Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Nathan, a Baptist preacher and a bully, decides to transplant his family into the Belgian Congo in the 1950s. They arrive, completely unprepared for what awaits them, dressed in suits and carrying pinking shears and Betty Crocker cake mixes. They cannot relate to their neighbors or the sweltering country in which they are now expected to live. They have arrived in a time of political upheaval and dangerous racial and social mayhem. The book covers several decades and describes the consequences of the binds that tie the various family members to Africa. They are deeply marked by tragedy, fear, and guilt that become the driving forces in their existence and creates lives that are worlds apart from each other.

I was ambivalent when this book was chosen by my book club because it boasts being on Oprah's book club, which usually means I will hate it. It ended up being an interesting read although it drags a bit in the overly political end of the book. I'm not sure I loved the storyline but Kingsolver has an amazing gift for language and her descriptions are deep and multi-layered. She paints a picture that is hard to ignore. I enjoyed the different personalities of her characters and the little quirks that set them apart from each other.