On the Black Hill - Bruce Chatwin

An elegant tale of two twin brothers living their lives out on a farm, and never leaving their family home. Called the deepest book Chatwin wrote, it is a layered and subtle story of the entire lives of twins Lewis and Benjamin, the twentieth century and their neighbours.

The story begins at the end, with the eighty year old twins sleeping together in their late mother's bed, in the cottage which remains undecorated since her death, 42 years prior. Then it jumps back, to their father's tough, working class upbringing, and how he fell in love with a reverend's daughter who became the mother of the twins and their sister, Rebbecca. Amos and Mary have a whirlwind romance, and are the sweetest young couple I remember reading about (I don't read very romantic novels). They buy the farm known as "The Vision," set on the Black Hill. After a while, the work and stress of farm life starts the change Amos's character. Every winter he starts to turn aggressive, and bitter, and even physically abusive, then at Easter every year he turns back into his old self. Eventually, winter casts it's shadow over the rest of the year, and Amos becomes more and more of an angry miser. He leaves his church, and joins a new non-conformist christian group. He reacts out of character to certain family situations. As the boys grow, the joy and charms of their farm life are undone one by one, and life starts to look pretty bleak. The boys grow up, into man-children who still rely on their mother. She adores her boys, and while trying to raise independent men, is also afraid of them leaving and becoming fully independent - she tries to marry them off, at the same time hoping they will stay on her farm, and devoted to her.

People in the community die, babies are born. There are weddings and funerals and many many winters in the farming community of Herefordshire. The weather is a big topic here, and if you read this book keep a keen eye on any mention of the weather, it is always a sign of things to come. I suppose, on a farm, the weather controls the future. It predicts the events in this book, and almost seems as if it controls them. Sunny days mean good news, and frosty days are going to bring hardship. Amos's moods changing with seasons further drive home this theme.

Amos's change in mood throughout his life shows the hardship of faring in this time and place. The hard work has an effect on his character, and his family are the ones who suffer. In the winters, Mary comes close to leaving him, and running away to her sister's, but come Easter she laughs off the idea, and falls back into being madly in love with her husband.

The difference in class between Amos and his wife is also a struggle in the household. She rescues the farm numerous times, through her shrewd negotiations and connections, which Amos takes as insults to his masculinity and his working class roots. He doesn't want to be saved, if it is through his wife's social standing. He wants to rescue the farm himself, through his own heroism.

Frugality and generosity are also themes to bear in mind in this book. Amos is a stingey man, which is a trait the brothers take on. It breeds misery in the farm and the community, and the brothers slowly need to learn this lesson to advance their lives. It takes them decades to buy a much needed tractor, or to employ some help on the farm, but when they do their lives are dramatically improved.

There is a strong theme of religion throughout this book. Amos obsessively studies the bible to make himself feel justified, whereas the boys learn lessons through it's teachings, such as the above mentioned generosity. Through actually reading the bible, and taking on its lessons, again they learn to improve their lives.

Don't be fooled into thinking there are many happy points in this book. It was a hard life for farmers in this time and place. There are many deaths. There are many issues of legacy and heirs, and the undoing of the old ways. But there is happy moments, which jump out of the page against the backdrop of struggle, and really have the ability to move the reader.

This is a really deep and at times subtle book. I'd strongly recommend this book to any fan of 20th century literature, especially fans of English 20th century literature. If you come across this book anywhere, do yourself a favour and check it out. Read it carefully and perceptively, and you will reap the rewards.