The History of Bees

By Maja Lunde

England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive—one that will give both him and his children honour and fame.

United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation.

China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao’s young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident—and is kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition—she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.

Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins these three very different narratives into one gripping and thought provoking story that is just as much about the powerful relationships between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781471165696

Maja Lunde

Maja Lunde is a Norwegian author and screenwriter. Lunde has written five books for children and young adults. She has also written scripts for Norwegian television, including for the children’s series Barnas supershow (“The Children’s Super Show”), the drama series Hjem(“Home”) and the comedy series Side om Side (“Side by Side”). THE HISTORY OF BEES was her first novel for adults. She lives with her husband and three children in Oslo.

Reviews for The History of Bees

[florian_brennstoff · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Warum dieses Buch auf Bestseller-Listen steht, ist mir beim Hören nicht begreiflich geworden. Es werden drei Geschichten um das Verhältnis zwischen Mensch und Biene erzählt; die eine spielt um 1850 in England, die zweite um ca 2008 in den USA, und die Dritte zum Ende des 21. Jahrhunderts im immer noch autoritären China und zu einer Zeit, in der es keine Bienen mehr gibt. Alle drei Geschichten sind krisenhafte Episoden, sie handeln viel vom Scheitern, von Familie. Es sind drei Geschichten fortlaufenden Unglücks, das an manchen Stellen aber eher mühevoll herbei geschrieben und -dialogisiert als überzeugend erzählt wird. Sie sind zwar der Erzählung nach grundverschieden, sich dann aber wieder in unvorteilhafter Weise, wie ich finde, ähnlich, z. B. die Beziehung zwischen Vätern und Söhnen. Die Dialoge finde ich teilweise gespreizt und nicht authentisch. Alle drei Geschichten werden aus der Ich-Perspektive erzählt, was ich vor allem bei der Geschichte aus den USA ziemlich unglaubwürdig finde. Solche Leute wie dieser Protagonist erzählen nicht in dieser Weise von sich, das passt nicht zusammen.Auch die drei Vorlesenden haben mich nicht überzeugt. Bibiane Beglau z.B. liest ziemlich überartikuliert, die beiden Männer eher farblos. Da gibt es begnadetere Stimmen.

[alisony-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The History of Bees is a book woven between 3 main stories which all have a common thread of.... you guessed it, bees. The Tao chapters are set in China in the future, at a time when bees have been completely wiped out and the country has been brought to its knees as a result. Many people, such as the female narrator Tao, are now living in the countryside, employed as hand pollinators of fruit trees. The William chapters, set in England in the mid 1800s, tell the story of William Savage, a once promising naturalist who is consumed by debilitating depression at his lack of success in the field. Finally, the George chapters are set in 2007 in the US, and are narrated by a modern bee farmer who's deeply struggling with his only child's lack of interest in coming into the family business.The bees are an incredibly interesting thread in this novel, and it inspires you to do more non-fictional reading outside of the novel to better understand these fascinating insects. Beyond the back story of beekeeping, at its heart this novel is about parenting, and about how difficult it can be to navigate a successful path in parenting as children grow up and do not necessarily become what a parent wants them to become, or to have the interests they want them to have.I loved this novel. The three story lines were each captivating and were woven together well in a satisfying conclusion at the end. 4.5 stars - an interesting and very enjoyable read.

[lynnb_64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is really three inter-connected stories, told in alternating chapters. There is the 19th century story of William Savage, who is a scientist at heart, but works selling seeds to support his family of seven children. There is George, a modern-day bee farmer whose only son doesn't appear interested in carrying on the family farm. And, in the future, we have Tao, a young mother in China who works pollinating flowers as bees have become extinct. Each of the stories is interesting in itself, but the juxtaposition of them adds depth and historical context which makes them even more intriguing. As someone said below, this book has inspired me to do more nonfiction reading about bees.

[lostinalibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The History of Bees by Norwegian Author Maja Lunde is a dystopian novel written in non-linear form moving back and forth between three different time periods, protagonists, and places:2098 – Tao – China2007 – George – USA1851 – William – EnglandIn 2098, the disappearance of the bees has led to starvation and plummeting populations in urban areas like Beijing. In rural areas, pollination is laboriously carried out by human workers. Tao is one such worker but she hopes for better for her son Wei-Wen. When a tragedy occurs to her family, it has consequences that will change everything.In 2007, George is a beekeeper in Ohio. He wants his son, Tom, to follow in his footsteps but Tom has other plans. George has heard of the collapse of bee colonies in Florida and California but puts it down to negligence…until it starts happening to his bees.In 1851, William is an unhappy shopkeeper whose real passion lies with studying biology especially insects. He had descended into deep depression after he is rejected by a beloved mentor. It is only when he thinks his son, Edmund, is worried that he finally begins to return to life and develops a new interest in beekeeping. But it is really his daughter, Charlotte, who cares about him and his work and, together, they design a new beehive that allows them to observe the actions of the bees as they work. The History of Bees is a well-written and translated novel. It is also a very dark story about the consequences of human meddling in the environment. But, given this, it ends on a surprisingly hopeful note. There is a wealth of research and history about bees and beekeeping as well as speculation about the causes and consequences of the collapse which may put some people off. But, at least for me, it didn't interfere with the story itself - rather I felt it added to it. It did make me think though and that is always a good thing. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[kakadoo202 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Three stories connected but nit connected. Scary future without bees

