now I like me a good moral tale, but I want the morality to come out in the characters and the events, not in lectures from the characters and narrator page after page. Sigh! I just hardly could even handle the hammering of the moral over and over, even though it is a moral with which I wholeheartedly agree.
It was completely obvious. I figured out the entirety of the plot from about the middle of the book. I kept reading because I was sure there had to be more to it, that more would be revealed than I myself had worked out, but nope. I stuck with it page after page just to read what I'd already surmised.
It is a sort of love story; but as in so many of the oldish books, love isn't based on any real knowledge of character or deed, it's all based on "Boy isn't she pretty, and she smells like sand verbena!" and guesses about what sort of woman she must be. He built her up to such a level in his mind that he fell in love with his image of her. There was so much other plot to wrap up that the love story was tied up in a matter of paragraphs and it wasn't satisfying to me at all when he finally was face to face with the girl that embodied his fantasy and *poof* they were "in love".
November 27, 2022
I found it very hard to categorize this novel. I think it was intended for young people (teens) when it was written in 1924, as much of the commentary was meant to be taken for guidance on how to live a good life, but now in our age, I see it more as an adult novel. It would be a rare teenager today who would have the patience for 528 pages that describe a man's journey to wholeness after his experience in World War I. The narrative is slow in parts, but I think if Stratton-Porter had picked up the pace, she would have lost the sense of journey that is integral to the reading experience.
Jamie McFarland overhears the military hospital authorities as they basically write him off for recovery, and condemn him to a ward for tuberculosis, which he doesn't have. He decides to go out into the world for the little time that he thinks he has left, and walks a long distance to a small town in California. He's exhausted, and is about to ask for help from a man standing by his gate, when he realizes that the man is calling him for help. Jamie calls an ambulance for his new-found acquaintance who is having a heart attack. When the man, known as Master of the Bees, is taken to the hospital, Jamie promises to look after the house and the bee colony on the property.
He meets Margaret, the housekeeper, and the Little Scout, who is a willful child who steals the show in every chapter. Between the three of them, they take good care of the bees, and Jamie goes on a health regime. As he works on his physical being, living with nature and taking care of the bees helps his spiritual being. Slowly, he finds a reason to live again after the horror of his war experience, and not just a reason, but a whole code of integrity that gives grace and spirit to his being.
It's an unusual novel; I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it, although of course there are novels where the theme of the inner and outer journey reflect on each other. But I certainly think the actual plot is an original. Highly recommended for readers who are of a thoughtful, philosophical bent, and not much recommended for more action driven readers.
Jamie McFarland overhears the military hospital authorities as they basically write him off for recovery, and condemn him to a ward for tuberculosis, which he doesn't have. He decides to go out into the world for the little time that he thinks he has left, and walks a long distance to a small town in California. He's exhausted, and is about to ask for help from a man standing by his gate, when he realizes that the man is calling him for help. Jamie calls an ambulance for his new-found acquaintance who is having a heart attack. When the man, known as Master of the Bees, is taken to the hospital, Jamie promises to look after the house and the bee colony on the property.
He meets Margaret, the housekeeper, and the Little Scout, who is a willful child who steals the show in every chapter. Between the three of them, they take good care of the bees, and Jamie goes on a health regime. As he works on his physical being, living with nature and taking care of the bees helps his spiritual being. Slowly, he finds a reason to live again after the horror of his war experience, and not just a reason, but a whole code of integrity that gives grace and spirit to his being.
It's an unusual novel; I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it, although of course there are novels where the theme of the inner and outer journey reflect on each other. But I certainly think the actual plot is an original. Highly recommended for readers who are of a thoughtful, philosophical bent, and not much recommended for more action driven readers.
December 21, 2020
This book came very near being my favorite Gene Stratton-Porter novel yet! As usual, her love of nature shines throughout. I really enjoyed learning more about beekeeping and appreciated how the bees' incredible lives were pointed out as proof of an intelligent Creator.
There was also a very important lesson on the roles of men and women. The setting is immediately after WWI, when things were just starting to change dramatically. I think that women have given up so much that is priceless to become "equal" with men, and our neglect or even rejection of our own roles - which are by no means inferior to men's roles, although very different - is much to blame for what our society has fallen into in the last 100 years.
There were a few things I wished hadn't been said or that I disagreed with (for one thing the supposed necessity for women and girls who enjoy outdoor pursuits to wear trousers...being somewhat of a tomboy myself I can vouch for the fact that virtually anything can be done in a skirt!), but overall I loved the characters, the story, and what it teaches so much, I'm still giving it 5 stars! 😊
There was also a very important lesson on the roles of men and women. The setting is immediately after WWI, when things were just starting to change dramatically. I think that women have given up so much that is priceless to become "equal" with men, and our neglect or even rejection of our own roles - which are by no means inferior to men's roles, although very different - is much to blame for what our society has fallen into in the last 100 years.
