The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver
Quote: It's a grief to see the best Zairean genius and diplomacy spent on bare survival, while fortunes in diamonds and cobalt are slipped daily out from under our feet. " This is not a poor nation," I remind my sons till they hear it in their sleep. " it is only a nation of poor." ~ Leah pg. 590
Started: April 20, 2012
Finished: May 8, 2012
paperback/large print
708 pages
From the cover:
The story is told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them all they believe they will need from home but soon find that all of it- from garden seeds to the Scripture- is calamitously transformed on African soil. Dancing between the darkly comic human failings and inspiring poetic justice of our times, this tale of one family's tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades is set against one of history's most dramatic political parables: the Congo's fight for independence. In a compelling exploration of religion, conscience, imperialist arrogance, and the many paths to redemption, Barbara Kingsolver has brought forth her most ambitious work ever.
My Review:
I think I am going to have a love/hate relationship with this book. I truly did enjoy it. All 708 pages. It was a very educational and emotional book. I love books/stories that are 2 sided. this one had several sides. Not only to you learn the perspective of the 5 main characters, you also see the natives' side to things. each character shares their opinions and experiences in their own way.
As a Christian, I understand the importance of missionary work and the need and love to minister to one and all. I also know that this particular mission family whether fictional or not was quite doomed from the beginning! They set out on this journey uninformed, uneducated, unprepared, and in Nathan Price's case, unwilling to change or adapt in the slightest. He packed up his family and set out extremely close minded and demanded they follow suit. He was their leader and he lead them straight into their destruction.
In my opinion he was nothing more than a damaged vet, power hungry, demanding, arrogant, stubborn man.
He seems very coldhearted to his family and new neighbors, yet is preaching of the Almighty's love. I'm still doing some research on the actual events during the period this story is based, but I also feel Price chose the worst possible time to start out on this mission of his. Still, I will give this book 5 stars for a wonderful written work.
Here are a couple links. do your own research!