The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
May 7, 2010
At the cusp of the Congo Crisis, an oblivious missionary family arrives in the village of Kilanga.
Nathan Price, the father, is aggressive and unbending, confident he is bringing enlightenment to Africa. The rest of the family is pulled along in his wake: an overshadowed wife and four daughters, each one different. Rachel, the superficial highschooler, Leah, the idealistic and strong twin, Ada, the cynical and crippled twin, and Ruth, the baby. The story follows each family member as they meet Africa (a thriving, cruel, smothering, surviving and liberating entity). Africa erodes Nathan’s power but does it really set his family free?
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This is one of my alltime favorite books … I hope you enjoyed it!
I did! I read another by her afterwards too. The Bean Trees.
All her books are poetic in their lyricism of prose and subject matter. “Poisonwood” is probably my favorite, but I also love her locavore tome “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle,” and “Prodigal Summer.” Her latest, “The Lacuna,” is magnificent.