while i was reading this book, i didn't want to let it out of my physical presence. i kept it by the bed, in my hand on the bart, near my computer at work. i asked my girlfriend if she was jealous that i just wanted to hold this book, at all times. that's how powerful i found kingsolver's story to be,,, during the week or so that i had the privilege of sinking into her unbelievably strong narrative, i wanted to be nowhere else, at all.



the upshot of the book is as follows,,, barbara kingsolver takes on the voice of a boy, and later a man, in a different time and a different culture, surrounds him in a narrative of true historical events and people, and makes the reader fall in love with both the historical and the fictional characters. as a consequence of that love, the reader is able to see american politics and events in a deeper sense than would ever be possible through textbooks or lectures. and she accomplishes all of this in a writing style that is nearly transparent; this isn't a book about barbara kingsolver's genius but about the story being told.



in the past year, i've read two books - this one and night train to lisbon - that stand so far above the rest that they deserve their own shelf.