Adams' Inspiration for Watership Down

[mondhasen]

From a friend's Twitter post, a fascinating little story in the Hoppington Post. I'm not a major fan of Watership Down (though it is about rabbits, eh?), but the article gives insight about Adams' motivation and I enjoyed that aspect.

I also found the mention of this book, Shardik, interesting: published first in 1974, I never heard of it before the interview, but it sounds like a 'must read' and I've ordered one through the library.

Comments

[bunny-hugger.livejournal.com]

Watership Down is my favorite novel and has been since age 8. The idea of anyone not liking it is always so difficult for me to process!

After I finished Watership Down for the first time (the aforementioned age 8) I desperately wanted MORE OF THIS and tried reading Shardik. I just couldn't do it. It started out like it was about a bear, so I was happy, then after the first chapter turned into a bunch of boring humans blah, blah, blahing about politics. (Remember, I was 8.)

[lepaggoth.livejournal.com]

I had similar experience with Shardik when I was 14 - AFTER reading Plague Dogs first, and expecting something else along the veins of Watership Down and Plague Dogs. My mom liked Shardik, though, so I've been thinking I should maybe give it another try now that I'm older and more used to dealing with different kind of texts (bit like I could comprehend Silmarillion better when I re-read it bit older). However, I haven't seen Shardik in libraries for aeons, and haven't been THAT determined for a re-read I would have ordered it from elsewhere... Well, maybe this year.

[lepaggoth.livejournal.com]

Ha, I remember my mom described latter part of Shardik "Stephen King-like" back then, but I never got that far in reading it. Now that article gives hint it was actually other way round ;)

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

The last rabbity novel I think I read was Frost Dancers, a recommendation from avon_deer. I bought two other novels by the author and never got around to them.

[bunny-hugger.livejournal.com]

I've read all of the Kilworth novels in that trilogy and, surprisingly, Midnight's Sun (the wolves one) was my favorite. It was the best written and most emotionally involving.

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

I didn't read Watership Down until my senior year in high school (when it was first published). I don't dislike it, I just don't find it as amazing as most good bunnies do.

Your description of Shardik has me worried, now ;o)

My favorite childhood book, age 9, was this one:


The only rabbit was a quiet little thing. The book centered on a wood rat and a squirrel.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

...Hoppington Post?

[moxie_man]

Furry-spin nickname for the Huffington Post, I believe.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Oh, certainly — I was just amused by the name.

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

It is a cute name :D

[spottyfawn.livejournal.com]

Watership Down was a massively important part of my childhood, I must have read my copy 100s of times, and I've never heard of this other book! I will definitely have to read that one, and interested to hear your opinion on it too.

[mondhasen.livejournal.com]

I'll post some comments on Shardik, though it's not faring well, above :o)