Book Report

The Poisonwood Bible
by Barbara Kingsolver

For the better part of a decade, this hardcover book lay dormant under my bed, collecting dust bunnies. That was back when I wasn't reading books. Pity. My mom had given it to me, and I remember distinctly how highly she recommended I take a look at it.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when at least three, if not more, women insisted that I drop all other books and just read The Poisonwood Bible already because it is a life-changer. Say no more; and, boy howdy, were they correct.

This is one of those books that you read and it just about knocks your whole self right over -- repeatedly and profoundly. You find yourself breathing long sighs of relief that you are not the only person who has come to view the world in these ways. By the time you reach the last word of the last sentence, the magic of a nearly perfectly told story has somehow lightened the burden of knowledge of the tragic, beautiful suffering that is humanity. You are moved another step closer to understanding that we are at once witnesses and participants in each other's stories, of our far away histories, of the non-stop mysterious ways of this complex world. Another step closer to grasping muntu -- all that is here. It is what it is. We are what we are. I am all that is here and so are you and you and you. The good, the evil, the incredible, the horrendous. We are what we are, mistakes and all.

At least, that's what it did for me. And I'm awfully tempted to turn around back to page one and read it all over again.

P.S.
Actually, that's not all I got out of this book. In the interest of keeping track of how reading novels is helping me understand how to tell a story, I have to mention it. Each chapter in this book is told from the perspective of one of the five Price family women, primarily the four daughters. Not a new method, by any means, but this book offered me that elusive a-ah moment. I get it now: the concept that each character in a story believes themselves to be 100% correct. Each character has their unique point of view and that is how they should come across to the reader. And, in order for that to happen, the writer must explore corners of each and every character that the reader will never see described on the page, but will come to understand nevertheless. Such a simple concept (that I've nodded along with many times) with a complex application (that is daunting yet exciting) and is absolutely essential to a good story.

P.P.S.
In the aftermath of reading The Poisonwood Bible I put down some words to remind myself what I'm taking away from the experience. It's a rare day that I write a poem, and, when I do, they never follow any rules of poetry, as far as I can tell. But, a poem nonetheless.

Forgive yourself the times in which you live
Forgive yourself the times that came before you
Forgive the mistakes you have made
Forgive but do not forget
Forgive and continue moving on
Forgive and be free of the weight that halts your steps