There were a few things I wished hadn't been said or that I disagreed with (for one thing the supposed necessity for women and girls who enjoy outdoor pursuits to wear trousers...being somewhat of a tomboy myself I can vouch for the fact that virtually anything can be done in a skirt!), but overall I loved the characters, the story, and what it teaches so much, I'm still giving it 5 stars! 😊
September 3, 2016
Captivating, charming, sweet, humorous, heart warming; that is only the tip of what this story was about. I am so, so glad I read it!
January 21, 2023
I LOVED this book. It was such an uplifting read to begin the year. It's my favorite book by Gene Stratton-Porter, and one of my top 100 favorite books.
Much of it hit the spot for me: the detailed writing, the beautiful nature description, the well-drawn characters, the humbly heroic protagonist, the mystery, the plot that centered on healing and redemption, the role that bees and plants played in that healing, and most of all the focus on God as Creator and how He works in our lives. It reminds me of a more mature, more Christian The Secret Garden.
Jamie MacFarlane is an injured veteran from WWI whose injury will not heal. His bitterness contributes to it. He abandons the government camp for convalescent veterans in California where he's been for a year, thinking that though he'll live for only a few more months, he wants to live them on his own terms. But the adventures he finds are far more than he ever imagined.
He ends up at a beautiful bee garden---an apiary---on the Pacific coast and learns how to care for bees. (I learned more about bees than I knew before by reading this!) He encounters, among others, the wise but sorrowful Bee Master, the vivacious, undauntable child Scout, and a mysterious young woman who embroils him in his biggest adventure of all.
The funniest moments came from Scout, but my favorite part of all was Jamie's journey---physical, mental, and spiritual. That and Stratton-Porter's nature writing. The atmosphere was just lovely; I could feel the ocean breeze, smell the salt and the flowers, hear the surf and the buzzing, taste the nectar and the food, and most of all see the beautiful house and location that stole Jamie's heart.
I admit not everything about this book was perfect. The plot took twists that some readers might find unbelievable, but I've heard stranger things from real life. You can certainly tell it was written in the 1920s, though it's a lot more positive and cheering than the typical depressing literature of the 1920s celebrated today.
I can see this as a great read for spring or summer, but for me, it was just the right nourishing and gently suspenseful story to start out my 2023.
Much of it hit the spot for me: the detailed writing, the beautiful nature description, the well-drawn characters, the humbly heroic protagonist, the mystery, the plot that centered on healing and redemption, the role that bees and plants played in that healing, and most of all the focus on God as Creator and how He works in our lives. It reminds me of a more mature, more Christian The Secret Garden.
Jamie MacFarlane is an injured veteran from WWI whose injury will not heal. His bitterness contributes to it. He abandons the government camp for convalescent veterans in California where he's been for a year, thinking that though he'll live for only a few more months, he wants to live them on his own terms. But the adventures he finds are far more than he ever imagined.
He ends up at a beautiful bee garden---an apiary---on the Pacific coast and learns how to care for bees. (I learned more about bees than I knew before by reading this!) He encounters, among others, the wise but sorrowful Bee Master, the vivacious, undauntable child Scout, and a mysterious young woman who embroils him in his biggest adventure of all.
The funniest moments came from Scout, but my favorite part of all was Jamie's journey---physical, mental, and spiritual. That and Stratton-Porter's nature writing. The atmosphere was just lovely; I could feel the ocean breeze, smell the salt and the flowers, hear the surf and the buzzing, taste the nectar and the food, and most of all see the beautiful house and location that stole Jamie's heart.
I admit not everything about this book was perfect. The plot took twists that some readers might find unbelievable, but I've heard stranger things from real life. You can certainly tell it was written in the 1920s, though it's a lot more positive and cheering than the typical depressing literature of the 1920s celebrated today.
I can see this as a great read for spring or summer, but for me, it was just the right nourishing and gently suspenseful story to start out my 2023.
April 4, 2025
This book, was a delight, pure and simple.
I don't recall the last time I read a story where I wasn't worried about people turning up to be anything other than what they were, and where goodness was portrayed as simply what it is, no shame about it, and I loved every curving line of it.
I don't recall the last time I read a story where I wasn't worried about people turning up to be anything other than what they were, and where goodness was portrayed as simply what it is, no shame about it, and I loved every curving line of it.
July 18, 2023
Written in Mrs. Porter's signature, idealistic style, The Keeper of the Bees feels like a combination of the best bits of The Harvester and Freckles.
It's strange. I usually don't care for preachy fiction at all, but no one could argue that Mrs. Porter's books are full of homilies on clean living, valor, patriotic duty, and similar ideals. Not only that, but she often if not nearly always employs my least favorite romantic trope--love at first sight (or very nearly so). For her, it's more of an idealism that, with much pondering and watering before the character even knows the person, grows into a steadfast love. It only works because her characters take care to fall for someone OF character in the first place. She's made me want to show the pitfalls of that.
And yet, I couldn't give it less than five stars. I stayed up extra hours to finish the book because I didn't want to go to bed until I saw it all sorted.
