A book I would like to recommend

For some reason I have been thinking about this extraordinary book...think I will read it again, I enjoyed it so much.

One of my favourite books is "The Poisionwood Bible" (Barbara Kingsolver). It's about a southern baptist minister that takes his family to Africa to teach christianity and save the souls of the tribe that they go to live with in a remote area of what was then the Congo.
The family and their religious views are largely rejected, but tolerated. The tribe treats the family with fairness the same christian like love that the missionaries are there to teach.
To be fair, the Chief of the tribe decides to hold an election in village fashion, where each member is given a stone that they drop into one of two pots to cast a vote either for or against Jesus.
Jesus loses the election but the missionaries don't give up.
Eventually the family (except for the father, the minister who is obsessed) realizes that the people of the village are living the way they are supposed to live and don't need saving anyway.
The story doesn't end there...it's a great book and one that people living here will enjoy and relate to. I recently saw two copies at Cafe Magana.

In one chapter, an army of ants sweeps over the village and everyone rushes to the river where they crowd into wooden boats so they won't be eaten. When that crisis is over, Anatole, a school teacher. tries to enlighten leah , who has doubts about the mission. Here is an excerpt from the book:

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I could see what he thought: that my faith injustice was childish, no more useful here than tires on a horse. I felt the breath of God grow cold on my skin. “We never should have come here,” I said. “We’re just fools that have gotten by so far on dumb luck. That’s what you think, isn’t it?”
“I will not answer that.”
“Then you mean no. We shouldn’t have come.”
“No, you shouldn’t. But you are here, so yes, you should be here. There are more words in the world than no and yes.”
“You’re the only one here who’ll even talk to us, Anatole! Nobody else cares about us, Anatole!”
“Tata Boanda is carrying your mother and sister in his boat. Tata Lekulu is rowing his boat with leaves stuffed in his ears while your father lectures him on loving the Lord. Nevertheless, Tata Lekulu is carrying him to safety. Did you know, Mama Mwanza sometimes puts eggs from her own chickens under your hens when you aren’t looking? How can you say no one cares about you?”
“Mama Mwanza does that? How do you know?”
He didn’t say. I was stupid not to have figured it out. Nelson sometimes found oranges and manioc and even meat in our kitchen house when nothing was there the night before. I suppose we believed so hard in God’s providence that we just accepted miracles in our favor.
“You shouldn’t have come here, Beene, but you are here and nobody in Kilanga wants you to starve. They understand that white people make very troublesome ghosts.”
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It's a very good book.
For a humorous take on religion I recommend "Letters From the Earth"by Mark Twain.

Thanks, I'll check it out....

I actually picked this book up because I like to read about Africa, especially during the 1960's when this story takes place.

Another one I would recommend is "Lets Not Go To The Dogs Tonight" by Alexandra Fuller. Her story of growing up in Africa.

Loved the Kingsolver book. Great insight into many things.

Ms.Thang wrote:Thanks, I'll check it out....

I actually picked this book up because I like to read about Africa, especially during the 1960's when this story takes place.

Another one I would recommend is "Lets Not Go To The Dogs Tonight" by Alexandra Fuller. Her story of growing up in Africa.

If you enjoy reading about Africa, I recommend that you buy a copy of Paul Theroux´ DARK STAR SAFARI (2002), a somewhat controversial book written by this author who has written many entertaining and informative travel books centered on various places around the globe. Theroux was a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi and Uganda back in the 1960s and this was his return trip at the turn of the century. Theroux travels from Egypt to South Africa overland where possible in the days of his writings and this is a fabulous recounting of events and people he experienced during his journey. This is not your usual romanticized view of Africa,its people and the foreign interlopers, both religiously oriented and those serving foreign governments and NGOs who swarmed over and still swarm over Africa for better or worse.

I got a kick out of this book because, after having read THE WHITE NILE back in the 1960s, I also decided to travel from Egypt to South Africa in 1969 and was accomplishing that goal until I got to Tanzania and found, upon planning to continue my travels to Mozambique, Zambia and what was then Rhodesia, that my funds, repesented by traveler´s cheques, were not negotiable in Rhodesia, Mozambique and South Africa so, what the hell, I flew from Nairobi to Bombay and traveled about India instead which turned out to be my good fortune. However, the trip from Alexandria to Dar Es Salaam with many intermediate stops enroute was great adventure. DARK STAR SAFARI is the first book I have read since that mirrored my own experiences as a vagabond backpacker in those days. Many critics did not appreciate Theroux´ take on the parts of the Africa of the 1960s he lived in as a Peace Corps volunteer and returned to many years later as a travel writer commenting extensively and, somewhat cynically on what he found there according to many critics, but having been through a similar experience - only in 1969 vs. the turn of the century - I found the book immensely informative and entertaining.

I checked out the preview of Dark Star Safari on Amazon, it looks like something I would really enjoy. Thanks, Dawg.

The Poisonwood Bible...one of the best books I've ever read. Thank for reminding me that I should read it again.

The Poisonwood Bible is a spectacular book.

I had heard the name, but didn't know the story (Poisonwood Bible, that is). It sounds interesting - especially since it takes place in the Congo. I found a pdf download - no illustrations unfortunately - but I can share it with anyone who wants to read it digitally.

There's a book club here somewhere, no? I used to read books so much - and it's more fun when you can discuss them with other people.

Traveller wrote:I had heard the name, but didn't know the story (Poisonwood Bible, that is). It sounds interesting - especially since it takes place in the Congo. I found a pdf download - no illustrations unfortunately - but I can share it with anyone who wants to read it digitally.

There's a book club here somewhere, no? I used to read books so much - and it's more fun when you can discuss them with other people.

There are several book clubs here I am aware of . Some meet weekly; some monthly. Some limit their membership. Suggest you try posting here and on TOB to get a response and find one that suits you.

If that doesn't work out, why not start a separate thread and solicit members for a new book club?

Excellent idea. I am soon going away for a couple of months - but when I get back, I will start looking for a book club. Used to belong to one - we took turns suggesting books, and it pushed us to read books we wouldn't have tried otherwise. We got together for coffee and shared our opinions - it was a good experience.