The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver continues to stand as one of my favorite books of all time!
I first read The Poisonwood Bible in 2017. It was one of my first selections from Book of the Month. (Btw you should totally try Book of the Month! It’s my favorite subscription service! You can use my link to get your first box for $5!)
Originally published in 1998, it was rereleased with Book of the Month in 2017 and was essentially new to me. What I would have never expected was to be transformed by a book three times over. Yes, I’ve read this book three times, and each time I’ve read it, I’ve taken away something new.
After that, I was a quick Barbara Kingsolver fan. I read some of her other books like Unsheltered and her most recent release Demon Copperhead, a spin on Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield. You may also recognize her name from the classic novel The Bean Trees, often used as required reading in high school literature classes.
All of this to say, she is an incredibly talented writer. Her ability to craft deep, layered, emotional, contemplative works is rare.
Dare I say she’s in a category all her own?
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Let’s Get into The Poisonwood Bible!
Synopsis:
The Poisonwood Bible, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, established Barbara Kingsolver as one of the most thoughtful and daring of modern writers. Taking its place alongside the classic works of postcolonial literature, it is a suspenseful epic of one family’s tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in Africa.
The story is 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. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it—from garden seeds to Scripture—is calamitously transformed on African soil.
The novel is set against one of the most dramatic political chronicles of the twentieth century: the Congo’s fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of its first elected prime minister, the CIA coup to install his replacement, and the insidious progress of a world economic order that robs the fledgling African nation of its autonomy. Against this backdrop, Orleanna Price reconstructs the story of her evangelist husband’s part in the Western assault on Africa, a tale indelibly darkened by her own losses and unanswerable questions about her own culpability. Also narrating the story, by turns, are her four daughters—the teenaged Rachel; adolescent twins Leah and Adah; and Ruth May, a prescient five-year-old.
These sharply observant girls, who arrive in the Congo with racial preconceptions forged in 1950s Georgia, will be marked in surprisingly different ways by their father’s intractable mission, and by Africa itself. Ultimately each must strike her own separate path to salvation. Their passionately intertwined stories become a compelling exploration of moral risk and personal responsibility.
Review:
“Read this book. It’s incredible,” isn’t enough but it’s the first thing I blurt out when someone mentions The Poisonwood Bible. This book has continued to shift my perspective with each read. If you missed it above, I’ve read it three times!
The first time I read it, I was most affected by the relationship between Nathan and Orleanna. I was furious for so many reasons.
During the second read, I was more focused on the differing perspectives of the daughters and how their developments differed.
The third time, I was very contemplative on how ineffective Nathan’s approach to evangelism was and how it led to Orleanna, Rachel, Leah, and Adah all leaving Christianity. I was really frustrated by this much more than I had been in the past.
It really made me think about the correct approach to sharing the Gospel. I’m not an expert, but I definitely know Nathan’s abrasive approach could never be effective. Not only did he fail in his mission, he damaged his family and led them away from their faith.
One of my favorite quotes was from Leah, “Watching my father, I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re trying to look like the smartest person in the room.” I feel like this one quote could be the epitome of the whole book. We are so small in such a huge world. There is so much we don’t know. There isn’t one right way to live. If you don’t go into a different culture with an open mind and a heavy dose of humility, you’re not going to succeed.
After reading this book multiple times, I really feel like it should be required reading. There are so many nuanced layers to discuss and reflect on.
This story is beautiful and infuriating. You’ll definitely need to be in the right headspace to take this one on. It’s an incredibly emotional read. See the community response here!
This book is meant to be discussed. Make it your next book club read and leave the discussion questions and planning to me! Get your book club kit for The Poisonwood Bible here!
Other Books by Barbara Kingsolver
If you’re new to Barbara Kingsolver’s books, allow me to be your official guide.
Below is a list of her books that I’ve read and loved in the order that I’d recommend reading them. Below that are the books I have read yet, but are on my TBR list!
Read:
TBR:
Content Warnings:
This book contains some heavy topics that may be difficult for some. There are depictions of racism, misogyny, domestic violence, war themes, and death. Visit this site for more information.
Discussion Questions:
The Poisonwood Bible would make for a fantastic book club discussion! If your club is looking for a literary fiction that will prompt deep, thought-provoking discussions, you’ll love this book club pick. I’ve included a few discussion questions below.
You can get everything you need to host an immersive themed book club by purchasing my Book Club Kit! It includes even more discussion questions, a themed food and drink list, themed activity list, themed souvenir ideas, and a themed playlist that you can listen to instantly!
Get the Book Club Kit for The Poisonwood Bible here!
- In the very first pages of the book, Orleanna shares how the Okapi was not a “real animal” until European explorers discovered it and a family of them was put in the Museum of National History. How does this example represent the cultural contrasts we see throughout the novel?
- What were your thoughts when you read about the items the girls brought to the Congo? What did these items say about their preparedness?
- The Poisonwood tree was introduced early in the book when Mama Tabatha told Nathan, “that one, brother, he bite.” He brushed her off, but woke the next morning with a rash, a swollen eye, and puss that ran from welted flesh. How was the Poisonwood tree a metaphor for the Price’s time in the Congo?
- There are many examples of Nathan Price putting his own opinions above others in the name of Christianity. One example to discuss is when he moved Easter to the Fourth of July because the people in the Congo “don’t even know Sunday from Tuesday.” How did you interpret this?
- Discuss Orleanna and Nathan’s marriage? What did you find most unhealthy? Were there any redeeming parts of their marriage?
- Was it right that the girls felt the need to “protect” Orleanna from Nathan?
- How was Nathan’s attempt at cultivating the garden symbolic of what he was trying to do in the Congo?
- Discuss Nathan’s approach to evangelizing. Why was it unsuccessful? What were the repercussions of his actions? Can you think of any examples in your life where this is relatable?
- In reference to the people of the Congo, how did the perspectives of each girl change?
- I reference to Christianity, how did the perspectives of each girl change? Reflect on the reasons why.
Get all 20 discussion questions in my Book Club Kit!
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