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 Three stories that are connected, though how is not apparent until book's end. 1851, William, 2007, George and 2098, Tao, tied together by their dependency on bees. In 2098, the bees have all been wiped out, in China they pollinate by hand, a labor intensive endeavor. Each of these three have sons, so this is also very much about the bond and expectations between parent and child.Very slow start to this book, was tempted to put it down, but I have a profound interest in our environment, especially after the fires, storm, hurricanes and earthquakes that have ravaged so many areas. The lessening of the bee population has been on our nightly news, and it is something I have noticed myself in the area in which I live. Without bees and their pollination our food sources will collapse, the world as we know it unrecognizable, which is what happens in this novel. So I kept reading, and soon became better acquainted with these characters and how the author was putting her story together. This book is not fun to read, it is rather grim, us screwing up our environment could be nothing less, but also I think important. The ending was so fitting, and though sad, also ends with a ray of hope. It all ties together, all three stories,and in a round about way comes full circle. Rather ingenious. A book I ended up glad I had read.ARC from Netgalley.

[carolibrarian-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Maja Lunde, weaves. a tale of three generations of bee keepers. Each one covered a time span. The past, was represented by William, a seed keeper who wants to build a perfect bee hive I found to be depressing to read about. In the present time, we meet George who wants his son to continue in the family business and cannot comprehend that he may not want to. Tao presenting the future where bees are no longer living. She and her husband are employed in the process of painting pollen unto the fruit trees.I Found this book to be very slow and did not pick up until the very end.I received my copy from NetGalley for an unbiased review

[neal_-266394 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very readable. It felt like the language was the same, regardless of which of the 3 main characters was speaking, but the stories themselves were all fascinating. Enjoyed this book very much.

[obtusata · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A dramatic, fascinating read. I could not put it down.

Part historical fiction, part modern fiction, and part science/dystopian fiction, this book has something for everyone. It tells the stories of three families (past, present, and future) who are connected by bees: studying bees, losing bees, finding bees. The backdrop is the collapse of beehives, which makes it very relevant to modern day concerns about bees, pollution, and global warming.

[ouroborosangel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The History of Bees follows three distinct characters in three wildly disparate timelines:

• - The whiny but lovable William, England (1852). A scientist with a large family and a seeds shop - he has been bedridden for an undetermined amount of time.


• - George, a taciturn and stoic beekeeper, Ohio (2007). He hopes his son will join the family business after graduating college. The son has other plans.


• - Tao’s job is to pollinate flowers, individually, China (2098). This work leaves little time for her to enjoy her son, Wei-Wen.

Honestly, I expected this book to be a three-prong diatribe on colony collapse disorder. Happily, Lunde weaves together three very human stories with amazing characters, writes about real relationship issues that affect everyone, and has such a light touch when including information on the honeybee decline that I barely noticed.

Though there are three story lines carried throughout the book, each individual story could have been unrelated and I still would have enjoyed it. The fact that all of the characters and story lines relate to each other in a beautiful, uncomplicated, completely natural way was an unexpected pleasure.

This book does not go on sale until August. Please put this on your to-buy, to-read list!

(A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.)

Click here to see all of my book reviews on ouroborosfreelance.com

[siri51 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

three main characters in three different time periods written as alternating short chapters was annoying. The characters were not all likeable - William's dislike of his seven daughters, George's attitude towards his wife. The premise of bee extinction and how the world may not cope was interesting with Tao living in China in 2098.

