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The History of Bees: A Novel Hardcover – August 22, 2017

by Maja Lunde (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 614 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction
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“Imagine The Leftovers, but with honey” (Elle), and in the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this “spectacular and deeply moving” (Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author) novel follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees—and to their children and one another—against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis.

England, 1852. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive—one that will give both him and his children honor and fame.

United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper fighting an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation.

China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao’s young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident, she sets out on a grueling journey to find out what happened to him.

Haunting, illuminating, and deftly written, The History of Bees joins “the past, the present, and a terrifying future in a riveting story as complex as a honeycomb” (New York Times bestselling author Bryn Greenwood) that is just as much about the powerful bond between children and parents as it is about our very relationship to nature and humanity.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Atria Books
  4. Publication date
    August 22, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1501161377
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1501161377
  8. See all details
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  1. About acting against one’s instincts, because one knows better, about how in order to live in nature, with nature, we must detach ourselves from the nature in ourselves. And about the value of education. Because this was what education was actually about, defying the nature in oneself.
    Highlighted by 113 Kindle readers
  2. It had paid off to be the ones who polluted the most. We were a pioneer nation in pollution and so we became a pioneer nation in pollination. A paradox had saved us.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The History of Bees is spectacular and deeply moving. Lunde has elegantly woven together a tale of science and science fiction, dystopia and hope, and the trials of the individual and the strengths of family." -- Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE and SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN

“When you think of coming to tears over a novel, a story about bee keepers and honey is not your first thought. But such is the genius of debut novelist Maja Lunde that her tale of three eras—the long past, the tenuous present and the biologically damned future—is strung on the fragile hope of the survival of bees. Without ever banging an apocalyptic drum, Lunde paints an achingly pure picture of what happens if we fail to protect the bees, our biospheric conscience, our fragile, sacred spinners of gold.” -- Jacquelyn Mitchard, New York Times bestselling author of THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN and TWO IF BY SEA

“As a lover of honeybees and a fan of speculative fiction, I was doubly smitten by The History of Bees. Maja Lunde’s novel is an urgent reminder of how much our survival depends on those remarkable insects. It is also a gripping account of how—despite the cruelest losses—humanity may abide and individual families can heal.” -- Jean Hegland, author of STILL TIME and INTO THE FOREST

“By turns devastating and hopeful, The History of Bees resonates powerfully with our most pressing environmental concerns. Following three separate but interconnected timelines, Lunde shows us the past, the present, and a terrifying future in a riveting story as complex as a honeycomb.” -- Bryn Greenwood, New York Times bestselling author of ALL THE UGLY AND WONDERFUL THINGS

"I once sat sheltered while a swarm of bees the size of a house flew over me. I wish readers this same cone of isolated, humming space when they read Maja Lunde’s fine novel The History of Bees. Here is a story that is sweeping in scope but intimate in detail. Stepping lightly between a 19th century British naturalist, a contemporary Ohio bee farmer, and a determined mother in a dystopian future China, Lunde dares to imagine the chaos our rapidly changing world invites, while finding order and hope in individual acts of care." -- Laura McBride, author of 'ROUND MIDNIGHT and WE ARE CALLED TO RISE

“Imagine The Leftovers, but with honey.” ― Elle

“Lunde, a Norwegian author and screenwriter, threads a common string through these characters. The novel becomes far less about bees than about family — about how the relationship between parent and child can be passionate, desperate, tragic and uplifting….The History of Bees is a dark read, and yet it ends on a wavering note of optimism. It’s been likened to Emily St. John Mandel’s 2014 sci-fi novel Station Eleven, with good reason." ― Minneapolis Star-Tribune

“This book is about bees the same way Moby-Dick is a book about whales or The Moviegoer is about movies…..[The History of Bees] is reminiscent of the 1998 art film The Red Violin, in that it weaves together three fairly disparate stories spread across the better part of two and a half centuries. At the outset, the connections between the three are opaque, but Lunde’s compelling narrative draws the reader in. Much as in Ray Bradbury’s famed story “A Sound of Thunder,” the “butterfly effect” is in full effect, as decisions made long ago and far away influence outcomes in unpredictable but realistic ways.” ― BookPage

“The History of Bees brings climate change into the realm of book-club fiction. . . . Lunde’s exploration of the tension between human instinct and the need for selflessness couldn’t be more timely.” ― Los Angeles Times

"Is climate-themed fiction all too real? As scientists’ projections about the effects of climate change have increasingly become reality, some works of apocalyptic fiction have begun to seem all too plausible. Maja Lunde’s first book chronicles three generations as they exploit, try to save and eventually mimic bees." ― The New York Times

About the Author

Maja Lunde is a Norwegian author and screenwriter. Lunde has written ten books for children and young adults. She has also written scripts for Norwegian television, including for the children’s series Barnas supershow (“The Children’s Super Show”), the drama series Hjem (“Home”) and the comedy series Side om Side (“Side by Side”). She lives with her husband and three children in Oslo.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atria Books; First Edition (August 22, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1501161377
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1501161377
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.12 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.25 x 1.25 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 614 ratings