I couldn't manage a steady diet of anything but Mrs. Porter's particular kind of storytelling, but I do need an infusion from time to time. I think it's time for a Freckles reread.
It's strange. I usually don't care for preachy fiction at all, but no one could argue that Mrs. Porter's books are full of homilies on clean living, valor, patriotic duty, and similar ideals. Not only that, but she often if not nearly always employs my least favorite romantic trope--love at first sight (or very nearly so). For her, it's more of an idealism that, with much pondering and watering before the character even knows the person, grows into a steadfast love. It only works because her characters take care to fall for someone OF character in the first place. She's made me want to show the pitfalls of that.
And yet, I couldn't give it less than five stars. I stayed up extra hours to finish the book because I didn't want to go to bed until I saw it all sorted.
I couldn't manage a steady diet of anything but Mrs. Porter's particular kind of storytelling, but I do need an infusion from time to time. I think it's time for a Freckles reread.
June 7, 2020
I read this because I know someone who is a distant, descendant cousin of the author. I'd heard the name and thought this connection was a good excuse to read one of her books.
What it most reminded me of was this collection of parables we had in our basement when I was a kid called "The Children's Hour With Uncle Arthur, Book One." They had been my father's in his Seventh Day Adventist home and were something I approached on rainy days with equal parts attraction and disgust. I loved the stories's beginnings: naughty children would ignore their elders' wisdom and end up in some perilous predicament. But then they'd invariably have an epiphany and embrace whatever moral we were supposed to learn and everything would work out fine. Even at 9 or 10, I knew no kid would say "But then, father, I remembered that you said I should always tell the truth, so I went to Reverend Blane and told him I'd taken the money for the orphanage. I feel so much better now."
The difference is, those stories were about 12 pages long. This book was 500 pages.
It opened interestingly enough: a WWI with a chronic open wound walks out of a military hospital. He has overheard that they plan to send him to a different place, where TB runs rampant, because it appears he'll never get well again.
Completely unbelievable plot turns place him in a dream-perfect cottage on the California coast. He has to take care of the owner's grounds and bees while the owner recovers from illness. Our ersatz James Stewart tops his righteousness, patriotism, faith and virtue in each subsequent chapter. And do you know what? In the end, it ALL WORKS OUT FOR HIM. Because he's such a good American, man and Christian.
Here's a representative sample:
And yet? For a few days' read? Escaping to an idyllic cottage garden with sunny views of the ocean and a spunky child sidekick was a welcome respite for me.
What it most reminded me of was this collection of parables we had in our basement when I was a kid called "The Children's Hour With Uncle Arthur, Book One." They had been my father's in his Seventh Day Adventist home and were something I approached on rainy days with equal parts attraction and disgust. I loved the stories's beginnings: naughty children would ignore their elders' wisdom and end up in some perilous predicament. But then they'd invariably have an epiphany and embrace whatever moral we were supposed to learn and everything would work out fine. Even at 9 or 10, I knew no kid would say "But then, father, I remembered that you said I should always tell the truth, so I went to Reverend Blane and told him I'd taken the money for the orphanage. I feel so much better now."
The difference is, those stories were about 12 pages long. This book was 500 pages.
It opened interestingly enough: a WWI with a chronic open wound walks out of a military hospital. He has overheard that they plan to send him to a different place, where TB runs rampant, because it appears he'll never get well again.
Completely unbelievable plot turns place him in a dream-perfect cottage on the California coast. He has to take care of the owner's grounds and bees while the owner recovers from illness. Our ersatz James Stewart tops his righteousness, patriotism, faith and virtue in each subsequent chapter. And do you know what? In the end, it ALL WORKS OUT FOR HIM. Because he's such a good American, man and Christian.
Here's a representative sample:
You ought to see 'em salute the flag! You out to hear 'em learn the words that mean that there isn't any country in all the world so big and fine and nice to live in as the United States.
And yet? For a few days' read? Escaping to an idyllic cottage garden with sunny views of the ocean and a spunky child sidekick was a welcome respite for me.
June 24, 2024
To my great sadness this book just didn't work well for me. I found some of the characters to be cruelly judgmental, and there was a weird blood-purity notion running through the story. Coming from the 1920s, particularly, it raises my hackles. There was also a character who was clearly a self-insert, which is always interesting to see.
This is one book where I think an adaptation could be better than the novel. A quiet, well-scored screen adaptation could leave out much of the unpleasantness and get to the heart of the story, which is about healing and nature and love.
At her best, Stratton-Porter is like a combination of Elizabeth Goudge and L. M. Montgomery. Unfortunately, she hemmed this novel into one whose message shows like a petticoat. Her lack of trust in her own characters and narrative brings down what otherwise could have been an excellent book.
This is one book where I think an adaptation could be better than the novel. A quiet, well-scored screen adaptation could leave out much of the unpleasantness and get to the heart of the story, which is about healing and nature and love.
