By T. H. White
(1936) England Have My Bones is an autobiographical journal of T. H. White’s experiences and adventures between March 1934 and March 1935.
In 1934, T. H. White, while residing in the countryside of Britain and Scotland, began keeping a diary to record the unique delights and constant surprises which a city dweller happens upon when he leaves the world behind. That diary, published in 1936 by G. P. Putnam's Sons, invited rapturous comparison with such masterpieces of the outdoor experience as Izaak Walton's The Compleat Angler.
The poetry of fire, the mystery of trees, the marvels of trout fishing, the joy of the hunt and the delicious comfort of a blazing fire in a snug public house; the always miraculous change of the seasons, the thrill of learning to shoot, to fish, to fly a plane, to win at darts and watch a mare foal—all are recounted with a passionate enthusiasm in a wisely witty manner worthy of Merlin himself. Only T. H. White could create images as indelible, phrases as memorable as these:
"The fisherman fishes as the urchin eats cream buns, from lust. . . ."
"Dogs, like very small children, are quite mad. . . ."
Here is the master wizard working his wonders in a magical setting. Bound to cast its spell over young and old alike, England Have My Bones is a volume to treasure.
—copied from the dust jacket
Notes:
The title of England Have My Bones is an example of true irony since T. H.
White’s remains never made it back to England. He died and was buried in Piraeus,
Greece.
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Revised Saturday, 28-Sep-2002 22:11:17 CDT.