The Poisonwood Bible

By Barbara Kingsolver

Currently Unavailable New.

Average Rating: (See all 7 reviews) Format: Paperback, 626 pages, New edition Edition Published In: United Kingdom, 10 January 2000 This is a story 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. About the Author Barbara Kingsolver is the author of many novels including The Poisonwood Bible, Pigs in Heaven, and Homeland, all published by Faber. She lives with her husband and daughter in southern Arizona and in the mountains of southern Appalachia. Prizes By the author of "Pigs in Heaven" and "High Tide in Tucson". Publisher: Faber and Faber ISBN: 057120175X EAN: 9780571201754 Dimensions: 19.0 x 12.0 centimeters

A well written, fascinating story of an American family who travel to The Congo to work as missionaries. Life in The Congo is not what they anticipated and the family dynamic is put under incredible strain by the hardships that they encounter. The setting, both physical and political, the complexity of the family relationships, and the beautiful storytelling style of the writing will keep you enthralled. I admit to tears during parts of the story. Highly recommended.

At first I struggled to get into it - yet this is one of the best books I have ever read!
Beautifully crafted, each chapter moving from one daughter to the other, each with her own unique viewpoint and style. This odd misfit of a family, father on a missionary junket in the Congo, the daughters awash in all the trials, tribulations and dreams of puberty...... and a new and dangerous environment. Father full of bias and racism, mother trying to hold it all together and daughters just plain trying to get on with life.
I just loved this book and, if you love well crafted literature, highly recommend you read it!

I loved the women's journey in this book, which is broadly alegorical of the journey of families, the nation. The father inspired many moments of hilarity and the descriptions and developments of the internal lives of the women were wonderful.

I have read this book twice now. The first time I read it, I really struggled to become involved in it. The second time I read it, I absolutely loved it. I was a bit older and had two children of my own, so was able to sympathise with the mother in the story as to her love for her children. Once I got into this book, I couldn't put it down and wished that it would not end.

I really got swept away with this story about a family headed my missionary father, his wife & daughters who uproot themselves from life in America to got live in the Congo. I found it an easy read simply because of the way of life, the politics & hardships of life in this corner of Africa & the maturation of the daughters in this place so far from home was absolutely fascinating to me.

The Poisonwood Bible would have to be one of the most interesting books that i've read. Barbara Kingsolver allows the reader to get a very good understanding of each character, that is Orleanna, Rachel, Leah, Ruth May and Adah as each character is given their own section. Overall this book was a okay read, to actually enjoy this book, you must be very patient!

A beautifully written, exquisitely constructed tale...

A baptist family arrive in th Belgian Congo in 1959, complete with their idealism and birthday cake mixtures. Nathan Price, the father, is a bible-thumping bully, and tension grows between him and the the local witch doctor, in tandem with growing political unrest in the nation.

The story is told from the perspective of the mother and each of her four daughters - five unique personalities in their own right. The book follows their tragedies and hardships as they try to forge a life in a world not their own.

A wonderful story - on a personal note though, I'm just a little tired of stories presenting missionaries either as bigoted bullies (e.g. 'Poisonwood') or as ingrates and cowards ('At Play in the Field of the Lord'). While this was certainly part of the colonial experience, there were also those who worked incarnationally among those to whom they ministered, working alongside indigenous peoples with respect and love. Maybe I missed the point somewhere along the live...

Nevertheless, an outstanding novel...