At her best, Stratton-Porter is like a combination of Elizabeth Goudge and L. M. Montgomery. Unfortunately, she hemmed this novel into one whose message shows like a petticoat. Her lack of trust in her own characters and narrative brings down what otherwise could have been an excellent book.
March 16, 2017
This book was truly beautiful and called me to think on beautiful things-love, nobility, loyalty, nature, friendship, and sacrifice. At the heart of it was the drumbeat of God as creator. What a simply lovely story. I walk away from it with a new respect for bees, brilliant images of blue flowers, a burning desire to smell sand verbena, a longing for greater simplicity in my days, and an appreciation for the many varied gifts God has given. I feel refreshed.
August 22, 2009
This is an older book, 1929 approximately, and in ways it shows--sentimental, religious, delivered with an intrusive third-person narrator--but I love it for all it is. It's a smart book full of insights on our (humans) relationship to nature and the self, community and the individual. It's cool.
August 17, 2016
Absolutely beautiful. My most favorite GSP. Exciting, romantic and totally adorable.
June 4, 2024
This book had so much potential! We follow Jamie, a WW1 veteran who is struggling with wounds that won't heal (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual). He assumes he won't live. By an odd twist of fate, he ends up taking care of an apiary for a beekeeper who is hospitalized. He regains his strength and finds healing through caring for the bees, enjoying the gardens and the beauty of the California coast, as well as a relationship with a young child next door who is the beekeeper's "associate." Everything about this plot was lovely, life giving and everything I wanted in a springtime read. However, there's a romantic subplot introduced pretty early on that ends up taking over the whole story. Not is this subplot entirely based on insta-love, but it's absolutely nonsensical and the weirdest thing I've ever read. It made me want to scream and almost entirely ruined the book for me. Parts of the book, I was so sure this was going to be a new favorite, but the romance was so infuriating that it significantly dropped my rating. If you're okay with insta-love, romance doesn't need to make sense to you and you enjoy super unrealistic, melodramatic plotting, it probably won't bother you as much as it did me.
April 1, 2017
This book is like a Hallmark movie. An unlikely friendship and deep affection grow between a weary stranger in need of a home, and the one child who can remind him of life's simple joys.
The caricatures of bad guys get what's coming to them. The good guys are wrestling with the bad things that happen in life, and remind us often that God has it in hand as long as you follow his law.
There are awkwardly placed tender scenes perfectly suited to some violins in the background, and a feisty child for heartwarming chuckles.
If you like Hallmark movies, you will probably like this.
I myself found it more than a little ham-handed. The lead character (a young man who graduated college then served in WWI & spent two years in hospital after that) is both naive and too good to be true. It was impossible to suspend disbelief about this guy ... and the *whole* book is about him.
Porter's prose shines when she discusses the behavior of the bees. That happens only twice, however, and the rest of the text and storyline is at best mediocre - at times downright clunky.
If you like the Feel Good Movie of the Weekend, escape into this one. If not, you can safely skip it.
The caricatures of bad guys get what's coming to them. The good guys are wrestling with the bad things that happen in life, and remind us often that God has it in hand as long as you follow his law.
There are awkwardly placed tender scenes perfectly suited to some violins in the background, and a feisty child for heartwarming chuckles.
If you like Hallmark movies, you will probably like this.
I myself found it more than a little ham-handed. The lead character (a young man who graduated college then served in WWI & spent two years in hospital after that) is both naive and too good to be true. It was impossible to suspend disbelief about this guy ... and the *whole* book is about him.
Porter's prose shines when she discusses the behavior of the bees. That happens only twice, however, and the rest of the text and storyline is at best mediocre - at times downright clunky.
If you like the Feel Good Movie of the Weekend, escape into this one. If not, you can safely skip it.
June 25, 2009
Long-winded, old-fashioned, preachy nonsense. Gee, maybe that's too harsh. Once you strip away all the descriptions of flowers (Gene Stratton-Porter was totally into nature), meal plans (which are a hoot), and God stuff, you're left with a sweet little story about a wounded WWI veteran finding hope again.
This was recommended to me by a lady who thought it was the best book she'd ever read. Honestly, I'd take the Bible over this any day--more sex, violence, gore, plot, fewer flowers, better food, and it isn't near as preachy...or as sickenly sweet.
This was recommended to me by a lady who thought it was the best book she'd ever read. Honestly, I'd take the Bible over this any day--more sex, violence, gore, plot, fewer flowers, better food, and it isn't near as preachy...or as sickenly sweet.
May 13, 2018
I remember loving this book when I read it almost 20 years ago. The story of a man coming back from the war in search of healing for body and soul touched me deeply. But when I read it this time, I was put off by some of the sentimental dialogue and unlikely situations.
When Jamie (the main character) discovers that he's been duped and misused by another character he is rightly angry and frustrated. It all comes out okay in the end, but, in a sense, the reader feels the same frustration at having been mislead along with Jamie. It's what kept me from loving the story the second time around.
When Jamie (the main character) discovers that he's been duped and misused by another character he is rightly angry and frustrated. It all comes out okay in the end, but, in a sense, the reader feels the same frustration at having been mislead along with Jamie. It's what kept me from loving the story the second time around.
