Prodigal Summer - Barbara Kingsolver

Prodigal Summer

By Barbara Kingsolver

  • Release Date: 2009-10-13
  • Genre: Literary Fiction
Score: 4
4
From 425 Ratings

Description

National Bestseller

“A blend of breathtaking artistry, encyclopedic knowledge of the natural world. . . and ardent commitment to the supremacy of nature.” — San Francisco Chronicle

In this beautiful novel, Barbara Kingsolver, acclaimed author of The Poisonwood Bible and the Pulitzer-Prize winning Demon Copperhead, and recipient of the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguish Contribution to American Letters, weaves together three stories of human love within a larger tapestry of lives inhabiting the forested mountains and struggling small farms of southern Appalachia.

Over the course of one humid summer, as the urge to procreate overtakes the lush countryside, this novel's intriguing protagonists—a reclusive wildlife biologist, a young farmer's wife marooned far from home, and a pair of elderly, feuding neighbors—face disparate predicaments but find connections to one another and to the flora and fauna with whom they necessarily share a place. Their discoveries are embedded inside countless intimate lessons of biology, the realities of small farming, and the final, urgent truth that humans are only one piece of life on earth.

Prodigal Summer is a hymn to wildness that celebrates the prodigal spirit of human nature, and of nature itself.

Reviews

  • Prodigal Summer

    5
    By Pharmawoman2
    I truly enjoyed this book of 3 story lines of strong women living in the Appalachian mountain area of Virginia. The characters are well-developed, and the book has parallel biology/ecology lessons interwoven with the human experiences.
  • The quintessential summer read

    5
    By JaxInL.A.
    Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer" never fails to satisfy my craving for a cracking good set of stories told with humor and inspiration. In many places her prose rises to the level if sensual poetry, drunk with the wonders of all creation, but with a sober knowledge of human folly. I read it nearly every year and don't plan to stop any time soon.
  • Memorable Read

    5
    By CarolJanR
    I absolutely fell in love with these characters. A very well written work of fiction although could be real life memoirs. I have purchased this as gifts for many of my friends. A great Book Club read as well with fun discussions. I'm still waiting for a sequel though !
  • Another winner!

    5
    By Babykwai
    Kingsolver has amazed me once again! This book was sultry, packed full of emotion and heart. I absolutely loved it!