About the author

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Maja Lunde

Maja Lunde

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Maja Lunde is a Norwegian author and screenwriter. Lunde has written ten books for children and young adults. She has also written scripts for Norwegian television, including for the children’s series Barnas supershow (“The Children’s Super Show”), the drama series Hjem (“Home”) and the comedy series Side om Side (“Side by Side”). The History of Bees is her first novel for adults. She lives with her husband and three children in Oslo.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
614 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Maddie
5.0 out of 5 stars great story!
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2021
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I really enjoyed this book. *Potential spoilers*

It follows three generations of people in different places and their relationship with bees. Their stories interconnect by the end, and the way the author envisions the consequences of the loss of bees is incredibly interesting, especially since it's not far fetched. I think this can help people recognize the importance of bees in our survival, and more than that, recognize the necessity of protecting the environment.
2 people found this helpful
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Diana Kandilakis
4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, spare
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023
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This was a wonderful, moving book. Ratings are difficult to trust, because every rating is a four, rendering them useless in most cases. I read quite a bit and have learned to stop reading if I start to critique the writing in my mind. A good book draws me into the story so that I become unaware of the writing. This was one of those books. The alarming drop in the populations of bees and other pollinators lends a backdrop of urgency to each of the stories and connects them all together.
One person found this helpful
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Annalyn MIller
5.0 out of 5 stars Save the Bees
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2023
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A single person’s life, a single person’s flesh, blood, body fluids, nerve signals, thoughts, fears and dreams meant nothing. My dreams for him didn’t mean anything, either, if I failed to put them into a context and see that the same dreams had to apply to all of us.
One person found this helpful
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Emily S.
3.0 out of 5 stars It's a fine read, but nothing extraordinary.
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2017
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I liked the format of the three intersecting stories from different eras and locations, but I felt that the connections were a bit forced. There was the obvious connection of the struggle for parents to connect with their children and the struggle to tame the bees, but the connections made in the final pages of the book felt artificial and contrived. If one of the three stories were focused on and expanded, the novel probably could have been much better, but the division of focus meant that the reader had to make large leaps at times to connect one storyline's progress from one point to another. The novel itself focuses on an important issue, the strange disappearance of bees and their importance to life on earth, but the book relies on this issue to drive the plot forward. It's a fine read, but nothing extraordinary.
4 people found this helpful
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James D. Garnsey
4.0 out of 5 stars Important topic but writing needs more spark
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2019
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I found this book very interesting and the story held my interest, but the writing seemed a bit dispassionate. It read like a translation, although there was no indication of a translator on the title page, which I found rather odd because the author is Norwegian. I would recommend it for the topic alone. Another feature was the parent-child relationship, particularly with George, who could not tolerate his son's apparent disinterest in beekeeping. For that reason, I would have to say Tom was my favorite character.
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E. M.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story about the intricacies of bees, ther impact on three families and ultimately humanity
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2019
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The story focuses on three families living in different timeframes, including one in the future, which are connected through their relationship to bees. The three seemly disparate narratives are woven together throughout the book with their interconnectedness becoming increasingly apparent as the novel progresses. This method demonstrates the common humanity of the various individuals’ tragedies, highlights the fragility of our ecosystem and what a world without bees could possibly look like.
3 people found this helpful
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Deanna
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully insightful exploration of family, community and environment
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2022
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This book is at times heartbreaking and heart-warming. Lunde gives the reader a lot to consider in the areas of family relationships, individual responsibility in relation to the community, as well as the environment. Interesting and diverse characters that are well developed and believable, if not always likeable, but who is.
One person found this helpful
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Gigi
4.0 out of 5 stars I did enjoy it when I realized what was going on
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
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Be patient with this book. Every chapter is a different person for awhile and then returns to each of them throughout the book. I was confused at first with so many names. I did enjoy it when I realized what was going on....maybe I wasn't fully concentrating!
This is the type of book I would have rather read as a "book" than on the reader so I could easily return to where I had questions. Anyway, it motivated me to add to my bucket list of asking a beekeeper to allow me to go out with them one day when I retire! We REALLY need the BEES, plant flowering plants/trees. Although there some incidents in life that cannot be assisted by us, we can still help them out.
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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PatDuFF77
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Reviewed in Canada on August 13, 2020
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Great story, very touching and exciting. A must read!
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Cliente do Kindle
5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom
Reviewed in Brazil on February 1, 2018
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Ficção totalmente possível de ser concretizada. Fácil leitura, prende a atenção e dá vontade de continuar lendo até o final, sem parar!
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Maria M.
4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful important wake up book and educational.
Reviewed in Germany on November 24, 2019
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Very captivating taking you through the “bee” world in three different time zones. A very important message that cannot be ignored. This book is beautiful written, and a great Christmas present actually for everyone. An important message for our Planet. I couldn’t put down the book, as it was educational and I wanted to know, how it would end.
That’s Amore!
One person found this helpful
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RosemaryF
4.0 out of 5 stars the back and forth between plot lines was a bit annoying but was necessary to the
Reviewed in Canada on May 18, 2018
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Compelling, and eye-opening. the back and forth between plot lines was a bit annoying but was necessary to the story
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Colleen Pierce-Price
3.0 out of 5 stars Novel could use more buzz
Reviewed in Canada on November 11, 2017
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While I enjoyed the central idea I found the structure of the novel too choppy. I get the different perspectives provided by characters but I couldn’t get invested because of each chapter cycling to a different character.
I loved station 11 because the writing had more flow and the connections between characters seemed more organic
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