“Everything you’re sure is right can be wrong in another place.”
— Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
I hope you’re as excited as we are to read and discuss this season’s Read With Us selection, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
Sometimes, when I read a book, I can actually feel myself . . . rearranged . . . by the time I get to the end of it. I’m not sure how else to explain it, exactly, but some books just make me see and understand the world in a whole new way after I read them.
The Poisonwood Bible was one of those books for me.
I read it when it was first published in 1998. (I’d been really excited to read it, because I was a big Kingsolver fan already.) I was mesmerized by the book: the unfolding story, the 5 distinct voices of the narrators, the setting, and, most of all, the “lessons” that helped shape my worldview . . . African history, colonialism, and white saviorism.
When we chose The Poisonwood Bible for this Read With Us go-round, I was a tiny bit nervous about it. I have held the book in such high regard since that first (and my only) reading of it back in 1998. What if it didn’t hold up, all these years later?
I’m happy to report . . . it did. The book aged well, actually. It remains relevant and powerful. And I loved it even more this time through, all these years later.
For more information about this season’s selection, you can check out our Read With Us reference page for background info and other “goodies” about the book, including a few just-added items: a map, timelines and helpful details about the conflicts/political situations in the Democratic Republic of The Congo, and some fun/interesting “factoids” about The Poisonwood Bible. Be sure to check it out!
The Poisonwood Bible is currently available on Amazon in paperback ($12.69), Kindle ($12.99) or Audible versions (1 credit). You can check your local bookstores for a copy — and, of course, the book should also be available at most libraries. (EDITED Note: I listened to the audiobook version of the book while also “reading along” with my old hard copy. The book is narrated by Dean Robertson and it is fabulous. Initially, I thought it was Barbara Kingsolver narrating, but no. It is Dean Robertson.)
The book discussion day for The Poisonwood Bible will be Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Bonny, Carole, and I will each post discussion questions on our blogs that day, and then – later in the evening (7:00 pm Eastern time zone) – we’ll be hosting a live book discussion/meet-up on Zoom. If you’d like to join the Zoom (and we’d really love it if you do!) please let me know in the comments or send me an email (link in sidebar).
C’mon along!
Read With Us!
I was not a big fan of the book when I read it in 2000, mainly because it was so different from Kingsolvers’s Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven, and I focused on Nathan Price. This time I’m paying much more attention to the timeline, politics, all the layers, and re-reading a lot. I can’t wait to discuss it!
I don’t think I have ever been so eager to discuss a book as this one… this is my first Kingsolver book. I did not read it when it came out. But this book is so stunningly relevant for so many unexpected reasons! I am *this close* to finishing it and will likely do so today. But I really, really, really don’t want the story to end! (the sign of a very good book!) This is one where I will have to be careful about over-taking the discussion… LOL You have been warned! XO
LOL over Kat’s comment. I read it decades ago – probably 1999-ish and I loved it. This time around I am listening and oh boy! (I had been wondering who the narrator was as I knew it was not a male) I had forgotten some of the (dark) humor and I had forgotten a lot of other things too. Thoroughly enjoying (again) this time around. So glad this is our selection!
I’m not sure who the woman was the narrated the audio I listened to but it was not a man, nor was it Barbara. Orleanna sounded older (and wiser) like I’d expect her to sound.
This book is more about the women than Nathan, but he certainly has total control of the family until they flee. I didn’t expect it to hold up as strongly as it does (nothing ever changes:). I reread in some time in the 2010s and reread it again recently. I would say it’s one of my top favorites.
Thanks, Margene! I did a little more digging re: the audiobook narrator and discovered that it is, indeed, Dean Robertson narrating. I am so embarrassed for making the assumption that “Dean” was only a man’s name. My apologies to everyone. Dean Robertson’s narration is fabulous. I have edited the post to indicate the proper information.
Oh I’m looking forward to re-reading this one. And maybe since it’ll be after the time change, it’ll be easier for me to “get there” to talk it over with you all. So much has changed in my life, especially in regard to experiences with people from other places and cultures, since I read this years ago, I’m really interested to see what it feels like now.
I think we’re going to have such a great discussion about this one! I loved it when I first read it (probably sometime around 1999), and I loved it again on my reread. I’m sure there are different things that stood out to me now that I’m older and a mother, but I agree that the book definitely holds up.
I am waiting to request the book from the library for a week or two so that I finish it right before the discussion. Plot details fall right out of my head as soon as I pick up another book. Looking forward to this one!