April 2, 2016
I read Gene Stratton-Porter books when I was a child and now collect them. I can't even give a good review on them because I have so many books to read that I have not taken the time to get her books out again. I know that I loved them because they were nature/romance stories, but so sweet that they are nothing like Harlequin romance, not even close. I keep telling myself that they will soon be on my list, but since I just joined yet another book club that meets here in my town, making that two here, and then finding this wonderful website and seeing more that I want to read I am not sure. Maybe I can suggest one of Porter's books to the "clean reads" book club that I am in. Oh, so little time.
But for those that want a "clean read" and who love nature, these books are wonderful.
I also began reading them at a time in my teen years when I had a great interest in learning about mountain people (and still do) and had a librarian that knew where to send me in the library and who also showed me books. It left me with a desire to live in the Ozarks, so this Californian got her first trip to the Ozarks when she was 16, not that Porter's book take place there, but I had also read "Bald Knobbers" which was set in the Ozarks as well as "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come." which books I now own but have not reread. And so when we retired we moved to the Ozarks, but it isn't the Ozarks of my youth, still it is a small town. In my youth the Ozarks was full of roads, not freeways, and people set on the porch of their cabins and waved as us as we drove by. And now I don't go traipsing through the woods like I did as a child in CA, for they are too dense and often filled with stick tights or other stickers, not to mention chiggers and ticks, which I have had my fill of and have had two bouts of tick fever from my own yard. The Ozarks is much better in books these days.
But for those that want a "clean read" and who love nature, these books are wonderful.
I also began reading them at a time in my teen years when I had a great interest in learning about mountain people (and still do) and had a librarian that knew where to send me in the library and who also showed me books. It left me with a desire to live in the Ozarks, so this Californian got her first trip to the Ozarks when she was 16, not that Porter's book take place there, but I had also read "Bald Knobbers" which was set in the Ozarks as well as "The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come." which books I now own but have not reread. And so when we retired we moved to the Ozarks, but it isn't the Ozarks of my youth, still it is a small town. In my youth the Ozarks was full of roads, not freeways, and people set on the porch of their cabins and waved as us as we drove by. And now I don't go traipsing through the woods like I did as a child in CA, for they are too dense and often filled with stick tights or other stickers, not to mention chiggers and ticks, which I have had my fill of and have had two bouts of tick fever from my own yard. The Ozarks is much better in books these days.
February 15, 2016
I love the old, eloquent writing. I love the depth and consistency and integrity of the characters. I love the romance. I love the beauty and the truth in it. It was my kind of book :).
May 31, 2024
The nature writing was 10/10 and I loved the child character of "Scout." But the love story was absolutely ridiculous and silly.
October 19, 2020
This was a very engaging book that is in no rush to push the narrative along, and that is one of the main attractions of this story, along with fostering consideration on personal honor. It also provides a mini botanical lesson on types of flowers, as well as bee keeping. I was very interested in looking up the names of the various flowers that seemed to fill each page; I had not heard of most of them.
The story provides a Biblical lesson through the example of the main character on how we should treat one another in general, but also in how men and women should relate to each other, and how we should always strive to honor God through our perseverance and behavior; truly, the glory is in the struggle. It’s a lesson almost all of us know but tend to forget. While reading and reflecting on the inner character of Jamie, I thought of Ps 119:9-16 as he struggled to maintain purity of mind and spirit, and later in the story at a critical plot point, Heb 13:4-5 also came to mind. Events and people can strip everything away from a person, but one’s self-respect and honor is the only thing that can be given away, and the author makes that point through what happens to Jamie.
I read several of the reviews and I acknowledge that this story has a moralistic tone and sounds old fashioned, but it really is very straight forward in the lesson it seeks to highlight. I think that today, cynicism masquerades as realism and hides the fact that we really aren’t any better off spiritually or intellectually because we think this story is corny, or that the lesson has lost its value simply because of age. Men and women are “equal” and both are created in the image of God but in general, men and boys have lost any sense of respect toward women and girls; anytime we go to the movies, turn on the TV or read a magazine, we see a barrage of coarseness and degradation; that’s not progress. Even though the book was written in 1924, I think it remains timely because many of the points it seeks to make remain pertinent today. It laments how young people forget what their parents strive to teach them and because of this, many learn hard lessons that affect the rest of their lives. The book also highlights the underlying need for revival.
The book points to how the culture influences all of us; once you see or hear something, you can’t unsee it or unhear it, and those things have a cumulative effect in coarsening all of us. Primarily, the book illustrates the difficulty and also the rewards of maintaining one’s self-respect, and love and fear of God, through behavior and engagement with people and events.
