The Poisonwood Bible. Like, wow. (Spoilers)

[TheLovelyBoots]

I'm about 3/4 of the way through. I just read the part where Ruth May dies on the tube ride home and was sobbing in the corner, what an embarrassment.

I think this is possibly the best book I have ever read - Orleana's chapters are particularly haunting when she talks about the strength it took her not to walk out every day.

Does Nathan ever narrate a chapter?

Did you love it?

Read it years and years ago, but yes, a very powerful book, I loved it too.

I read it years ago. As far as I can remember I don't think Nathan does. I love d it. It's one of my favourite books. I remember sobbing when Ruth May died.
Such a good story.

The way Orleana describes grief tipped me over the edge: It's like swimming with your hair flowing behind you - the moment you stop, it catches up with you.

Sob.

Oh yes, what a great book. I seem to remember spending the whole book internally screaming at Nathan.

I loved it too, I thought it was very powerful but also it was a really good story, so different to anything else I'd ever read.

I can't understand why Orleana didn't call her father and beg for his help with Ruth May fell ill, or when the drought arrived, or the ants (!) and then finally, the green mamba. Is he still around? He's an eye doctor?

That's about as far as I've gotten.

I've just re-read it - am currently in that part of Africa as my daughter and her boyfriend have been living here for the past year and I'm on a visit.

The bit that really grabbed me this time is the political commentary in the second half of the book - American involvement to destabilise the country. How that passed me by on first reading, I don't know.

Loved the voices of the four girls.

My favourite book
I could probably read it again as its years since I read it

I love the round-robin narrators - she does it beautifully. I love it in general, though.

skolastica are you actually in the Congo at the moment?

Yes, in Congo-Brazzaville though, not the Democratic Republic.

loved this book...read it ages ago, and I read your OP and for one brief second thought "eh, Ruth May died on a tube ride home??"

must reread...

my fave Barbara Kingsolver has to be The Bean Trees - love it

Such a beautifully written book, this thread is making me want to read it again.

I recently read two of her other books- Flight Behaviour and the Lacuna. Both were excellent, her writing is just wonderful.

How does Flight Behavior compare to PWB? i.e. is it as good?

I didn't like it quite as much, but then I absolutely LOVED the Poisonwood bible. Still very good though, beautiful imagery again.

Someone else who thought Ruth didn't die on the tube, surely?

The only one of BK's I've read is The Poisonwood Bible. I enjoyed it, but not enough to rush out and get any more. I did like the different narrators though.

A friend was raving over Flight Behaviour recently and is going to lend me her copy so I'll maybe give it a go.

I absolutely loved this book. Didn't enjoy Lacuna though and am not enjoying Flight Behaviour too much either.

yes i was impressed. forgotten alot of it.

read a book about butterflies in Virginia recently. that may have been her?

Someone else who thought Ruth didn't die on the tube, surely?

I really made a mess of that one didn't I?

alemci I haven't read Flight Behavior but I'm pretty sure that's it.

I read The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven many years ago - loved them both. I've been a fan of Barbara Kingsolver since then.

Prodigal Summer is another good one.

Many writers write just because they can write and it's like eating too much stodgy food whilst BK weaves a powerful bit of herself into every book. To me this is what marks her out as a writer who will stand the test of time.

I read a non fiction Barbara Kingsolver book a few years ago that was excellent as well. I think it was called something like a Year Of Eating Locally, although I may be wrong about that. It was basically about her family doing an experiment of only eating food that could be produced within a 30 mile radius of their home, as a way of studying the wider issues associated with modern food production, food miles etc. Was very interesting.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was fabulous

I'm nearly done, just a few percent more . I'll move onto Prodigal Summer next.

I'm already suffering book hangover.

One of my favourite books, I've read and re read it umpteen times and every time discover something new in it.

She did a question and answer thingy on here a while back, she answered one of my questions,I was SO thrilled

PWB done.

Dame, what was your question to BA? How amazing.

I'm pretty sad that I've discovered her after what seems to have been 2013 whistle-stop tour? I would have loved to go to one of her talks, there were a couple in London.

I've now picked up My Antonia which I left half-way before PWB. It's good, but I'm still in that mourning period.