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Joseph
The book is very interesting, kingsolver really showed how life was for
this family, and depicted how Nathan price treated his family and the
disparity between him and his family. The conception his family had of
him, they basically hated him. He misconstrued the christian religion,
he needs to be preached the gospel himself, because he doesn't treat his
family as a christian would. In my opinion Barbara kingsolver showed how
the diversities of the Price family, and what each daughter felt about
there boring father. Through this different views of Nathan were formed.
For example: Rachel hated him, Leah wanted to be like him, Adah didn't
give a crap, and Ruth may had no idea what was going on.
Chris
I am disappointed by Orinn Judd's observations on the matter of this novel being the most hateful material available. It is true that Nathan Price is projected as a stubborn and sometimes hateful man; however, this is not to be derived from his white, Christian position in the world. Before being sent to war, he was a kind-hearted preacher with the power of the Word in his soul. Upon his return from the war his perspective on what the Lord expected of him was most distorted. He thought that anything that brought him pleasure was sinful and that God was watching with a scornful eye. For this he saw his children as scorches in his purity before God and therefore a burden he regrets having acquired. For this he is hateful; for this he is destroyed. He is certainly not the representative of the Christian faith that he presented himself to be.
Virginia
The Poisonwood Bible is an excellent book. I was intrigued mostly by how the author developed these characters so well; I grew to love every member of this fictional family. I loved the fact that each chapter was narrated by a different daughter or the mother. It made me value the characteristics of each character and I enjoyed seeing each point of view. I felt like I could hear each voice because Kingsolver was able to vary her style so much from person to person. In this book, I don't think Kingsolver was saying that Christianity is bad, as a previous person mentioned in their review. I think in this book she was simply giving an example of how self-righteousness and pride can hurt others and drive them away. Christianity isn't bad, Nathan Price was just misinformed. This is an example of how tolerance and acceptance can do more than forcing your beliefs on others. As for the way Kingsolver talks about the United States, I don't think it is entirely uncalled-for. It is a wake-up call.
Autumn
As a college student who had the privilege to study in Central and Southern Africa, the Poisonwood Bible brought back so many memories. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories told by Orleanna, Rachel, Adah, and Leah and I understood their misconceptions about the "Tribes of Ham". Americans are often so judgmental and self -righteous that we, like Nathan Price, often fail to see our own shortcomings. I loved the history shared in this novel, and I think that it allows those who are not able to leave America to see themselves through the eyes of the Congolese.
Phyllis
I was very impressed by this book. Barbara Kingsolver has a great talent for character development. I felt as though I knew the entire family after "listening" to them throughout the book. There are so many good, caring, Christian people who sincerely respect the culture and religions of other lands that it is hard for some people to single out the "bad apple" in the barrel. Nathan Price was a man who was mentally injured in the war and never recovered. He, his family, and the Congolese in the village were all victims of his injuries. I was very impressed by the fact that because of his mental state, not only was he ineffective as a missionary, but as a husband and father. I was also very impressed by Kingsolver's use of symbolism in the novel, such as the reference to Nathan by one of his daughters as "Our Father," rather than the lower case "our father." She obviously wanted her readers to fully understand the evolution of the girls feelings about their father and their differences. One also has to understand that Orleanna had loved the Nathan who went off to war, but found the Nathan who returned home to be completely different. The Congo in the late '50's and early '60's is an appropriate background and mirrors the strife seen in the Price family. Remarkable book and one which would be a pleasure to teach. Remarkable book and one which would be a pleasure to teach.
Keith Light
Having finished the novel only moments ago, I am still reeling with outrage. Unlike her previous works (The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven), there is nothing subtle in the way that she describes the Western World's assault on native culture. Instead, the author is bluntly honest. Her trademark subtlety is instead focused on the relationships between the members of the fictional Price Family. All in all, I found it a good read. Insightful, maddening and heartwarming, I learned much from the book and find it be one of Kingsolver's best.
Anonymous
This novel made a great impression on me, a young African-American woman-college student who tried to understand what was happening in the Congo during that critical period. I have since evolved my own understanding of it and agree with a lot of Leah's thoughts. However, it was illuminating to read the varying effects of their African experience on all the different characters. Unlike a previous reader, I felt that even the father was given more than surface dimension. He was not only controlled by his own vision, but his experience in the war shed a great deal of light on his development and subsequent obsession. Having completed the book in 3 days last week, I am still trying to digest it because I think there are many more dimensions to the story than the apparent ones.
Diane Wallace-Reid
I have read all of Kingsolver's novels and continuously marvel at her insights into the human condition. The Poisonwood Bible underscored the arrogance of both certain Christians and certain western countries in approaching Africa in general and the Congo in particular. The very personal accounts of five women and how they were changed by Africa informs us that we all have as many lessons to learn as we have to teach. It also should illuminate our thinking that not all lives have to be lived the same in order to be of value; i.e. Western Civilization does not equal civilization. This book reawakens ones sense of justice and the need to live our lives, especially as Americans, in the context of a global society.
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