Book - 58, The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone (1938)

by

T H White

Book Read: 16-19 February 2016

Note Written: 01 March 2016

I had no previous acquaintance with T H White's legendary 'The Once and Future King' series. Now I  realize that the King Arthur series was ever famous, but I was somehow oblivious to it. In fact, the only knowledge I had of T H White was from Helen MacDonald's memoir 'H is for Hawk', which I read last year. In the memoir, it is a sorry, struggling picture of White that we see. I thought he was some not-so-famous writer whose works I might never get hold of or read. Merlin's beard, I was wrong. Completely wrong!

'The Sword in the Stone' is a fantasy novel which gave me a level of enjoyment like no other book has done before. To say 'I loved it' would be an understatement. Perhaps, the only book I enjoyed as much could be 'Don Quixote'. In fact, the character King Pellinore reminds me of the legendary knight created by Cervantes. 

Combining the past and present alike in a simple children's fable laden with fantasy, legends, and facts, the novel weaves a world of magic around the reader. 'The Sword in the Stone' feels childish, yet is immensely powerful in its philosophy.

The underlying theme of practical education which we see in the book, through Merlin's tutoring of Art, tell us that nature and surroundings should be an integral part of education - text book knowledge is never sufficient. The parts which shows the 'Dream of Trees' and 'Dream of Stones' present to us pure science in the form of a wonderful fable. This is how we should learn, this is how we should be taught to learn. 

I wonder where the hell this book was during my childhood and teen years. At least, I am thankful I have read it now - will sure read it again, and again!