The PoIsOnWoOd Bible
[ This is a soundoff written in response to a book review written about Barbara Kingsolver's book, THe Poisonwood Bible.]
Though spending my summer trying to get through this book wasn’t what I would call a highlight of my life, I would have to say I strongly disagree with the hatred Jim has for this book. I’ll give him that maybe the first hundred/ hundred fifty pages were rather dull, there was still a well written story and characters that you could connect with, even though they are female. The main problem I have with Jim’s piece was his resentment towards the author about her portrayal of Nathan. Jim seemed to think that Orleanna was in the wrong when she left Nathan in the Congo. The conditions that Nathan kept his family in for those few years were completely unsafe! Nathan was crazy to keep them there. I know that if I had been in Orleanna’s place I would have done the same thing, though I probably would have brought along all my children.
I do however slightly agree with him in regards to Orleanna’s behavior post Ruth May’s death. Not so much about Orleanna wrongly blaming Nathan, but instead about how it took her so long to finally get it that she needed to get out. Even though her children nearly died of various illnesses and could have been killed at anytime by the animals there it takes her a death to break the camel’s back! . She says “”Anyone can see I should have, long before…”” but clearly she was the only one that didn’t see.
I also agree that Kingsolver’s writing is very political, and if Jim is true she seems to not know all the facts. She writes as if the government is trying to screw people over when honestly they are just trying to do what they believe is helpful. She also seems to form the trend that it was constantly the Americans that were doing it. Jim says, “Kingsolver takes this set of facts and turns it into some sort of grand Eisenhower-led attempt to impose the American will on peace loving Lumumba and the people of the Congo.” I completely agree with him there. It seems that through the entire book she pins the problems on the Americans and according to Jim’s facts, that’s incorrect.
Over all I wasn’t a fan of this hateful review, but Jim brings up some valid points. In my opinion Kingsolver’s book, though lengthy, descriptive, and definitely not a beach read, is a pretty decent book over all. I think that from the political standpoint it is very one sided, but everyone is entitled to their own beliefs.
August 16th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100% regarding The PoIsOnWoOd Bible, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong