What Summer Solstice Means
The summer solstice, which occurs during the third week of June, makes a good story. In fact, a number of sub-genres in literature have become associated with it.
Different cultures view the solstice in different ways. Fertility is the first thing that comes to mind, as the Celtic people do. It can also be adventure, which some authors identify to paganism. Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur", for instance, depicts King Arthur's lifetime as a transitory period of Medieval greatness, an era when magic is about to cease and men ruling Britain. One segment shows Arthur within a circle of standing stones (menhir), calling Merlin for help. The magician is no longer by the king's side, but his spirit lives on. They communicate through telepathy, made possible by the stones.
Stonehenge, located in Wilshite, is the most famous of these menhirs. Descendants of the Celts congregate during the solstice to partake in a ritual. Rob MacGregor used this as his inspiration for his novels on Indiana Jones. He's a dour academician guising as an adventurer, lucky to live during the exciting period of the twentieth century, right after the First World War and before the Second World War. In "Dance of the Giants", Indy, as his friends and colleagues fondly call him, finds out that Deirdre Campbell, one of his new students, is more than passionate on Arthurian romance. She claims to uncover a scroll that proves the existence of Merlin. It happens to be her thesis, but Indy is intrigued. Professor and student set out to Stonehenge, eager to rewrite the history of Great Britain.
What they discover are mysterious writings by Colonel Percy Fawcett, an adventurer who explore the dense jungle of the Amazon and never heard again. He's searching for the Lost City of Z, having artifacts coming from Atlantis. But Indy becomes excited about the description of red-haired people inhabiting the place. Can they be related to the Celtic Druids?
MacGregor created a yarn like no other, close to Allan Quatermain's exploits in Africa. Reality is no less exciting, as the warmest season of the year means spending more time outdoors. A holiday is the first option, with a book or two in tow. Sitting outside and reading a book can be a good thing. There are many titles to choose from. "The Beach" by Alex Garland. "Congo" by Michael Crichton. "King Solomon's Mines" by H. Rider Haggard. "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne. "African Adventure" by Willard Price.
A trip sans book can be an option, as many parts of the continent celebrate the summer solstice by making a bonfire. It's a communal event, a great opportunity to witness a particular culture. There's also a sinister side to it, which some will allude to Walpurgis Night. It is identified with another season, but literary buffs would think of a different genre.
Summer is young, the sun at its greatest height, beckons. Go out, bring a book, and enjoy the outdoors.
