Watership Down


"If you've read Watership Down I'm sure you'll realise it's entirely 
based in the English countryside and you can almost say that the 
English countryside was another character in the book. 

 



"The route which the rabbits took in the story, it's all quite 
real, it's all there for anyone to see. In fact several people 
have actually amused themselves by walking the route of 
the rabbits from south of Newbury up to Watership Down. 

  
On a possible alternative ending:

"My original idea was that Big Wig after he'd fought (General) Woundwart 
and driven him off, would die of his wounds but my children simply would 
not have it. They said 'no daddy Big Wig is not to die, he should be badly 
wounded but he's not to die. "And I didn't dare actually to make him die 
after what my children had said. They had quite a lot to do with making up 
the story." On the release of the animated film version released in 1978 
and directed by Martin Rosen. People were shocked because it started as 
a children story but it deals with adult themes such as death. 



"Well I've always said that Watership Down is not a book for
children. I say: it's a book, and anyone who  wants to read it 
can read it. And I've had fan letters not only from kids 
who can hardly hold a pencil but the oldest one came 
from a man aged 85 who said how much he enjoyed the book."
                



   (A Radio Play) - Richard Adams - Watership Down 1 of 4.mp3           
   (A Radio Play) - Richard Adams - Watership Down 2 of 4.mp3                
   (A Radio Play) - Richard Adams - Watership Down 3 of 4.mp3        
   (A Radio Play) - Richard Adams - Watership Down 4 of 4.mp3