Kingsolver, Barbara. The Bean Trees.New York: HarperPerennial, 1989.
Barbara Kingsolver is my favorite author. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I love the way she writes. The Bean Trees is on my Book Lust list and I’ve already read it hundreds of time. It’s the book I grab when I am in between other reads. It’s the book I reach for when I have a few minutes to kill while the rice bubbles on the stove. Given the chance to read it again just for Book Lust I am more than happy to jump at the chance.
Taylor Greer isn’t Taylor until she takes to the highway. Leaving her hometown of Kentucky to see something other than small town rumors and ruts she finds herself on the road, “adopting” a three year old American Indian girl on the way then finally landing in Tucson, Arizona. Taylor is smart, witty and, for lack of a better word, feisty. She tells us her story with great observance to the spirit of humanity.
One of the things I love about Kingsolver’s work is the reoccurring themes: respect for nature described in gorgeous, vibrant detail, immigration and the political implications, the joys and struggles of motherhood (especially the single mother), the value of both belonging to a community and having independence. The Bean Trees is no different. All of these themes are carefully woven into the framework of the novel.
My favorite lines (okay some of them): “Whatever you want the most, it’s going to be the worst thing for you” (p 62).
“There were two things about Mama. One is she always expected the best out of me. And the other is that then no matter what I did, whatever I came home with, she acted like it was the moon I had just hung up in the sky and plugged in all the stars. Like I was that good” (p 10).
BookLust Twist: From More Book Lust’s first chapter called”Adapting to Adoption” (p 1). I have to admit I don’t agree with Pearl’s description of how Taylor “acquires” the American Indian child. Pearl says “When Taylor Greer leaves Kentucky for points west in order to escape the confines of small-town life, she finds an abandoned and abused Cherokee child left in her car…” (p 2). It actually went more like this: “Then she set this bundle down on the seat of my car. “Take this baby,” she said….”where do you want me to take it?” She looked back at the bar, and then looked at me. “Just take it.” I waited a minute, thinking that soon my mind would clear and I would understand what she was saying. It didn’t.” (The Bean Trees p 17). This is a poignant scene to me and it makes a big difference (to me) whether the child was left or handed over.
ps~ November is National Adoption month. I reread this just a tad early.
~*LunaSea*~ 
I loved her book Poisonwood Bible. I will have to read this one as well.
Hmmm, I have adopted most my pets in November over the years. Does that count? 😉
Orbiting! I picked Piosonwood Bible up just last night! I read about four chapters before falling asleep!
I forget what month “National Adopt a Pet” is, but I think November is a great month for that! 🙂
Really!?! How funny! Orbiting 😉 You will love it! I still have mine. I pretty much keep all my books. I re-read them or share them with others. Once in a blue moon I give them away. They are like very old, dear friends, there in the bookshelves, and I can go to them for comfort and learning… enchantment and travels as well as healing…laughter and just pure acceptance. I ♥ books.
I have read everything B. Kingsolver has published. I even have High Tide in Tucson on tape (with her reading). I totally agree with you – her books are like dear, old friends. I recommend her as an author every chance I get!