The History of Bees By Hannah Gartner Book

The History of Bees By Hannah Gartner

Book Summary o Three stories in one, being told consecutively o Tao, 2098 o William, 1851 o George, 2007 o Overarching themes: o Connectivity o Survival o Legacy and Tradition

William • Lives in England • Father of 7 daughters and one son • Keeper of a seed shop • Natural scientist with a passion for bees • Gave up research for family • Wants to leave a legacy for his family

William’s Story William is bedridden from depression following the realization that his research career was sacrificed for his family. His oldest daughter, Charlotte, visits him regularly. William feels extreme disappointment, begins to slide back into a depression. Charlotte wants to show him what she has observed about the bees, but he won’t listen. William returns to the life of a shopkeeper, and continues to slip into a depression until Charlotte shows him her idea for a better hive. He is instantly inspired, and works to build a new hive. After a visit from his son, and finding a book left out for him from his research days, William finds the will and passion he thought he had lost. He leaves his bed! William places his bees in his new hive, then invites his old mentor, Rahm, to see the hive in an attempt to gain his approval. He learns that someone has already built this hive and published it. William shows hive, his Savage Standard Hive, to farmers, naturalists, etc. He shares a moment of pride with Rahm and his son. After researching, William orders bees and a standard hive - begins to design his own improved bee hive that will allow for better observation and control of the bees. William goes back to work in the seed shop to support the family, and finds it spotless. While working, continues work on the new hive and eventually hires a carpenter to build it. William finds out his new hive has also been built before, and feels all is lost. He finds out Charlotte was responsible for taking care of him, and feels like a failure as a father and a scientist. Depression again.

George • Lives in Ohio • Father of one son • Beekeeper of many generations and farmer • Creates his own beehives – believes they are better for the bees • Does not want to commercialize like others, but needs to do more pollination for the money. • Does some pollination, but mostly sells honey

George’s Story George is picking up his son, Tom, who is coming home from college for a week, from the bus station. He finds out that Tom wants to pursue a Ph. D instead of take over the farm, and is upset over it. George begins to worry that he has lost Tom, and that the legacy will not live on. While out inspecting the hives one day, he notices the bees aren’t buzzing. He has lost his bees to Colony Collapse. After the shock begins to fade, George starts to think of what to do next. He goes to the bank for a loan, which they wont approve unless he stops building his own hives and buys cheaper ones. George is about to check the hives after the winter. He is worried because of stories of massive bee death in southern states, but finds little death from the winter. George and Tom take the bees to Maine for blueberry season on a friend’s farm. He knows Tom, while working hard, does not want to be there. While there, a few hives are attacked by a bear and lost. George keeps building his hives until he runs out of material and money, then buys the cheaper hives to get the bank loan. Later, he finds out that Gareth’s bees have died from Colony Collapse as well. George catches up with an old friend, Gareth, who runs a large scale commercial operation with his bees. Talks about a community in Florida where George’s wife, Emma, wants to live. George finds out Tom got a scholarship for a Ph. D, and goes to campus to talk to him about making the trip to Maine for blueberries with him. While there, he tries to confront the professor who suggested the Ph. D to Tom returns to help his dad, temporarily at first as he had a job as a journalist, but then more permanently when he sees how much help is needed. He eventually writes a book about what happened to his dad and his bees.

Tao • Lives in China • This is years after the “Collapse”, where the bees died and the world slowly descended into chaos. • China is now run by the “Committee” • Works as a pollinator, as all people in her district do from age 8. • Has one son, but wants another child as soon as they raise the money • Has always had a love of knowledge

Tao’s Story While at work one day, Tao sees a group of children – all age 8 – touring the fields to prepare for their new jobs. She realizes that her son must be smarter than others to avoid the fate of a pollinator. She begins tutoring. On their “Day of Rest”, Toa and her husband, Kuan, decide to take Wei. Wen, their son, into the fields for a picnic and some studying. After wandering off, Wei-Wen is found almost paralyzed and pale, with fear in his eyes. They call for help. The ambulance takes Wei-Wen to a hospital, but will not let Tao and Kuan see him. Tao blames herself for wanting to go into the fields that day. No one will answer their questions, so they wait to speak to the doctor. In Beijing, she sees the true devastation of the Collapse. She checks every hospital, but cannot find her son. She realizes that she must find what was wrong with her son to find him. She heads for the library to learn more. At the library, she finds a book she was interested in as a child, one that she finally finishes reading. After researching more, she finds out that Wei-Wen was stung. Then, a person from the Committee forces her to accompany her elsewhere. Upon arriving home, Tao finds a fence surrounding the fields where Wei-Wen was hurt. She sneaks in one night and finds a tent full of flowers and crates saying “Beijing”. She then decides to leave for Beijing to find her son. Tao talks to the leader of the Committee, Li Xiara, and is finally taken to see her son. She finds out that he died from the bee sting. Li Xiara wants her to be a voice for the new world with bees, talk about her son’s sacrifice. She refuses unless Li Xiara reads the book from the library. Toa forces the doctor to show her where Wei-Wen is, but there they find nothing. She finds out he was transferred to a hospital in Beijing. They are forced to return home, where they were to wait. After reading the book, Li Xiara realizes they cannot go back to the old way of beekeeping. Instead, the bees are allowed to live freely and do what they want. Tao finds out the Kuan does not blame her for Wei-Wen’s death.

How Does it Connect? How do these three stories relate to each other? • Charlotte, William’s daughter, travels to America with her nephew, bringing with her the drawings she and her dad made for “Savages Standard Hives”. These are the hives that George makes, and knows the dimensions by heart as his father and grandfather did. • As Tom helps his father, he observes what is happening. They try to switch their methods, stop traveling with the bees, take very little honey, and they were still dying. In the year 2037, Tom writes a book about what happened to his dad- “The History of Bees”. This is the book that Tao forces the Committee leader to read. In it, the “Savage’s Standard Hives” dimensions were written, these were the hives used as homes for bees after the resurgence of bees in 2089.

Quotes • “Lift my hand, dip the brush into the pollen, move it carefully towards the blossoms, brush across them as if I were a bee. ” –Tao • “Agriculture didn’t have a chance without bees. ” – George • “I remained seated, sitting and looking at the bees, at their perseverance, back and forth, never resting. Not until their wings were torn” - William

Themes • Connectivity • Everything is connected. Not only are three stories connected, but in Tao’s story we learn that more than just plants are connected by the bees and their disappearance. • Survival • Each character in this book struggles in some way to survive. Tao, to find her son and not die in the process. George, to survive the death of his bees and the financial burden that comes with it. William, to have a legacy survive after he is gone. And the bees, to survive on the planet. • Legacy and Tradition • Throughout the book, traditional values and practices are tested – whether that be in beekeeping or in how to live. Throughout breaking these traditions, each character hopes to bestow a legacy on their family and have that legacy live for years to come.

Significant Takeaways • Everything is connected, nothing happens in a vacuum. Actions will have consequences. • While this is a fiction novel, many aspects are the truth of the world. While these characters did not exist, their stories can be used to show others what is happening with the bees. • The point of this novel is not to scare the world about the loss of bees. It is to inform people of the possible consequences, but also give hope that everything can change before it is too late.