The Poisonwood Bible (by Barbara Kingsolver)

(review by Mirjam)
My official review "Tata Jesus is Bängala":

I finished the last 300 pages in 2 days (which is very fast for me - English books). I felt every emotion under the sky with this book. I hated Nathan Price, I hated injustice, I hated my uselessness, I hated the fact that there are no good prospects for Africa in the future. As a Geographic major I strongly believe that the closer you are to the Equator, the longer it will remain a 3rd world country. Of course the country itself is full of resources (in non-foods) that could make them rich, but nothing can feed the overpopulated cities. Politics obstruct any way of turning diamonds into food. Anyway,
I loved the fact the author talked so much about how they processed their lives and experiences in the Congo. To some degree that's how I am. I grew up poor and desolate and now live in this insane country where everything is available. I feel restless and unsettles at times. Like Orleanna who can't wear shoes in Atlanta because she needs to feel dirt between her feet I prefer to walk to church (with stroller and kids) in Minus degree weather because that's my connection to my family and culture in Germany. Nobody gets it when we arrive at church with red noses, fully aware that we have a functional car.
I love and miss Ruth May. I cried a lot about dead animal. I laughed at her timely wittiness in describing the culture clashes.

I learned one important point about African culture. The author lingered on the fact that Africans (especially villagers) can't grasp the fact of a family owning or keeping more than they need or consume at any point. When a fisherman caught a full net he immediately shares with his village. People don't ask for fish or thank for the fish. They just take. Because that's how it is. When the Prices arrived there with storage the kids came to beg at their door. Not because they were greedy or rude but that's how the village functions.

We have many African immigrants in our ward and neighborhood (sometimes I am the only white person in a store on any given day). For example when the Relief Society announces a committee meeting "With refreshments" some African women just show up. They go straight to the refreshment table (in the middle of the meeting, untouched foods and all) eat, and then go home. None has a calling but hears the call to eat the offered food. There is an abundance and they have no money for food. It's all logical to them to eat when it's available if they were invited or not. There are also many problems with African can't getting off welfare. Honorable families don't understand the reason not to take when it's for everyone to take and use. There is no thinking about the future, just filling the belly now.

One of our Book Club books this year is "A Framework for Understanding Poverty" by Ruby K Payne to help us interact better.

I loved it. It was a good book. A few flaws but easily forgivable for the beautiful philosophical writing. It was the best epic I read so far.
I will stay away from Oprah's newest epic though. "The Pillars of the Earth" The reviews alone made my skin crawl. It sounds intriguing historically but there were a lot of warning for violent sex, gory rape and torture that made readers almost sick.



678 pages. I would never pick up a book that long. I saw it at the thrift store and knew that's the way to avoid library late fees because I can't finish it in time. I bought it for $.99 and started it last week. I am half way through. I wish I had more time to read.

So here's my funny story before I can post my opinions:

I gave the kids a long bath with lots of toys in the bath tub to get at least 20min of reading time I was craving. I filled up the bath tub and dumped all the foam letters in and William ran out of the bathroom. I yelled after him to come back and undress. When he came back he said: "Here ya go" and handed me by big book. He already knew he was being bathed not because he needed it but because *I* needed it.

Gotcha!

BTW, it is good so far but confusing in the character development. Every chapter is a narrative of a different family member but after a while you can't see the difference between the adult and the handicapped daughter, in terms of language and understanding.
After the 300 + pages I still have no real image about their village in the Congo. That's my biggest pet peeve. I sort of start to imagine the place and then she throws in a fact that doesn't match with my imagined picture .