Synopsis (credit: www.harpercollins.com)

Spreading her memorable characters over landscapes ranging from northern California to the hills of eastern Kentucky and the Caribbean island of St Lucia, Barbara Kingsolver tells stories of hope, momentary joy, and powerful endurance. In every setting, Kingsolver's distinctive voice — at times comic, but often heartrending — rings true as she explores the twin themes of family ties and the life choices one must ultimately make alone.

(Bought second-hand at Dreams Come True Book Exchange, Bellville.)

The book forms part of my permanent collection.

In this anthology, Barbara Kingsolver takes the art of concise storytelling to an unusual level. Hers has all the qualities of the best of the genre but with an intimate understanding and respect for the people that feature in her stories. This enables her to capture the simplest of aspects from the life of ordinary human beings and portray them as the small, vital victories that they are.

I'm pretty sure no man could have written these stories. Too often we just don't get it.