Keeper of the Bees Gene Stratton-Porter

Keeper of the Bees

Author: Gene Stratton-Porter
$15.99 1599
ISBN 9798888180266386 pages6 x 9 inch paperback
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A war-torn World War I soldier hears the doctors give up hope for his recovery. He has a feeling that if he could live by the sea, get plenty of fresh air, exercise and sunshine, that he would begin to heal. So one day he slips out of the government hospital, and tottering toward the sea, he starts out weak and penniless on his Great Adventure. Within a few days he finds a home, becomes a beekeeper in a lush California valley, and hurriedly becomes a bridegroom. Shortly after his strange marriage ceremony to a woman he met the previous evening, and to whom he had only spoken a few sentences, she hastily departs without a word of farewell. With its rich nature lore, this gripping novel is a story the whole family will enjoy reading. Four black & white paintings by Gordon Grant and numerous black and white line drawings by Lee Thayer, from the 1925 first edition. Plumfields Moms have so much good information on Keeper of the Bees, including a book club podcast and a review. Take a look at them on their show notes page! Favorite quotes: "But he was thankful for the offer and dimly he was beginning to formulate in his mind the feeling that the world is made up of good people and bad people, of selfish people and thoughtful people, of cruel people and kind people, and it was merely a case of luck as to which kind you met when you went on a great adventure." —Jamie MacFarland "You know, being a bee master is a lot of other things besides just bees. ...I'd say you'd got to be decent. The Bee Master says that bees know, and if anybody's a liar and a cheat and got the odors of sin and selfishness hangin' around 'em...[the bees] haven't got a bit of mercy. ...If you know way deep down inside you, that you ain't right, and that God wouldn't let you into Heaven...you better throw up this job and let me hunt somebody else to look after the bees." —the Little Scout to Jamie MacFarland "I'm not so sure that what I called a Great Adventure in jesting merely to hearten myself may not possibly prove to be more of an adventure than I've reckoned on." —Jamie MacFarland "...if I understand the province of a friend at all it consists largely in keeping one’s mouth shut and doing the things that will be of most benefit." —Margaret Cameron

A war-torn World War I soldier hears the doctors give up hope for his recovery. He has a feeling that if he could live by the sea, get plenty of fresh air, exercise and sunshine, that he would begin to heal. So one day he slips out of the government hospital, and tottering toward the sea, he starts out weak and penniless on his Great Adventure.

Within a few days he finds a home, becomes a beekeeper in a lush California valley, and hurriedly becomes a bridegroom. Shortly after his strange marriage ceremony to a woman he met the previous evening, and to whom he had only spoken a few sentences, she hastily departs without a word of farewell.

With its rich nature lore, this gripping novel is a story the whole family will enjoy reading.

Four black & white paintings by Gordon Grant and numerous black and white line drawings by Lee Thayer, from the 1925 first edition.

Plumfields Moms have so much good information on Keeper of the Bees, including a book club podcast and a review. Take a look at them on their show notes page!

Favorite quotes:

"But he was thankful for the offer and dimly he was beginning to formulate in his mind the feeling that the world is made up of good people and bad people, of selfish people and thoughtful people, of cruel people and kind people, and it was merely a case of luck as to which kind you met when you went on a great adventure." —Jamie MacFarland

"You know, being a bee master is a lot of other things besides just bees. ...I'd say you'd got to be decent. The Bee Master says that bees know, and if anybody's a liar and a cheat and got the odors of sin and selfishness hangin' around 'em...[the bees] haven't got a bit of mercy. ...If you know way deep down inside you, that you ain't right, and that God wouldn't let you into Heaven...you better throw up this job and let me hunt somebody else to look after the bees." —the Little Scout to Jamie MacFarland

"I'm not so sure that what I called a Great Adventure in jesting merely to hearten myself may not possibly prove to be more of an adventure than I've reckoned on." —Jamie MacFarland

"...if I understand the province of a friend at all it consists largely in keeping one’s mouth shut and doing the things that will be of most benefit." —Margaret Cameron