135 -The Poisonwood Bible; Barbara Kingsolver

The Poisonwood Bible is one of those books that I have wanted to read for a long time. I finally had the opportunity to listen to the audio version and was very pleased.

For those of you who are not familiar with this novel, The Poisonwood Bible is the story of fanatical Baptist missionary, Nathan Price, who moves his wife Orleanna, and their 4 daughters to  the Belgian Congo from Bethlehem, Georgia in 1959. The Reverend Price was hoping to bring Christianity to the people in the village of Kilanga, at a time when the people of that village were struggling to survive and to remain free from Belgium.  

The family arrives in the Congo without a clue as to what they were in for. The bring seeds to plant, but the soil is so poor, seeds will not grow. There is no plumbing or electricity and disease is prevalent everywhere it seems. The Reverend tries to get the people to come to the river to be baptised, but no one is interested in finding God by bathing in waters where crocodiles live. While the goal of Nathan Price was to transform the the lives of the Congolese people by bringing God into their lives, what really happens is that the lives of this family is transformed bit by bit, by what life was really like for them in the Congo.

The story is told in alternating voices of Oleanna and his daughters, and covers a period of about 30 years. The story hooks the reader immediately as each of the characters share realistic views of what they were experiencing along the way. Nathan Price is the only major character who does not have a voice in this novel, and yet in some ways I felt I got to know him the best through the eyes of his wife and daughters. He was an extremely arrogant and unlikeable man who put his entire family at risk. He was degrading to women, and I can't think of one positive thing to say about him. I think the fact he had no voice made this story all the more poignant.

The Poisonwood Bible is a story you really need to read for yourself. It's touching, compelling and insightful. The author did an amazing job depicting the political climate at that time. It's a story about religious beliefs, a story of the disintegration of a family, and a story about forgiveness. It is a story that makes you think, and a story that makes you question the actions our government sometimes takes, which really is not always in the best interest of the people.  I truly had sympathy for this family, especially as the years pass and each of the girls tries to find their place in  the world.  I loved the first half of this book, but felt that the second half  got a little bogged down at times. Despite this, I highly recommend this book.

Rating 4.5/5 

Personal copy and Library audio book

Wordless Wednesday

134 - Zoo Story; Thomas French

Thomas French, Pulitzer Prize winning reporter for the St. Petersburg Times has written an eye opening book about zoos, well at least one zoo in particular. In Zoo Story,  French focuses his attention on the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida.  Not only does the author reveal what life is like for the animals in captivity, but he also focuses of the politic and, power plays involved in zoo operations, which were not always in the best interest of the animals. The former CEO, Lex Salisbury, AKA El Diablo Blanco (White Devil), was forced to resign in 2008. This particular zoo in Tampa,  was shut down in the 1980s due to horrific conditions. It was reopened and transformed years later, but one must ask the question -- at what cost to both the animals and the staff?

The story begins with (11) elephants from a herd in Swaziland, South Africa being air lifted in a Boeing 747. Traveling from South Africa to Tampa, Florida, the new home for the majority of this group, at a cost of $12,000 per elephant. Tranquillized and traveling in cages on this long journey alone stirred up much controversy from animal rights advocates, debating the merits of living in one's natural habitat, despite overpopulation, versus the new contained environment created at the zoo. Elephants from the herd are often slaughtered to contain overpopulation, and  because of a shortage of food.

This book was very informative, and the six year's of research conducted by the author shows. I liked the fact that he told it as he saw it, and it is clear that he did not sugar coat anything.  The book held my attention throughout, however, I felt the story was too focused on zoo operations and management for my taste. I did not realize this would be the case when I began the book. I was hoping to learn a lot more about the lives of the animals in captivity there, than I did.  Despite this, the book is solid, and would probably appeal to most people with a genuine interest in animal welfare. RECOMMENDED

Rating - 4/5 stars - Library Book

133 - Molly's Pilgrim; Barbara Cohen

In Molly's Pilgrim, Molly is a third grade girl who doesn't feel very thankful as Thanksgiving approaches. Molly came to America from Russia after the Cossacks burned a synagogue in Goraduck. The family, fearing for its safety, came to America to seek a more peaceful life.

In school here, Molly looked a bit different and dressed different. Some of the cruel children at her new school in the US made fun of the way she dressed and the way she spoke. School made Molly sad, and she feared that she would never fit in.

One day near Thanksgiving the teacher assigns the class a project about Pilgrims, and soon the entire class learns a valuable lesson -- all kinds of Pilgrims make Thanksgiving a reason to give thanks.

