Who Has Seen the Wind

I was required to read this book as a rambunctious 15 year old. I hated the fact I was forced to read it, but loved the story as I had grown up on the prairies. Mitchell captures life on the prairie and the mind of an inquisitive boy like no other.

I usually don't like coming of age stories, but this book is the exception to that rule. I loved the author's style; it reads almost like poetry. The imagery and symbolism is amazing and the characters are unforgettable. The story is about a young boy, Brian, growing up during the depression in a small town on the Canadian pairie. It basically deals with all the things coming-of-age books usually deal with, but what makes this a classic, is the other characters that affect his life. Like his strange friend, Young Ben, who pulled a knife on their first grade teacher to defend Brian. Or my other favorite character Mr. Digby, the school principle, who's understanding and integrity are matched with his unkempt appreance and lack of social graces. Although some might complain the story is a bit slow, and not be far wrong, the descriptions are beautiful, and for anyone who has every lived on the prairie, it is just going back. It is one of two books I "borrowed" permanently from my parents when I left home.

I had the privilege of reading this book in Malaysia for my OSSD English class and I found it to be rich and full of Canadian values. I then went to university in a relatively small town (Lethbridge, Alberta) and found the praire life to be a facsimile of that described in the book. Mr. Mitchell has truly captured the essence of Canadian life in the praires. This book is honest, deep and deals with the cycles of life with humble tenderness. It is a compelling book that opens you to a world of simple honesty and beauty in the Canadian Praires. This book is touching and you will feel it as Mr. Mitchell tells it like no one can.

This book is a classic. Right up there with To Kill a Mockingbird, Grapes of Wrath etc. The story of Brian O'Connal growing up on the wilds of the Canadian prairie is beautifully woven against a powerful, sometimes sinister, backdrop of small town Canadiana. This book captures life in a small town like few can. It is hilarious in spots, and sometimes very moving. Mitchell captures the heart of a young boy's spiritual, and intellectual growth with wonderful detail. I highly recommend this book.

The person who rated this book as boring must not have read the same book I did. This is an elegaic portrait of life on the Canadian Prairies in the early 20th century. It captures something significant about the Prairie psyche and the Canadian psyche as a whole. It is, in the final analysis, a sweet, beautifully written story by a master story teller. It is not full of car chases or other amusements for tiny minds, but is a treat for anyone who appreciates a great tale well told.