I just finished The Poisonwood Bible. It was a great read. It took far longer than any other book I've had the pleasure of perusing here, but it was well worth it. I know she's black and all, but why does Oprah always or at least most of the time choose books about Africa? They are rather different, I'll give her that, and the population is so enormous, we should probably give some attention to the people, but I just wonder if she is purposely looking for these books or if these are really the best ones out there. I've read some pretty good books that aren't about Africa. Just putting that out there.
So here is what I took away. There were so many poems and really amazing literary twists. One character reads things forwards and backwards, often making entire poems that are palindromes (same forward as backwards, like "mom" and "kayak"). It was a hoot for me to read that stuff, being as I heart the English language as much as I do.
Further to this, I was interested to know that all of the sisters (the narrators of the book) actually stayed in Africa when their "sentence" there was over. As eager as they all were to return to Georgia (what what!), they felt a pull to just stay. Hmm...sounds familiar. Now that I'm away from home, this is the new home, this is my new life. And how easy would it be to just stay? Very. I've met a few "lifers" as we call them: people who've been in Korea for six and seven years. Can you imagine? Oddly, I can. I don't plan on staying that long, trust me, but it was interesting to read about an experience where a seemingly simple decision (that to return home) was made very difficult once they got used to their new surroundings. I'm still off kimchi, so I doubt I could stay that long.
Back to what I took away from the book...
"Sugar, it's no parade but you'll get down the street one way or another, so you'd just as well throw your shoulders back and pick up your pace."
"My mother said, 'Well, but, sugar, it goes both ways. You know how to speak English and they don't'.
I knew she was right, but I took no consolation from that. Speaking English was nothing. It wasn't a skill like being able to name all the capitals and principal products of South America or recite Scripture or walk on top of a fence. I had no memory of ever having to work hard for my native tongue..."
I've now started The Stone Diaries and after only three pages, I realize I've read it before. But hey, I'm in a foreign country and I can't remember past this part, so I'm going to read it. I find it hilarious that Laura leaves little tidbits of herself in her books. In The Poisonwood Bible, it was a sample packet of Tylenol. In this one, an "iwantg.com" bookmark, from her old law firm. I find it so endearing...it's like a little piece of her is here with me. I can almost smell the back room of the old apartment.
I think I'll head over to the Halloween store in Sadang for a costume. Party on Saturday and I haven't any inspiration.
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