A Book of Bees: And How to Keep Them | 
 enlarge | Author: Sue Hubbell
Publisher: Mariner Books
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
Buy New: $6.64
You Save: $6.36 (49%)
New (25) Used (17) from $1.88
Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 208905
Media: Paperback
Pages: 208
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
ISBN: 0395883245
Dewey Decimal Number: 638.1
UPC: 046442883245
EAN: 9780395883242
ASIN: 0395883245
Publication Date: April 13, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new, may have ramainder mark or slight shelfware
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
"The real masterwork that Sue Hubbell has created is her life," David Quammen wrote in the New York Times. This book is, like its author, a unique achievement. Weaving a vivid portrait of her own life and her bees' lives through the seasons, Hubbell writes "about bees to be sure, but also about other things: the important difference between loneliness and solitude . . . the accommodating of oneself to nature" (Philadelphia Inquirer).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 informative story about a beekeeper's year July 20, 2008
Eric Sawyer (Portsmouth, NH)
This is not strictly a how-to about beekeeping. There are other fine books that will provide that if you need it (Backyard Beekeeper comes to mind). However, I found Sue Hubbell's book to be a great companion to the how-to. It reads much more like a story recounting a year in the life of a commercial beekeeper.
Not only did I find great advice from someone who has worked with bees for many years and understands their nature as well as any human could. But I also enjoyed learning about Sue's humble and deeply rewarding life as a beekeeper and student of bees.
I was able to pick up some valuable tips and hints to use with my own bees. I also gained a deeper appreciation for the beekeeping profession whether you are a part-timer or a pro. And lastly, what a complex and wonderful creation is the honeybee. And what a privilege to work with them.
 Sub-Par Book May 9, 2008
M. Sego
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
The author makes to great of attempt to write a novel instead of trying to teach beekeeping. If you already know beekeeping and are bored, you might like this book. On the other hand, if you are a beginner, this book is not for you despite the claims made by the book and its author. I would recomend Beekeeping: A Practical Guide by Richard Bonney or The New Starting Right With Bees. Frankly, these are more clear, have more pictures to help describe what they are talking about, and are an easier reference. When I read books I quite often forget stuff, so I like to be able to go back and reread certain parts on the topic. Since Sue Hubell makes too great of effort to make her book into a novel, trying to review a subject is nearly impossible.
 A narrative how to September 13, 2007
T. Hall (Fort Worth, TX USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
At first I wasn't sure about this book since it seemed to be more of a biography/memoir rather than the sort of how-to book on beekeeping I was searching for. As it turns out the book is both a narrative and a manual on beekeeping, and once I began reading I was pleasantly surprised by the seamless fusion of the two. It's a good easy read for anyone, even if you're not particularly interested in bees - a very well written story about agricultural life (and life in general) in the Ozarks. It's also a good primer on what one might expect to encounter in keeping bees as you follow the author's accounts through the seasons.
Great story, interesting subject May 15, 2005
M. Hamilton
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
I received a call from a friend who said he had a book on bees that I needed to read. I raised my eyebrows, you see, because I'm allergic to bees. Why would I want to read a book on bee-keeping?
What you'll find in this book is a story about a life. A woman who has survived a broken marriage and has made an interesting career in farming, but not just an ordinary farm. As she puts it, she farms not pigs, cattle, or horses- but "bugs". With over 300 hives of bees, she stays busy year around tending to animals that (as you'll find) have maybe more personality than the typical farm critters.
The story covers the 4 seasons of a typical year. She is a talented writer with a style that is both captivating, interesting, and (due to her choice of words) entertaining. The bees themselves are a treat to learn about, from their close-knit community behavior to the critical details of their survival.
But, it's not about the bees. It's about a simple rural life that a lot of us feel we have missed. If you daydream about a simple life away from the office, then this book is for you.
A Fun Read February 10, 2005
Charles A. Wingard (Latrobe, PA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
This book is a fun read about bees. Definetly not a technical manual, so I don't know why the "How to Keep them" part of the title got added on. There's a lot of good historical information about bees, biological information, and some tricks of the trade from Sue who is a commercial beekeeper in the Ozark Mountains. She shares some great stories about her life, which is intricately woven with the lives of her bees.
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