The Poisonwood Bible

by Barbara Kingsolver | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: Global Overview for this book
Registered by Gooner of March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on 7/26/2003
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
8 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Saturday, July 26, 2003
On my list of books To Be Read: watch this space!

Updated 24 June 2004: At last I got round to reading this one and am now two-thirds of the way through. I'm amazed at why I waited so long ... Really enjoying it.

Journal Entry 2 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Sunday, June 27, 2004
After choosing to read this book because it was the earliest registered book on my BC bookshelf, I was not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

But I thoroughly enjoyed all 600-odd pages of it. Perhaps it was easy to whizz through because the chapters were variously split up into narrations by each of the five female characters, the wife and four daughters of a Southern US Baptist minister. The different voices within each chapter made it easy to build up a picture of the characters of each of them.

The other interesting part was when names from the BBC news of the late 50s, 60s and 70s crept into the tale. The Belgian Congo reaching independence and becoming Zaire, the renaming of cities that had names bestowed by colonial powers - these were echoes of matters which had not interested me one jot when I was a child growing up.

I'm so glad I read this book, and if anyone else wants it will be sending it out as a bookring.

Journal Entry 3 by Gooner from March, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, July 13, 2004
This was handed to KathyS, who kindly agreed to release it at the Birmingham Unconvention on 16, 17 and 18 July 2004.

I hope whoever picks it up enjoys it half as much as I did!

Journal Entry 4 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, July 19, 2004
Having almost bought this on the morning of the Unconvention it seemed fated to be read when I spotted it on the table.

Journal Entry 5 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Thursday, August 12, 2004
I wish I could give this book the high literary praise it deserves but words somehow fail me. This was an amazing story.

I found it easy to read and loved the split narration as I found it help me to give each one a voice and build the character in my head. I got frustrated with Rachel, cried over Ruth May and loved Adah and Leah. I would have liked maybe one chapter from Nathan Price, especially towards the end of the family's stay, just to see what was going on in his head.

I knew nothing about the Congo during the 60s and 70s (and will certainly be looking for information about it now) Thank you, Gooner, for giving me the opportunity to read this.

Journal Entry 6 by perfect-circle from Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear United Kingdom on Monday, August 16, 2004
I am going to be sending this out on a ray. Usual rules apply - please journal when you receive it and again when you've finished it to let us know what you think. Please try and pass the book on within 4 weeks. If you have any problems or want to be moved on the list, please pm me and let me know.

Running order

Powerhouse - Holland (Europe)
Kislany - Cyprus (Europe)
Flicki - Germany (Europe)
Brujula - France (Europe)
Starry-starry - UK (Anywhere)
Helly77 - UK (Anywhere)
Katt66 - USA (USA)

Journal Entry 7 by perfect-circle at on Saturday, August 21, 2004
Released on Saturday, August 21, 2004 at Postal Release in Controlled release, England United Kingdom.

started its journey today

Journal Entry 8 by powerhouse from Culemborg, Gelderland Netherlands on Wednesday, September 8, 2004
The Poisonwood Bible arrived today! Thank you so much perfect-circle for sharing this with us.

Journal Entry 9 by powerhouse from Culemborg, Gelderland Netherlands on Wednesday, November 3, 2004
I wanted to read this book so much... and it's been on my bed side for almost two months now and I do not dare to keep it any longer. I guess I wanted to make it a special read, in a quiet period, concentrated etc. But my life is busy and noisy and full of rushed reading. So, I'm sure there will be another way to get to this book. Thank you again, perfect-circle. Sending it on to Cyprus!

Journal Entry 10 by Kislany on Sunday, November 21, 2004
Have received the book, thank you. Will try to read it as fast as I can.

Journal Entry 11 by Kislany on Wednesday, November 24, 2004
I couldn't get into it for some reason. I know it's a good book, has a lot of great reviews, but it's not my style, so I am sending it on to Flicki, have already her address so it will be on its way tomorrow morning. Will go by surface as it's a heavy book, but should be there within good 2 weeks.

Journal Entry 12 by Kislany at on Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Released on Thursday, November 25, 2004 at about 12:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Mailed to BC member in Mailed to another BC member, a fellow bookcrosser Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

On its way to Flicki.

Journal Entry 13 by Flicki from Aurich, Niedersachsen Germany on Thursday, December 2, 2004
The little sweetie arrived! I only wonder when I get around to reading it, all bookrings and rays are arriving at once now - I'll move it to the top of my pile, but I cannot guarantee that I'll make it within a month as the book is so big (and so is the one I'm reading right now). Hope there's no problem with that!? I'll hurry up anyway!!

Journal Entry 14 by Flicki from Aurich, Niedersachsen Germany on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Oh, dear! I'm so relieved and yet so sad that I've worked through all the 614 pages of this! It's one of the greatest novels I came across - and I really do wonder why this hasn't happened any earlier - for example during my English studies at University...? That's quite strange as I had taken postcolonial literature as my personal field of interest. Well, nevermind, it's never too late! ;-)

As I find it impossible to express my feelings about this wonderful book, I'd rather let the characters speak for themselves:


**********************************************

"Hunger of the body is altogether different from the shallow, daily hunger of the belly. Those who have known this kind of hunger cannot entirely love, ever again, those who have not" (p. 392/393)

**********************************************

"Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet: They are what we call civilization" (p. 602)

**********************************************

"The public library he mistook for heaven. 'Béene,' he whispered, 'for everything that has ever come into my mind, there is already a book written about it.'
'Watch out,' I teased him. 'Maybe there's one in here about you.' (p. 529)

**********************************************

Wishing you all to find that book! :-)

And sending this one on to Brujula later today.


Journal Entry 15 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Friday, January 21, 2005
The book arrived today, along with another rather thick book...
I'll do my best to read it within a month!
Thank you Flicki and perfect-circle!

Journal Entry 16 by Brujula from Valenciennes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais France on Tuesday, February 22, 2005
This is a very good novel.
The characters are very well set, and one can almost smell and see the Republic of Congo.
Thank you very much for sharing this book, perfect-circle!
(and in the end, Rachel appears to be much less stupid than it seems... she is not as shallow as she would want us to believe her)

StarryStarry asked to be skipped, so I'm mailing this book to Helly77 tomorrow.

Journal Entry 17 by Helly77 from Preston, Lancashire United Kingdom on Friday, March 11, 2005
i have tried to read this before, but couldnt really get into it properly, I really want to read it as I have heard so many good things about it, so I am going to try again:o)
I will start as soon as I have finished my other 2 current rings :o)

Thanks for sharing

Journal Entry 18 by Helly77 at Bookring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Monday, March 21, 2005

Released 19 yrs ago (3/21/2005 UTC) at Bookring in a RABCK, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

I still couldnt find a way into this, have had a lot to deal with lately though, so I am passing it on to Katt66 :)

Journal Entry 19 by Kattwoman from Columbia, Missouri USA on Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Recieved from Helly77. Will try to start it next week.

Journal Entry 20 by Kattwoman from Columbia, Missouri USA on Thursday, July 7, 2005
I am sorry to say I just couldn't get into the book. I really wanted to read this but it just didn't grab my interest for some reason.

Released 18 yrs ago (10/27/2005 UTC) at Boone County National Bank 720 East Broadway in Columbia, Missouri USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Left this at a teller counter.

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.