I paid attention to the relevance of Bambi as a book for adult audience only very few years ago, when I´ve read an extensive critical approach on the work of Felix Salten, the author of the book that was the insipration for the popular 1942 Walt Disney film. Like everyone else, I only knew about the movie, not even thinking that there is more than that to the story.
Initially, it was the book: Bambi. The Story of a Life in the Forest published in 1923 by Salten in German. Salten, an Austro-Hungarian Jew born in Budapest, like many other Jews from this region were fascinated by the Viennaise culture and did his best to be part of the local elites - he even changed his name from Siegmund Salzmann to the more ´chic´-sounding Felix Salten. Even when those elites were openly obsessed with the annihilation of Jews. Thus, the story of Bambi abandoned in the wild forest after his mother was killed, may be a parable of the fate of Jews during the difficult times following the WWI.
But there is also something else about Salten that made me think lately: Salten was not only a lover of animals, but also a hunter. There is a deep contradiction splitting often the personality of a passionate - not occasional hunter: they love animals but they listen to some imperatives that may make them believe that by killing the animals, they contribute to the natural balance of the ecosystem. Many years ago I had some acquintance who was a hunter and had the chance to listen to this argument over and over again. I am still not convinced about its rationale.
The Bambi. The Story of a Life in the Forest that I finally had the chance to have access to was the latest edition translated by Jack Zipes, published by Princeton University Press. What was special about it was the audiobook version, available on Audrey, an audiobook app publishing classical literature books. Therefore, I had not only the priviledge of getting to know the real story, but to listen to a very special version, animated by the unforgettable voice of Peter Marinker.
In addition to the content, the app offers various details and annotations on each chapter that enrich the reading experience, offering historical and contextual background to the story. I´ve found this part very useful for going deep into the details of the novel, and it even have pictures to illustrate various species.
The world of Bambi the book is unkind, cruel and merciless. In reality, wild animals aren´t cute and ife in the forest is no Rousseau-ist paradise fantasy. It is the survival of the fittest which is rulling. It is a very naturalistic yet relatable key although there are also some hilarious moments, as the squirrel always referring to his cousins.
Bambi is a novel about education and training, about learning how to react to the world, mostly a hostile environment, a so-called Erziehungsroman. One of the most cruel yet important lesson Bambi learns is how to be alone, to restrain from sharing too many feelings with and dependency from the others.
Last but not least, it is also an avant la lettre ecological story, displaying the dramatic consequences of the interaction between human and animal worlds: trees are destroyed chasing away the animals, killing and destruction.
Better late than never, I am happy I was finally able to break the Disney fantasy into the little pieces of the animal world. I ended up loving it more than the cartoonish version.
As for Audrey app, will definitely try to explore more classical books soon.
Rating: 5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
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