Barbara Kingsolver's Books

Have any of you wild loving gardeners read the book Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. It is a novel but delves into the whole topic of native plants, what has happened to them and how it affects everything. I'm enthralled with it and highly recommend it for anyone who loves nature, plants, animals and our impact on the environment.

That is an incredible book, which I lent to my daughter who lives in Kentucky as soon as I finished with it. It all comes around to who we need to be, and how we need to treat the land to survive.

Kingsolver also has a book of essays called Small Wonder that is just that, and an unbelievably time worthy read.

I started out with Pigs in Heaven, then backtracked to The Bean Trees. I'll have to look for the essays. The thing about Prodigal Summer was that the 3 main female characters seemed to be one person at different stages of life. I think she will write another book where they all come together as friends.

Kathleen, if you can find the CD audio at the library, it is great as Barbara is reading it in her lovely southern accent.

That would be a lovely book. but being a writer, I know that characters have a way of taking off on yo and heading for the hills!

I have only read these two and the Poisonwood Bible.

Kathleen what kind of things do you write? I think one of the impressive things about Barbara's books are they are great stories but the wisdom, information and philosophy is so worth thinking about. I mean you feel like reading it isn't just entertaining. I've worked for years and didn't read as much as I wanted and have retired early so now have the luxury of frequenting my public library. If I lived another 50 years I would not be able to read all I'd like to. When you are younger you say "someday" an awfully lot but now I realize "someday" is here, and not to put off doing what is really important.

I'm a poet, but also write some short stories and a few essays. My biggest problem is that characters seem destined to do what they want even when I think I have the end sorted out in my head before I start.

I was forced into early retirement by my health, which is better than lots, but not up to full time dairy farming. I have always been a reader - when I was a kid, I used to take books to the barn with me. Now I start them 6 at a time and have them scattered all over the house.

It sounds like we are about the same age - 51 here next month.

I'm 57. Have a few years on you. I swear I feel like 40 in my thinking anyway. I don't think I could handle 6 at a time. I get so addicted to one that I really want to stay to the end. Unfortunately, I have to say goodbye quickly to characters I like. I loved Cold Mountain. Have you read it? I thought that the writing was close to poetry. He used words to describe scenes so well you could feel like you were there. I understand they are making a movie of it. No way can they capture or improve on what went on in my head.

Your taking books to the barn reminded me of my 50th birthday. My son bought me a balloon ride. We left Walworth, NY and drifted south for many miles. Just as we were about to land in a field, about 10 Mennonite children age 4 and up emerged from a corn field, barefoot and each had a book in their hand. I think we had interrupted their reading time. They had such wonderous expressions on their faces to see this huge balloon landing in their field. Needless to say we didn't offer them the champagne as is the custom with ballooners.

Dairy farming is really demanding and time consuming. My ex-husband used to tell me he took care of 20 cows as a teenager and when he was 17 or 18 he joined the Air Force and his parents sold the herd the day after he left. That was a indication of how tough it was.

I loved Cold Mountain - and another book with a strong woman is Ahab's Wife, more sea than land, but a bit of gardening!

We have lots of Amish neighbors and one of the father's was talking to stan one time and he said that he kept finding one of the boy's books in the haymow. I guess that was where he went for a little peace and quiet.

Thanks for the recommendation of Ahab's Wife. I'll have to look for it. I just started the Poisonwood Bible. I didn't know it was about missionaries in Africa. My brother and sis-in-law are missionaries in S.A. (Venezuela). They have been there 30 years. Of course, they come home every 3 yrs. Otherwise the culture shock would be overwhelming. So I'm interested to see how Poisonwd Bible relates to their experiences.

We had a horrible ice storm last night. The woods around here are cracking and falling down. Sounds like rifle shots. I think you are on the other side of this horrible cold front that is keeping our temps around freezing or below. Perfect for the maple syrup collection, as they need the below at night and the above in the day.

We are on the other side of the front, and while I'm sorry you are getting the ice, I'm happy with the rain. Maple syrup is done here, the trees are budded and the run is pretty much over. We used to sugar with friends - oh how I hated gathering on those cold mixed percipitation days! If the previous owners of our farm had left us any maple trees, Stan always talked of running tubing through and putting the sugar shack at the bottom of the valley that runs pretty much through the middle of the place. Unfortunately they had the place logged out before they sold it to us.

You'll enjoy the Poisonwood Bible, I think. It is interesting how she goes from character to character for the point of view.

The Poisonwood Bible, next to Starlings Laughing is my all time favourite book.Loved it when daddy didnt listen to the little african woman, and his plants died....and the bad tree burned him!!I think we can all relate to that,LOL."fireplants"....ugh.~tsavo