Molly's Pilgrim is a touching story based on an actual incident experienced by a relative of the author. It's a wonderful story, best enjoyed by second and third graders that teaches children about difference and a lesson in tolerance as well. The black and white illustrations in the hardcover edition are by David Mark Duffy, and they are excellent. The book was originally published in 1998. Recommended

5/5 stars - Library book

Mailbox Monday - October 18, 2010

Mailbox Monday for October is being hosted by Avis @ She Reads and Reads. Here's an opportunity to share what books arrived in your mailbox last week.  Here's what came my way (all unsolicted):

 

 (Thanks goes to Harper Collins & Europa Editions)

• Absolute Risk; Steven Gore
• Next Time You See Me; Katia Lief
• Dead Even; Brad Meltzer
• Midnight Fugue; Reginald Hill
• The Art of Losing;  Rebecca Connell
• Merry Merry Ghost; Carolyn Hart
• Body in the Sleigh; Katherine Hall Page

The last (2) sound like pretty good holiday mysteries.

Hope that you had a great week in books.

132 - Blue Nude; Elizabeth Rosner

Did you ever read a book that was so good, that you read it twice, back to back? Such was the case for me with  Blue Nude, by Elizabeth Rosner. A short novel, just 200 pages, but a fantastic book that completely wowed me.

The story is about two artists -- initially strangers whose lives, past and present intersect after a chance meeting.  Danzig is a 58 year old German-born painter. He was born days after WWII to a cold and abusive father and a submissive mother. Danzig and his sister Margot were witness to the cruelties of their father, who although never fully revealed, appeared to play a significant role in the elimination of the Jews during the war.  To cope with the ways of his demanding father, at an early age, Danzig found comfort in painting and art. 

 "Still, his father always found ways of tormenting him, made sure he was given jobs to do before he was allowed to eat his meal or play or read a book. He was inspected for cleanliness in the mornings before going to school, and he was sent to bed without food if he ever left a job half finished--or worse, if he had said he had done something when actually he hadn't"........................."He was on his own, and his father was the enemy, and it was all very clear and without alteration."

 After tragedy strikes, and only unhappy memories remain, Danzig leaves Germany for America. He moves to San Francisco to pursue a career in art. He works as an art professor at the Art Institute in San Francisco.

Merav, is a young, Israeli born woman who makes a living as a nude model.  When she finds work posing for Danzig's art class, she is careful not to speak fearing that Danzig will pick up on her accent, as she has with his.  Merav, too, has had her share of tragedy, and years later the nightmares still haunt her. There is an unspoken interest by the two that keeps them connected. She feels at peace while posing for Danzig's class. For Danzig, in Merav he finds his creativeness returning after 5+ years. He asks her to pose for him privately in his studio. Merav is totally in her comfort zone when posing for art students........

"She felt like a swallow, dipping and soaring at twilight. She felt her body touched without being touched".

"Sometimes Merav thinks that modeling is one of the ways her physical life resembles that of her childhood on the kibbutz."

With out giving too much of the story away, I'll just say that I was completely taken by this story. The writing is beautiful, the characters so well fleshed out; I felt deeply for both of them.  A redemptive story about the power of the human spirit as each individual tries to cope with the demons of their past. Blue Nude, is a story you will not easily forget.

Originally published in hardcover by Ballantine in May 2006 and reissued in 2010 in paperback by Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster). I can't believe that this wonderful book has not received more accolades. Do yourself a favor and read this book, you will be glad you did.

Rating - 5/5 Stars - Complimentary Copy

131 - Comet's Nine Lives; Jan Brett

 

Comet's Nine Lives is a preschool book that is absolutely adorable, but it deals with a cat who gets himself into a variety of predicaments and uses up (8) of his (9) lives.  I can see where some parents might be cautious about reading or explaining such a book to young children, and a few reviews indicated the subject matter was not appropriate for young children. In my opinion is, the story is just fine. It just takes a little explaining, as you would do if you were to read Hansel and Gretal or Little Red Riding Hood to a young child. 

Comet is a cat who was born 30 miles out to sea on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. He never really had a home of his own, and wandered here and there.  He lost his first life when he ate some foxglove flowers that made him sick. His second life was lost in a book store --who would have thought they were dangerous? However, while resting on a stack of books, he took a tumble and all the books landed on his head.  He even lost one of his lives by taking a tumble into a strawberry milkshake --what a way to go!  Fortunately, as you can tell while reading along, Comet does find the perfect place to settle down in the end.

My Opinion -- I loved this book. It is such a cute story, and the beautiful, colorful illustrations of Nantucket Island are just awesome. The book is both written and illustrated by Jan Brett.  It is really a sweet story about a cat's adventures. It will have you and your little one anxiously turning the pages to see what kind of mischief Comet gets himself into next.

Highly Recommended - 5/5 stars - Library Book