A Book of Bees, by Sue
Hubbell, is an
honest, informative account of
beekeeping that I found to be an overall pleasant read.
This node is a slightly revised essay that I wrote for a seminar on beekeeping.
Published in 1998, in her book, Hubbell travels through each season of the
year and explains the inner workings of the beekeeping
business, going through such detail that the book also teaches the
biological facts of bees and specific beekeeping problems and
responsibilities. However, through the wonderful
matrix of detail and facts, I found myself being
repulsed and annoyed by Hubbell’s writing. Through her descriptions of her work, Hubbell conveys a tone of superiority of her beekeeping life that I felt took away from the
unusual life she wants to share with her readers.
A major point that stuck out to me was that throughout the book, Hubbell takes delight in knowing that what she does is unusual and
surprising to most observers. While this is true, and is a key point in Hubbell wanting to share her experience, I found this tone become significant to important ideas. At distinct points in the book, Hubbell takes on a high and mighty tone while describing her work with the bees. She even describes beekeeping as “farming for intellectuals,” implying that she feels beekeeping is superior to other
animal farming, or that she and other
beekeepers are intellectually superior (53). These descriptions take away from what I feel is Hubbell’s purpose in teaching the
readers about beekeeping.
Hubbell takes the reader through the many problems beekeepers deal with describing the
effects on her work and on others. Hubbell does think of herself as a great beekeeper, but this has two effects. Specific descriptions on better beekeeping included are not only very interesting but also advance the
educational purpose of her books, which I believe is a main concentration in her writing. However, through reading her
stories, I felt that Hubbell enjoys seeing her advice and opinions proved right, showing the reader just how correct a beekeeper she is, creating a picture-perfect image of herself even saying that “
the best beekeepers
Hubbell knows are those who let themselves, not the equipment
manufacturers be their teachers,” connecting herself to these ideals (38).
Hubbell also goes out of the way to describe that not only is her methods right but that she is willing to help others. An
example of this is when she
attempts to help a beekeeper using who was using methods of
requeening that Hubbell disapproved of: “Against my better
judgment, I agreed, and we began opening hives…the farmer was effusive in his
thanks, but although I was glad I had been able to lighten his cares, I did not think I had done a good day’s work by the bees…I met him some months later and asked how the
requeening had worked out. He shook his head sadly” (118). By stating that there are differences in beekeeping methods and that some are more effective than others is one thing, but going further to push the idea that one is definitely right is another. Although Hubbell never states
specifically that it is because the farmer did not follow her advice that his hives
failed, this fact is implied. This I thought gave these examples a
negative undertone, which took away from the point of the story.
Throughout the book, Hubbell takes the reader into her
personal life that revolves around her beekeeping. This is a
strength of the book since it allows the reader to truly be brought into her full life and understand what effects beekeeping has had on Hubbell’s life. Hubbell does, however, discusses some of her interactions and uses them to press upon the readers how different she is, which ends up giving her a
superior tone. Hubbell appears to be overly pleased with her self when discussing the differences between her opinions of
insects and the popular view. For example, she and her friend talk “about how off and special it is to develop an affection for bugs” (132). Hubbell is
proud of that she has this connection to bees. It seems that through the book, Hubbell wants to show how special bees are. Yet when she makes
comments such as with her friend, it gives her the tone that she wishes to prove to the reader that she herself is special, not just the
connection. This is not only somewhat astray from her main ideas but is also
annoying.
This idea continues with her
overall descriptions of nature and insects – for example, her descriptions of the cicadas. “To hear people talk down at the
café, you’d think we were being invaded by hostile aliens from a
Grade B science-fiction movie,” she says about the talk of a swarm of cicadas (139). The purpose of talking about cicadas is so that Hubbell can show the reader that bugs that are considered annoying and ugly to some are actually quite interesting and beautiful. However, the way that Hubbell uses this description is irritating. The way she treats the people in the town is rather
surprising. She actually demeans their talk to mere
childish and ill-informed comments. Hubbell makes a point to show how incorrect the people’s opinions are on the
cicadas, which are of course “
beautiful,
spectacular bugs,” and “should be regarded with
interest and appreciation like a comet or a rare bird” not as
nuisances (139). While this might be true, this left me feeling that Hubbell considers herself superior and
knowledgeable. This is emphasized by the fact that she later comments “
the cicada sounded pleased with himself; I know I was mightily pleased with him” (141). She is so
happy with herself that she alone understands these bugs and that the other people are simply crude and ignorant. This of course takes away from important points, leaving me, the reader, wondering why Hubbell takes this tone.
Hubbell seems to want to use her
writing to show the readers her life with bees. However, throughout the book she seems to want to defend her
lifestyle. This is an unclear argument to make since the purpose of her writing seems to be to present the
reader with her life. Her descriptions of beekeeping, the
skill,
manual labor, and thought involved, seem to prove by themselves that beekeeping is
demanding and
distinctive. Her stories of conferences and talks with people
demonstrate that her job is often misunderstood. However, even with these descriptions, Hubbell seems to take one step
further and press upon the reader that her job as a beekeeper is unique, maybe more so that may be believed at first. She
mentions specifically that she her friends “invite
her to dinner because they suspect
she is not eating properly” (110). With this one comment she shows the
reader that her friends are very concerned about her and that Hubbell’s life is especially demanding. This point is emphasized in the fact that it seems she
enjoys being called the “Bee Lady” (24). Hubbell wants to show the readers her identity and prove to them that she is in fact the hard working bee lady. However I see no purpose in these ideas since her story alone seems to prove these points. I am left seeing these points as
defensiveness of her lifestyle and an attempt to prove herself to the readers, which does not seem appropriate in her writing.
The
overall tone of
superiority and
defensiveness of her life left me very much annoyed at Hubbell. Hubbell wrote the book to show this collage of her life experiences with bees. Hubbell, however, takes away from these descriptions by allowing herself to go further in enforcing her ideas of the
extraordinary components of beekeeping.