No Way But Gentlenesse
A Memoir of How Kes, My Kestrel, Changed My Life
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- $20.99
Publisher Description
There is no way but gentlenesse to redeeme a Hawke.
--Edmund Bert, 1619
Born and raised in the South Yorkshire mining village of Hoyland Common, Richard Hines remembers sliding down heaps of coal dust, hearing whispers of "accidents" in the pit, listening for the siren at the end of mine shifts, and praying for his father's safe return. At age eleven, Richard's prospects suddenly dimmed when he failed the trials for English Grammar School, though his older brother Barry, evidently their mother's favorite, had passed and seemed headed for great things.
Crushed by a system that swiftly and permanently decided that some children do not merit a real education, and persecuted by the cruel antics of his English schoolteachers, Richard spent his time in the fields and meadows just beyond the colliery slag heap. One morning, walking on the grounds of a ruined medieval manor, he came across a nest of kestrels. Instantly captivated but without a role model to learn from, he sought out ancient falconry texts from the local library and pored over the strange and beautiful language there. With just these books, some ingenuity, and his profound respect for the hawk's indomitable wildness, Richard learned to "man" or train his kestrel, Kes, and in the process became a man himself.
No Way But Gentlenesse is a breathtaking memoir of one remarkable boy's love for a culture lost to time, and his attempt to find salvation in the natural world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Hines was raised by a doting father and reserved mother in a blue-collar mining town that bordered England's bucolic moors. He failed to thrive in the English school system, but he grew up filled with a self-taught love of reading and writing. Through his love of birds and passion for falconry, he was able transcend his humble beginnings and learn that there is more for him than being a miner like his dad and granddad. As his understanding of falconry grew, so did his confidence and sense of self-worth. Despite being overshadowed by his brother Barry's literary success, Hines went on to be a successful documentary filmmaker and a lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University. He tells his story chronologically, interspersing autobiographical sections with tales of the birds he trained. Taking the reasons he loves hawks so much "They have no understanding of hierarchy, of social subservience; it's not in their make-up to be herded or controlled" and applying them to his own life, Hines improves his standing in increments through hard work, education, travel, and love. This journey of self-discovery is captivating and inspiring, making it easy to see why Hines's brother Barry based his classic book, A Kestrel for a Knave, on Hines's early years. Hines sprinkles his fine narrative with quotes and lessons from Shakespeare and centuries-old falconry books. His story is grounded and uplifting, accessible yet aspirational a pleasurable blend of conflicts that demonstrates the power of nature and the good that comes from nurturing one's passions.