The story provides a Biblical lesson through the example of the main character on how we should treat one another in general, but also in how men and women should relate to each other, and how we should always strive to honor God through our perseverance and behavior; truly, the glory is in the struggle. It’s a lesson almost all of us know but tend to forget. While reading and reflecting on the inner character of Jamie, I thought of Ps 119:9-16 as he struggled to maintain purity of mind and spirit, and later in the story at a critical plot point, Heb 13:4-5 also came to mind. Events and people can strip everything away from a person, but one’s self-respect and honor is the only thing that can be given away, and the author makes that point through what happens to Jamie.
I read several of the reviews and I acknowledge that this story has a moralistic tone and sounds old fashioned, but it really is very straight forward in the lesson it seeks to highlight. I think that today, cynicism masquerades as realism and hides the fact that we really aren’t any better off spiritually or intellectually because we think this story is corny, or that the lesson has lost its value simply because of age. Men and women are “equal” and both are created in the image of God but in general, men and boys have lost any sense of respect toward women and girls; anytime we go to the movies, turn on the TV or read a magazine, we see a barrage of coarseness and degradation; that’s not progress. Even though the book was written in 1924, I think it remains timely because many of the points it seeks to make remain pertinent today. It laments how young people forget what their parents strive to teach them and because of this, many learn hard lessons that affect the rest of their lives. The book also highlights the underlying need for revival.
The book points to how the culture influences all of us; once you see or hear something, you can’t unsee it or unhear it, and those things have a cumulative effect in coarsening all of us. Primarily, the book illustrates the difficulty and also the rewards of maintaining one’s self-respect, and love and fear of God, through behavior and engagement with people and events.
July 6, 2022
Although I have mixed feelings about this book, I will first of all say that it was a wholesome and peaceful reading experience. The author impresses her worldview deeply into the theme of this book. Our protagonist experiences the healing power of nature and the lessons to be learned from it in every chapter. You can feel the importance the writer places on respecting and experiencing nature in every facet of your life.
The story is a classic. A WWI soldier with a fatal wound that won't heal, escapes the captivity of the hospital system to wander about the great state of California. As he goes about his "Great Adventure" he experiences the healing power of nature and human kindness while serving as a bee keeper in the most providential of circumstances.
Those elements of the story are not altogether riveting, but they are entertaining enough to maintain your interest. However, the secondary plot of the book, his run in with the "Storm Girl" and his act of kindness on her behalf, leaves a lot to be desired. Without spoiling, I'll simply say that all is not as it seems and our protagonist faces some anxiety in the feeling that he was deceived. Of course he is able to overcome this feeling and find resolution, but frankly, the resolution is rushed and unrealistic. I was disappointed even before the conclusion happened because I realized there were only twelve pages remaining and the plot point that had been teased the entire book had not even begun to be put right.
To stay on the critique train, there was a lot of moral pontificating that was sometimes off-putting but does not interfere with the story. There were moments I would laugh and quote a section to Vivian due to how cringeworthy it was. The author would write things that were clearly from her own perspective but would place them in the mouth of a character who it made no sense coming from. She also consistently had her main character preach against the women of the day and their desire for independence paired with their lack of traditional values. There was a redeeming conclusion in the way she developed the character of Scout, a tomboy who did not want to be treated as either a girl or a boy. Near the end of the book our protagonist has a deep heart to heart with Scout and encourages her that being a girl does not restrict her ability to excel in the outdoor skills she adores and that there is no mold she must fit into other than being fully herself. It's well said and a very earned character resolution.
I was told my multiple people that this book is very comparable to The Shepherd of the Hills, after reading I can unequivocally disagree. The Keeper of the Bees could believably be an autobiographical tale you would hear from your great grandfather. It is not especially remarkable and is written in a fairly straight forward way. The Shepherd of the Hills is a story so layered in powerful meaning and humanity that it should stand in a category of its own. I would like to clearly separate the two books to ensure the Shepherd of the Hills is properly applauded.
To conclude my rambling, I enjoyed this book. It is an easy read that gives the reader a high level education on the practice of beekeeping. The author's love of nature is beautifully communicated through the book and I was inspired by her perspective on its healing ability. It also painted a dreamlike picture of life on the California coastline that made me want to pack up and move. I might not recommend this book, but I do think it was a worthwhile read.
The story is a classic. A WWI soldier with a fatal wound that won't heal, escapes the captivity of the hospital system to wander about the great state of California. As he goes about his "Great Adventure" he experiences the healing power of nature and human kindness while serving as a bee keeper in the most providential of circumstances.
Those elements of the story are not altogether riveting, but they are entertaining enough to maintain your interest. However, the secondary plot of the book, his run in with the "Storm Girl" and his act of kindness on her behalf, leaves a lot to be desired. Without spoiling, I'll simply say that all is not as it seems and our protagonist faces some anxiety in the feeling that he was deceived. Of course he is able to overcome this feeling and find resolution, but frankly, the resolution is rushed and unrealistic. I was disappointed even before the conclusion happened because I realized there were only twelve pages remaining and the plot point that had been teased the entire book had not even begun to be put right.
