The Wind in the Willows

The Wind in the Willows…

You might not be surprised to hear that the “Wind in the Willows” is my favourite book.

I know it should be the Bible and yes sometimes that does pip others to the post. But…since childhood, I have been completely captivated by tales of the riverbank and the adventures of four little creatures – Ratty, Moley, Badger and my ultimate role model…Mr. Toad….sigh!

I adore them. I really do. It’s a timeless classic that has grown on me through every year of my life.

I remember at prep school joining the ‘Book Club’.  We each paid the princely sum of 5 pence a week into a kitty and after a few weeks I had saved enough to buy a book. I was intrigued by one title, as my little  seven year old eyes scanned the list of available books within my 50p budget. It was a tale of four little animals who lived by the riverbank and I thought it sounded like fun. So I bought it. It seized me – mind, body and soul and still does today.

Over the weekend, I went for a lovely lunch at a friends house, deep in the Cotswolds. At the end of their garden ran a burbling, gurgling and quite delightful river.

It had willow trees dancing in the breeze and dappled light in it, on it and all around it and immediately I was transported back to my old riverbank and enjoying life with my dear friends: Ratty, Moley, Badger and Toad. Oh dear old Toad!

Since that first book I bought, back at prep-school for 50p, I have been an avid collector of Wind in the Willows books. I have 43 different editions, as of today (it could change by tomorow!). I’m still saving up for a 1st. edition but have a lovely second and third, fourth, fifth…sixth….and so on!

The Wind in the Willows was first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, the novel is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie. I adore every line.

The Wind in the Willows was in its thirty-first printing when then-famous playwright, A. A. Milne, who loved it, adapted a part of it for stage as Toad of Toad Hall in 1929.

In 1908 Grahame retired from his position as secretary of the Bank of England. He moved to the country, where he spent his time by the River Thames doing much as the animal characters in his book do; namely, as one of the most famous phrases from the book says, “simply messing about in boats”.

My favourite character, as you might imagine, was Mr. Toad  More on him soon….

If you haven’t picked it up from dusty old bookshelf, or relegated it to the childrens book section, then my friends, I urge you – nay implore you! to revisit it again. It will make you smile – I guarantee it!