[eyejaybee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Over the last few years we have all become more conscious of the crucial part played by the bee in our ecosystems, and the dependency of fruit farming upon their role as natural pollinators. Our fascination for the bee extends, however, far beyond their providential impact on our agriculture. Like ants, the bee displays an intricate but clearly defined social hierarchy, with each individual fulfilling their prescribed role for the benefit of the wider bee society.Maja Lunde’s novel builds upon all these roles and aspects of the bee’s existence, and our attempts to harness and replicate them. The novel alternates between three separate narratives. In nineteenth century England, having trained as a scientist before commencing trade as a seller of seeds, William has sunk into depression and lethargy, oppressed by his struggles to support his wife, son and seven daughters. As the novel opens, William is starting to recover, and is inspired to design a new sort of bee hive that he believes will lead to improved honey yields. His happiness at his success is diminished by the contemplation of his son, who has succumbed to a form of melancholia, although the reasons behind this remain obscure to William.In the second narrative, set in Ohio in 2007, George is struggling to keep his farm operating as a profitmaking concern. His collection of one hundred and eighty hives are spread around his land, and he has lately come to depend upon the income they generate to subsidise his other operations. As his narrative starts, his son Tom has returned home from college for a week, and George realises that the two of them are finding it increasingly to understand or communicate with each other.The third strand of the story is set in China in 2098 where Tao and her husband work on a huge collective farm. Since the disappearance of the bees from their region, Tao, along with hundreds of colleagues, are employed to climb fruit trees in spring and to lightly dust their blossom with grains of recovered pollen. Tao is ambitious for her young son, and spends most of her free time trying to teach him arithmetic and spelling, with a view to helping him secure admission to one of the advanced schools, so that he might avoid the life of drudgery to which she has been condemned. Unfortunately he is not responsive to her urgent efforts. Things go from bad to worse when he suffers an accident and becomes ill. The authorities remove him to a special hospital hundreds of miles away in Beijing. Tao pledges to search for him, and finds herself being consumed in a world of red tape and maladministration.Lunde drip feeds advances in each story, and allows the characters to develop solid and plausible personalities. It is clear that there will be a connection between the three interlaced narratives, but she manages the revelation very deftly. It was, however, like so many novels these days, unnecessarily protracted. While I can understand the arguments in favour of allowing a story, or in this case three stories, to mature gracefully, I felt that this book was allowed to move forward too haltingly, as if Ms Lunde were anxious to meet an arbitrary minimum word tally.On an unrelated note, the hardback edition is sumptuously presented, featuring a striking dust jacket over a beautifully black and gold hard cover.

[hubblegal-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There are three stories in this wonderful novel about the history and destiny of bees and their ties to humanity. The stories take place in 1851, 2007 and 2098. 1851 tells the story of British shopkeeper William Savage, whose dream is to build a better bee hive to ensure his children a better future. 2007 centers on George and his son, Tom. George is a beekeeper who longs to build up his business together with Tom, but Tom’s longings lie elsewhere. In 2098, Tao has the horrendous job of hand painting pollen on trees in an effort to provide enough food for the Chinese inhabitants. There are no longer bees in her world. It’s a very physically taxing job and she fears for her little son who will soon be old enough to join the workers. But then tragedy strikes and Tao sets off on a perilous journey looking for answers.I absolutely loved this book. Each of the three stories touched my heart. The chapters are short and I would no sooner get pulled into one story than the author would switch to one of the other stories so there are often cliffhangers. I was never disappointed to switch as I found each of the stories as fascinating as the other. This style of writing really moved the book along and kept me wanting to know more. This Norwegian author cleverly maps out this beautifully written book so that each of the stories have a final connection.Bees. Such little creatures but so very important to our existence. Our world has seen what might happen should bees disappear completely. The author has provided a fascinating look at the beginning of bee keeping, the period when bee colonies first started encountering difficulties and what the future might look like without hard working bees. Even more than a study of bees told in a very moving way, this book also touchingly delves into the bond of parents and their children.Most highly recommended.This book was given to me by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[wassilissa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

„Wenn die Biene einmal von der Erde verschwindet, hat der Mensch nur noch vier Jahre zu leben.“ Dieses Zitat wird Albert Einstein zugeschrieben. Und darum geht es auch in diesem Buch: In drei Zeitebenen (Vergangenheit (1852), Gegenwart (2007) und Zukunft (2098)) wird anhand dreier Personen über die Bedeutung der Bienen geschrieben. 1852 versucht der Saatguthändler William eine Möglichkeit zu finden, Bienen zu zähmen. 2007 stellt der Imker George fest, dass seine Bienen sterben. Und 2098 gibt es keine Bienen mehr, die Pflanzen werden künstlich bestäubt. Der biologische Hintergrund um die Geschichte und Bedeutung der Bienen war sehr interessant. Die persönlichen Geschichten der drei Protangonisten hingegen las ich eher ungern. Alle drei haben nie auch nur ein schönes Erlebnis und die beiden Männer sind nicht einmal sympathisch. V.a. William ist seiner Suche nach Anerkennung war mir wirklich unangenehm. Sowohl er als auch George im Jahr 2007 können ihre Kinder nicht so akzeptieren, wie sie sind. Das Thema Eltern- Kinder findet sich auch im dystopischen Zukunftsteil, wenn Tao ihren Sohn im völlig entvölkerten Peking sucht.Die Botschaft um die Bedeutung der Bienen wird im Buch deutlich. Diesbezüglich ist das Buch toll. Als Roman fand ich es dennoch nicht wirklich überzeugend. Da fehlte mir das gewisse Etwas dann doch ein wenig.