To stay on the critique train, there was a lot of moral pontificating that was sometimes off-putting but does not interfere with the story. There were moments I would laugh and quote a section to Vivian due to how cringeworthy it was. The author would write things that were clearly from her own perspective but would place them in the mouth of a character who it made no sense coming from. She also consistently had her main character preach against the women of the day and their desire for independence paired with their lack of traditional values. There was a redeeming conclusion in the way she developed the character of Scout, a tomboy who did not want to be treated as either a girl or a boy. Near the end of the book our protagonist has a deep heart to heart with Scout and encourages her that being a girl does not restrict her ability to excel in the outdoor skills she adores and that there is no mold she must fit into other than being fully herself. It's well said and a very earned character resolution.
I was told my multiple people that this book is very comparable to The Shepherd of the Hills, after reading I can unequivocally disagree. The Keeper of the Bees could believably be an autobiographical tale you would hear from your great grandfather. It is not especially remarkable and is written in a fairly straight forward way. The Shepherd of the Hills is a story so layered in powerful meaning and humanity that it should stand in a category of its own. I would like to clearly separate the two books to ensure the Shepherd of the Hills is properly applauded.
To conclude my rambling, I enjoyed this book. It is an easy read that gives the reader a high level education on the practice of beekeeping. The author's love of nature is beautifully communicated through the book and I was inspired by her perspective on its healing ability. It also painted a dreamlike picture of life on the California coastline that made me want to pack up and move. I might not recommend this book, but I do think it was a worthwhile read.
January 15, 2023
Loved this so much. Such a shame that I haven’t read anything by Stratton-Porter before. I can’t wait to read more by her! Fabulous characters, gorgeous setting - so enjoyed looking up all the flowers, loved learning so much about bees. I treasured reading a story that reveals the beauty and purposes of God’s ways so well. Absolutely loved Jamie. Wonderful! Beautiful!
August 9, 2016
Keeper of the Bees was at times deliciously entertaining and at other moments really bizarre. First published in 1925, I read a first edition. I had to remember that situations that took place back then came from people with different thoughts and values. I am mentioning this because I don't know if later editions had any changes made to the content.
The story started out after WWI when Jamie McFarlane, a soldier and wounded vet, overheard a group of doctors discussing his medical condition. Because he had been at this hospital for a year and his wound had not gotten better they were considering sending him somewhere else. A place that was known for active Tuberculosis cases, a condition in those days that was the beginning of the end.
Raised in a Scottish Presbyterian household he lost his faith while overseas. Frantic, he literally takes off on 'The Great Adventure'. At one moment he is bitter because of his circumstances and the next second he is elated when he runs into good fortune. I shook my head more than once wondering what was going to take place next in the life of this young man. His parents died while he was fighting for his country. He had no siblings and nothing to hold on to. He figured that he should try to see as much as he can before he passes on.
Eventually, he helps an elderly gentleman take care of his bees and befriends Scout, the Master Beekeeper's ten year-old assistant and a chatterbox to put it mildly. I actually had a few problems believing the dialog came from a child this age and it detracted from this piece of fiction.
This is a character study with a very, very mild romance. Faith and Godliness leap from the pages the longer you read about the characters. I enjoyed it at times but was also flabbergasted at some of the nonsense that occurred. This is not light reading and it isn't for everyone. If you manage to finish the story I think you will have a deeper appreciation of everything we take for granted in the 21st century. I am giving it 2 1/2 stars, between OK and liking it, because of some slow reading, farfetchedness and dated material.
The story started out after WWI when Jamie McFarlane, a soldier and wounded vet, overheard a group of doctors discussing his medical condition. Because he had been at this hospital for a year and his wound had not gotten better they were considering sending him somewhere else. A place that was known for active Tuberculosis cases, a condition in those days that was the beginning of the end.
Raised in a Scottish Presbyterian household he lost his faith while overseas. Frantic, he literally takes off on 'The Great Adventure'. At one moment he is bitter because of his circumstances and the next second he is elated when he runs into good fortune. I shook my head more than once wondering what was going to take place next in the life of this young man. His parents died while he was fighting for his country. He had no siblings and nothing to hold on to. He figured that he should try to see as much as he can before he passes on.
Eventually, he helps an elderly gentleman take care of his bees and befriends Scout, the Master Beekeeper's ten year-old assistant and a chatterbox to put it mildly. I actually had a few problems believing the dialog came from a child this age and it detracted from this piece of fiction.
This is a character study with a very, very mild romance. Faith and Godliness leap from the pages the longer you read about the characters. I enjoyed it at times but was also flabbergasted at some of the nonsense that occurred. This is not light reading and it isn't for everyone. If you manage to finish the story I think you will have a deeper appreciation of everything we take for granted in the 21st century. I am giving it 2 1/2 stars, between OK and liking it, because of some slow reading, farfetchedness and dated material.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2012
I apologize sincerely to Gene Stratton Porter fans, but this was one of the worst books I ever finished. I was quite disappointed, because I read FRECKLES by this author when I was young and I adored it.
Details. WHY did I not like this book?
