I have to admit, I wasn’t really aware of Ethan Hawke as a writer, other than his superb graphic novel, Indeh. Turns out, he’s written several books and has two Oscar nominations for scriptwriting.
But since reading Rules For A Knight a few days ago, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
Here’s what I said about it on Goodreads:
There are two ways to view this short book:
1: Meh. He's just rehashing a load of well-known stories from Zen and the like.
2: This is an elegant reworking of a number of popular parables from many cultures.
I'm going unreservedly with the second. This is a delightfully written collection of pieces, in the form of an extended letter from a knight to his children, teaching them about chivalry and what it means to be a knight. Each of the pieces starts with a short "Rule", followed by the knight's commentary and recollections from his own life. The knight's advice is nothing original, but the telling of it is exquisite: it's simple, honest, and powerful.
I think this is going to be one of those books I dip into again and again, alongside Richard Bach's Illusions and 365 Tao. It's a gentle reminder of how we ought to be, which is something we could all use from time to time.
But what’s really stuck with me wasn’t the content, it was the format.
For a start, it’s a tiny book. It’s a slim volume, just 4” x 6”, which would fit neatly into a jacket pocket. In its plain dark green binding, it was barely visible on the library bookshelf, and I only noticed it by the purest accident. That’s a bold decision by the publisher, opting not to go for something that tries to stand out and compete for your attention. But the book itself is a lovely thing. It feels nice to hold, and I felt kind of special for having discovered it.
Of its 175 pages, many of them are filled with full-page illustrations or patterns. It’s been a while since I read anything that short. But this book doesn’t need to be any longer: it says all it needs to say, and if it was any longer, it would be too much. As I’ve said before, I like books that can tell their story in a concise, elegant manner. This one does it perfectly. And again, kudos to the publisher for putting out something that isn’t trying to give the reader the maximum number of pages for their buck.
The way it’s structured is exquisite. Each of the little sections consists of a full-page black and white drawing of a bird, a short Rule, and then the commentary. They’re each about five pages long, the perfect length for reading while you’re drinking a cup of tea, taking a short break from work, or wrapping up the day. When you finish each one, you could keep going, or you could put the book aside and reflect. They’re gorgeous little parables or meditations worthy of Marcus Aurelius, Confucius, or any of the great teachers.
And yet, the stories don’t feel preachy. They come across like the words of a man who’s genuinely trying to help his children. It’s written with a power and simplicity that children can understand and appreciate, but it’s not a children’s book. That’s some masterful writing.
Hawke’s storytelling is perfect for what he set out to do: he didn’t feel obliged to follow a conventional format, and the end result is, I think, a masterpiece.
Great recommendation. I picked up Rules for a Knight when it came out and it's a real treat. Ash Wednesday was good as well. Hawke's an interesting guy.