The Poisonwood Bible

It's been a few days since I've been able to get on our blog. We had a tornado go through the area (not really close to us) and therefore lots of wind and rain which knocked out our power (only for about a minute) and sent a power surge through our Internet router. Leaving us without any Internet for two days. It's actually pretty hilarious how much we rely on the Internet these days for things like directions, phone numbers, getting a hold of people, a social life (that one's more in my case, not Aaron's, since he gets to go to work where there are real people). But we are up and running now.

I've mentioned before that I joined our Relief Society Book Club when we moved here. The book we are reading for May is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I'm almost finished reading it, and I'm going to have to say, that unless something pretty awful happens in the last few chapters, that I recommend that people read this book.

The story, set in the late 1950s early 60s, is about a Baptist preacher who takes his wife and four daughters on a mission to the Congo. The point of view rotates between the mother and each of the daughters, never the father. The family is basically unprepared for the way of life they find in the Congo. The preacher thinks only he knows what's best for everyone, even though he doesn't practice what he preaches. One disaster after another hits the village where they are staying, and eventually one of the daughters dies. The family dissolves. And the story follows each one for years down the road to see how their time in Africa affected them each in individual ways.

I wouldn't recommend the book because of it's action packed plot, because frankly, it doesn't have one. It's not a slow mover either, but a slower mover, I'd say. But the reason I'm recommending it is because even while I'm not reading it, like while I'm doing dishes, or rocking Lincoln to sleep, I find myself thinking about it. How would I have reacted if I were in those situations? Would I ignore what's going on in the world around me, or would I try to do something about it, even if I spent my whole life not making a difference? It's fascinating to me how a group of people, especially one as close as a family should be, can experience the same thing and all come out of it so differently from all the others.

So, if you are looking for a thought provoking book...The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, is one I would definitely recommend.