Lovely Little Shelf

The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein

Most of the books that I include in Flashback Fridays have a particular memory or time in my life tied to them.  This one, not so much.  I know that I read it when I was very young and that I was still reading it when I was in high school.  For me, it is that kind of story- timeless and ageless and just oh so good.

I know that a lot of people think that this book kind of teaches about selfishness, or think that it is just too sad.  While I was looking around the ol’ interweb for a good picture of the book, I found a lot of really mixed reviews.  I was totally shocked because I remember just absolutely loving this book. I remember thinking that it was gentle and sweet and sad without being sappy.

The end, where the old man just needs a place to sit. Perfection.  I love it.

While browsing around, I found this quote from a professor at Stanford named Timothy Jackson:

Is this a sad tale? Well, it is sad in the same way that life is sad. We are all needy, and, if we are lucky and any good, we grow old using others and getting used up… Our finitude is not something to be regretted or despised, however; it is what makes giving (and receiving) possible. The more you blame the boy, the more you have to fault human existence. The more you blame the tree, the more you have to fault the very idea of parenting. Should the tree’s giving be contingent on the boy’s gratitude? If it were, if fathers and mothers waited on reciprocity before caring for their young, then we would all be doomed.

Good stuff.

Shel Silverstein has been on my mind lately because I just read an autobiography of Johnny Cash and learned that Shel Silverstein actually wrote the words to “Boy Named Sue” and a bunch of other fairly famous songs. I had no idea.

If you want to participate in Flashback Fridays, head over here for more info.  Comment on this post after you post in your blog so everyone can check out your flashback!