Goal 61 - Read all the books on my reading list

The Poisonwood Bible
Barbara Kingsolver

Interesting Fact that I Didn't Know until I Read the Wikipedia Entry Just Now: Kingsolver is a member of the Rock Bottom Remainders, a rock and roll band consisting of published writers, including Amy Tan, Matt Groening, Dave Barry, and Stephen King among others. Also, she grew up in rural Kentucky, like me.

I loved this book so much, I'm not sure how I can possibly convey it in this stupid little book report that I've been wondering all week how to write so as to do the book justice. I now have to put all Kingsolver's other books on my reading list.

My decision to read this book in the first place came from an odd place: one of those peculiar quizzes, "What novel would you be if you were a novel?" I can't remember where I came across it. I have this vague idea it was from one of Cranky Fitness's Random Friday posts, which are always entertaining. So I took the quiz, and I came up as The Poisonwood Bible. This meant nothing to me at the time, but I thought the title was interesting, and I had heard that Kingsolver was a great writer. So I noted it down, and when I got around to making my reading list, on it went.

Having now read it, I have to say I am hugely flattered at the idea that I would be The Poisonwood Bible if I were a book. It makes me impressed with myself.

The bulk of the story takes place in Africa, but it's about Americans from the state of Georgia (USA). This bare plot fact didn't speak to me that much, and I might not have read it because I'm not that into Americans in Africa, so I'm glad I had an impelling reason to read it, or I would have so lost out.

I can't reveal any more of the plot than that.

This book is so beautifully and, yes, entertainingly written, that it took me forever to read it, because I had to go so slow and savor every word, and sometimes go back and re-read sentences because they were so great I had to "hear" them again.

The last part of the book becomes slightly less musical and more historical than the first, but it is all riveting. It is also heartbreaking, so be warned.

Read it, and you'll not only find out a lot about Africa that you didn't know you wanted (needed) to know, you'll experience incredible adventures with some truly amazing characters.