The Bear Went Over the Mountain
(1996) is a novel
by William Kotzwinkle
. The movie rights for the book have been sold to Jim Henson
. The book can be read as a fantasy based story but also has elements of satire
, particularly in its depiction of the publishing industry.
The plot concerns an academic, Arthur Bramhall. Bramhall's colleagues know him to be a poorly performing teacher of English with little talent as a writer. Bramhall manages to write a great novel and goes off to celebrate with a beer. Whilst he is drinking a bear digs up his manuscript. The plot follows the dual adventures of the main characters, the bear is accepted as a talented author and Bramhall's increasing desperation leads to him being shunned by his former friends and colleagues. In its use of humour and a character of very limited abilities - the bear - to comment on aspects of modern life the book resembles stories like Forrest Gump
and Being There
. It also continues a trend well established in Kotzwinkle's work.
Interview with Kotzwinkle
about the book.