Pre-numbered label used for registration.

I found this at a yard sale over the weekend. To be read and released.

This book really got itself buried in Mt. TBR. I never intended to wait this long to read this book, and now that I have, I wish I had picked it up sooner.

Set in the Congo, this book spans the politically turbulent decades that followed independence from Belgium. A Baptist preacher, trying to atone for his past, drags his family into the jungles of Congo to preach Christianity to the poorest. The impact of living in such alien circumstances, among such poverty, will shape the rest of his family's lives. The story unfolds in alternating narratives from the daughters, with periodic flashback narratives from the wife. This book paints a vivid picture of the cultures and political turmoil of the period, and draws the reader ever deeper into Africa. Each of the characters has her own flaws, and while some are easier to empathize with than others, none are perfect, and the narratives help make the reader a silent member of the family.

There are so many themes in the book, discussing them all could form the basis for an entire course of study. There certainly is a cautionary note about the dangers of trying to impose solutions without understanding the local conditions (a relevant point today in other parts of the world). The author also explores the impact of centuries of foreign involvement on the ongoing political strife in this unfortunate nation. There is much to think about in this book, which is well written and generally pleasant to read.

RELEASE NOTES:

On one of the benches in the alley connecting the fountain courtyard outside Stella's Restaurant to the end of Prince Street.