Sunday, July 19, 2020

BLACK LAMB AND GREY FALCON


Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.org

Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, A Journey Through Yugoslavia, Rebecca West, The Viking Press, 1941, 1150 pp
 
I am well aware that this book will not be for everyone but I wanted to have a record of my thoughts on it here on the blog. Finishing this book has been my greatest reading accomplishment so far this year. I had attempted to read it twice before but bogged down early both times. Last July I tried again, looked up all the words I didn't know, studied maps and took notes. I set myself a minimal pace of 5 pages at a sitting and 11 months later I finished!
 
Rebecca West was an infamously successful journalist, political writer, novelist and feminist from 1911 until her death in 1983. I came to her through one of her novels, The Fountain Overflows, one of my favorite novels ever. I first learned about Black Lamb and Grey Falcon in the days of the Bosnian War, a conflict I could never understand no matter how much news I read. It turns out I needed the history of the Balkans and West's book gave that and much more.

She made two extended trips through Yugoslavia, an area also known as the Balkans throughout history. When she visited in 1937 and 1938, the area was a cobbled together country created after WWI at the Paris Peace Conference. Her book follows the second journey taken with her husband. 

Beginning in Croatia, they continued through Dalmatia, Herzegovina, Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. These were the countries that made up Yugoslavia at the time. They visited major cities as well as villages and historic sites. If that sounds like a lot to take in, it was for both Ms West and myself.

One of my followers here found the writing style unlikable. She does revel in long sentences, detailed descriptions and somewhat flowery, emotional reactions to what she sees and how she feels about it all. I did not mind that too much. What else would one expect from someone raised on Shakespeare and Dickens?

Whenever I looked up images of the mountains, valleys, cathedrals and monasteries she described, they looked exactly as she had written about them! Her accounts about the people she met brought them to life as would a novelist with her characters.

When she returned to England in 1938, Hitler was on the rise. She had no doubt that another World War was about to begin. She spent the next few years enlarging her already vast knowledge of the history of those countries, from Roman times, through the Byzantine Empire, the conquering Turks, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the debacle that was WWI, and the arrival of communism from Russia. I can't imagine anyone besides a life long historian being able to encompass so much.

Finally she put it all together into Black Lamb and Grey Falcon, two images that recur over and over in the book. She created her perspective on the historical precedents and causes of what by the time of publication was WWII. When I finished the book, even though I had not read an article on the Serbian War or the Kosovo War for over 20 years, it suddenly all made sense to me. 

I don't recommend this tome to everyone. But, if you like to study history, if you have read widely in historical fiction, or you just have an unquenchable desire to understand European history, you might make it through and gain new insights.

Rebecca West was a liberal, a feminist, a humanist thinker, and I can't imagine anyone agreeing wholeheartedly with her politically in 2020. Still, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon is a huge contribution to historical and political thought.

If you made it through to the end of my attempt to write about this incredible book, you should do fine with Rebecca West, who towered over me in writing and thinking ability.

24 comments:

  1. I have visited Slovenia and Croatia, both parts of the former Yugoslavia, so I might enjoy this book. I always felt that one of the really interesting historical characters to meet would have been Tito, who by force of personality almost, kept the Yugoslav federation together - and it disintegrated shortly after his death - and we all know the dreadful events that ensued, the legacy of which is playing out in the International Court of Justice to this day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish I had visited such places when I could still travel with joy. I might want to learn more about Tito.

      Delete
  2. I think I will be off to search for this one...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am not a betting woman, but of all the bloggers I know, you might be the most likely to get through it!

      Delete
    2. Just put in my hold request - someone else has it right now!

      Delete
    3. You might want to consider buying a copy. I know you are a fast reader but, well, you'll see.

      Delete
    4. That's true. Although, with our libraries being closed except for curbside pick-up, all the due dates have been extended to two months for physical books, so I will see how far I get once I get it.

      Delete
  3. Great post. I also found it difficult to understand the Yugoslav Civil War at the time it happened.

    This book sounds fascinating as I love detailed histories and the history of the this region is fascinating though it seems tragic.

    As for not agreeing with all of West’s views. I do not agree with all the views of anyone that I read. But I can be a bit opinionated:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Brian. You might have fun with West. She is a "bit" opinionated too. I think she did get to some basic truths though. I will be patient but I would love to know what you think if you ever get to the book.

      Delete
  4. What an accomplishment to have finished this reading project and obviously it was very rewarding and worthwhile for you. It's unlikely that I will read this one but I would like to dip into some of West's fiction. The Fountain Overflows might be a good place to start.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Fountain Overflows is the only novel of hers that I have read so far. I plan to read some of the others but it is generally considered her best, so that would be a good place to start, I think.

      Delete
  5. fine review... if i'd known it was that good i would have persisted a bit more, but i still might not have finished it.. an impressive example of stick-to-itiveness, Judy!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This one has been on my list because Max speaks so highly of it. I owned a copy for a while & tried to read it, but I found it totally confusing. I realized I know nothing about that part of history. Which is all the more reason to read it. I sold my copy a year ago expecting it would never really be read, but I've since regretted that & will probably get another one. I was intimidated by allusions to history I know nothing about & feared I'd be Googling throughout the read. But as to humans, I imagine I'd like Rebecca West.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment, Jillian. I too was so confused at the beginning. I had to read the first few pages many times whilst looking up terms and historical happenings, because I knew very little about the area or its history. For me, it was worth cracking the code! I hope you give it another try.

      Delete
  7. I too have attempted. I just searched out my copy and see I got it 7/11/99. The first half is heavily flagged.....
    I head about it from a historian who happened to work as a title insurance inspector with my husband. The guy and I talked history. He told me of Balkan Ghosts by Robert D Kaplan and gave me a copy to read. Robert D Kaplan carried Black Lamb and Grey Falcon with him on his travels in the area. And coincidentally at this time I heard a reading of Black Lamb and Grey Falcon on a PBS station as I was driving to the office.

    Lets see if this sparks me to reread or continue reading it; it's not for everyone for sure.
    I read a bio of West and I have her book 1900. Thanks for your sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carolyn, it is fascinating how many stories I am getting from people who meant to or have tried to read the book. I found my turtle's pace to be just the thing. As long as I did not let more than a couple days go by, I kept the flow of it in my head. I too read a bio of West.

      Delete
  8. I've just finished a 768 page book and can't imagine having more than 300 pages to go! Impressive stamina (and wrists if this was a physical copy!!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was a physical copy, paperback. 5 pages a day did not hurt my wrists-:)
      When I got within 75 pages from the end I read more per day. The stamina involved was to keep going back to it when I knew I still had months to go.

      Delete
  9. I've enjoyed two of Rebecca West's novels - The Fountain Overflows and The Return of the Soldier - and I've wanted to read this book for years but have been put off by the length. It does sound great and I will definitely try to read it one day. Congratulations on finishing it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Helen. Now that I have finished this one, I can get back to her novels. I am sure you could get through it, a little at a time. It is so great to be able to follow maps and look up the cities and other sites on the internet.

      Delete
  10. Quite a monumental achievement finishing this work, congrats! I did not know much about Rebecca West until I just looked her up. She seemed like a force. What a 20th century life she had and world traveler. I am a bit curious about The Fountain Overflows ... and will add it to my list.
    ps. I arrived thru LAX yesterday and all went well (everyone with masks). I am now in my lockdown in the OC till I go to Redlands for the visit. ... trying to get things done while here. Nice to be in my old home state. :-) feels familiar.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Rebecca West was all that! Thanks for the update on your trip. Welcome to California! Best of luck with it all.

      Delete