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The Poisonwood Bible
Barbara Kingsolver. HarperPerennial: 1999 (paperback). ISBN: 0060930535. 556 pages.
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About the Author
A page of detailed biographical information on Barbara Kingsolver, including excerpts from interviews in which Kingsolver interprets her own work.
Kingsolver, a former X-ray technician (one of her many unusual prior professions, as you’ll discover in this section), made practical, scientific use of the insomnia she suffered during her first pregnancy—writing her first novel, The Bean Trees, during her restless nights, working in the closet so as to not disturb her family. In this section, you’ll learn about many more of Kingsolver’s fascinating career moves and bold choices in writing.
All in the Family
A synopsis of the literary traditions and genres with which Kingsolver is affiliated and a brief explanation of these connections, giving your book group the opportunity to understand her novel in a larger literary perspective.
The Poisonwood Bible is part of a very large literary family indeed, belonging to the heavily populated category of European and American stories set in and about Africa. In this section, we consider Kingsolver’s novel in the context of the work of Defoe, Burroughs, Hemmingway, and of course, Conrad, as well as its relationship to other literature by native African authors.
Character Tree
A list of major characters and their dominant characteristics and values, showing characters’ relationships to each other.
As you look over this section, consider the relationship that each of the Price family members—father, mother, and four very different daughters—has with the people and the country he or she has come to “save.” Now look back on the African characters, and think about which of these wind up “saving” the Prices in some way.
Streams of Themes
A breakdown of potential major discussion themes in Kinsolver’s novel, including ways these themes are interconnected.
The Poisonwood Bible is a big, complex book, and not surprisingly, it features a lot of big, complex themes. Kingsolver encourages us to contemplate the incredible variety of ways that one person’s actions can affect a large number of people in ways he or she never anticipated, be they members of a family, a tribe, a village, a country, or an entire race. In this section, we’ll help you begin the process of unwinding some of these convoluted chains of power and influence.
Talk Back to the Critics
Excerpts of some major critical reviews of Poisonwood Bible from authoritative journals, newspapers, and magazines. We encourage your book group to enjoy the opportunity to argue with expert opinion.
Most critics found plenty to praise in Kingsolver’s novel, especially in its first turbulent half. But a few complained about what they saw as Kingsolver’s weakness for easy sentimentality—“It’s all so easy, this sentimental carpetbagging of a far-away history.” Peruse this section to find out more. . .
Doorways to Discussion
A chronologically and thematically organized list of discussion questions, which function to explore, in a logical and thoughtful manner, the questions and possibilities that The Poisonwood Bible evokes.
Quick: can you identify the sister among the four Price girls who seems most like her father in her response to African cultural norms? Can we argue that Kingsolver posits one particular sister as the heroine of the tale, and another as the villain? How so? This is just one of the many questions we’ll ask to help you think about this novel.
Taste Test
A selection of other books on subjects similar to those in Kingsolver’s novel to consider for future book group meetings or for private reading.
If you’re interested in reading some other great fiction that explores culture clash, family friction, and/or African history and culture, have we got some great reads for you to discover in this section!
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