It's illogical, factually inaccurate on many important points, and both mawkishly sentimental and self-righteously pedantic. In Albert Payson Terhune, these flaws are lent a certain charm by his self-deprecating humor (and, of course, the active presence of dogs in the narrative), but there is neither charm nor real humor here.
The characters are actually pretty interesting, which is why I'm bothering to review the book at all, but the plot and motivations do NOT work. I can swallow the whole "little Scout" thing, slang and all, although it is, as my husband says, "Pure Hollywood", because I'm a slang-fiend. Let somebody say something indecipherable but clear from context, and I'm hooked.
I expected as loving an exploration of bee-keeping as I the one I remember of the forest/swamp in FRECKLES, but that didn't happen. Other than an info-dump that attributes all a bee's human-approved behavior to God and glosses over things like mass slaughter of nymph queens, and a cameo feature in the defeat of the Interloper, the bees are just background. That's a personal disappointment, though, and shouldn't count with people who aren't crazy about bees.
My husband, who also read it, said, "Line-by-line, it isn't badly written; it's just that the conception of the story is so STUPID."
A perfect example of an opinion stated as fact, worthy of a Gene Stratton Porter character. Since I agree with him, I'm going to let it stand.
Details. WHY did I not like this book?
It's illogical, factually inaccurate on many important points, and both mawkishly sentimental and self-righteously pedantic. In Albert Payson Terhune, these flaws are lent a certain charm by his self-deprecating humor (and, of course, the active presence of dogs in the narrative), but there is neither charm nor real humor here.
The characters are actually pretty interesting, which is why I'm bothering to review the book at all, but the plot and motivations do NOT work. I can swallow the whole "little Scout" thing, slang and all, although it is, as my husband says, "Pure Hollywood", because I'm a slang-fiend. Let somebody say something indecipherable but clear from context, and I'm hooked.
I expected as loving an exploration of bee-keeping as I the one I remember of the forest/swamp in FRECKLES, but that didn't happen. Other than an info-dump that attributes all a bee's human-approved behavior to God and glosses over things like mass slaughter of nymph queens, and a cameo feature in the defeat of the Interloper, the bees are just background. That's a personal disappointment, though, and shouldn't count with people who aren't crazy about bees.
My husband, who also read it, said, "Line-by-line, it isn't badly written; it's just that the conception of the story is so STUPID."
A perfect example of an opinion stated as fact, worthy of a Gene Stratton Porter character. Since I agree with him, I'm going to let it stand.
April 30, 2022
A morality tale for adults that I very much wasn't into. This book constantly supposes you need to be a better Christian and Stratton-Porter has just the exact right advice to make you stronger in your faith. If I was religious I would start to get seriously annoyed at this questioning of my personal relationship to God.
This book is incredibly long without much happening. A whole info-dump chapter on bee-rearing will make anyone lose their patience. I was happy to finally get to the end
I grew up in Christian Science, which is a religion that doesn't believe in medical science. This book therefore hit all my red warning buttons. The open wound that never heals made me roll my eyes. And the insinuation that trained capable doctors and nurses can't help the protagonist. Only god, bees and sunshine can cure him. This author thinking she's entitled to give dietary advice and promote this weird tomato juice diet was a huge red flag for me. I realize other people aren't going to have this strong reaction to the content of this book, but I think even though it was trying to do good it also promotes some dangerous ideas.
One positive thing: I think the Scout was where this book really stood out to me in a progressive way. I was pleasantly surprised. The speech Jamie gives at the end about girls being just as strong and capable as boys was lovely.
This book is incredibly long without much happening. A whole info-dump chapter on bee-rearing will make anyone lose their patience. I was happy to finally get to the end
I grew up in Christian Science, which is a religion that doesn't believe in medical science. This book therefore hit all my red warning buttons. The open wound that never heals made me roll my eyes. And the insinuation that trained capable doctors and nurses can't help the protagonist. Only god, bees and sunshine can cure him. This author thinking she's entitled to give dietary advice and promote this weird tomato juice diet was a huge red flag for me. I realize other people aren't going to have this strong reaction to the content of this book, but I think even though it was trying to do good it also promotes some dangerous ideas.
One positive thing: I think the Scout was where this book really stood out to me in a progressive way. I was pleasantly surprised. The speech Jamie gives at the end about girls being just as strong and capable as boys was lovely.
February 19, 2021
This is a tough one. Having read a bit of Gene Stratton-Porter's biography, I learned that she was a self-taught writer with a very unusual background that is really fascinating. I ordered her biography. She writes well. The story line is highly sentimental and depicts a wildly improbable (or downright impossible) chain of events. It seems to have a religious and evangelical message but her theology is clouded at times as she tries to reconcile the horrifying brutality of life (the story takes place right after WWI and alludes to trench warfare and there is a vivid description of how queen bees create a new colony) with the beauty she sees in the natural environment and in some people. The plot almost read like a surreal fantasy of heaven--or her version of it. It is not great literature, but it was an interesting read and she was an interesting person-a study in contrasts.
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