THE LACUNA
BY BARBARA KINGSOLVER
In The Lacuna, her first novel in nine years, Barbara Kingsolver, the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of The Poisonwood Bible and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, tells the story of Harrison William Shepherd, a man caught between two worlds—an unforgettable protagonist whose search for identity will take readers to the heart of the twentieth century’s most tumultuous events.
In her most accomplished novel, Barbara Kingsolver takes us on an epic journey from the Mexico City of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover. The Lacuna is a poignant story of a man pulled between two nations as they invent their modern identities.
Born in the United States, reared in a series of provisional households in Mexico—from a coastal island jungle to 1930s Mexico City—Harrison Shepherd finds precarious shelter but no sense of home on his thrilling odyssey. Life is whatever he learns from housekeepers who put him to work in the kitchen, errands he runs in the streets, and one fateful day, by mixing plaster for famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. He discovers a passion for Aztec history and meets the exotic, imperious artist Frida Kahlo, who will become his lifelong friend. When he goes to work for Lev Trotsky, an exiled political leader fighting for his life, Shepherd inadvertently casts his lot with art and revolution, newspaper headlines and howling gossip, and a risk of terrible violence.
Meanwhile, to the north, the United States will soon be caught up in the internationalist goodwill of World War II. There in the land of his birth, Shepherd believes he might remake himself in America's hopeful image and claim a voice of his own. He finds support from an unlikely kindred soul, his stenographer, Mrs. Brown, who will be far more valuable to her employer than he could ever know. Through darkening years, political winds continue to toss him between north and south in a plot that turns many times on the unspeakable breach—the lacuna—between truth and public presumption.
With deeply compelling characters, a vivid sense of place, and a clear grasp of how history and public opinion can shape a life, Barbara Kingsolver has created an unforgettable portrait of the artist—and of art itself. The Lacuna is a rich and daring work of literature, establishing its author as one of the most provocative and important of her time.ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Barbara Kingsolver's bestselling books of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction include the novels The Bean Trees and The Poisonwood Bible. Translated into nineteen languages, her work has won a devoted worldwide readership and many awards, including the National Humanities Medal. Her most recent book is the highly praised, New York Times bestselling Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, published in May 2007. She lives with her family on a farm in southwestern Virginia.
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61 comments:
She also wrote High Tide in Tucson.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I would like to read Prodigal Summer but I haven't read any of her books yet.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Happy Thanksgiving. I love Kingsolver: Prodigal Summer. PLEASE enter me:
bibliophilebythesea AT gmail DOT com
thanks
another book by her is "The Bean Trees"
wheresmyrain at yahoo dot com
i read "the Poisonwood bible" and also other books by her. I love her and this book has been on my wishlist, so yay, thanks on thanksgiving for posting this one
wheresmyrain at yahoo dot com
Another book by her is Poisonwood Bible.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
I have Poisonwood Bible on my shelf, and it's the book by her that I've been wanting to read the most.
akreese (at) hotmail (dot) com
She also wrote Pigs in Heaven.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Animal Dreams sounds interesting.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
Not entering, Karen. I just wanted to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. :)
Please count me in. Barbara Kingsolver also wrote Pigs in Heaven.
lizzi0915 at aol dot com
+1 I have read the Poisonwood Bible. Great book. I love all the different voices in the book. It was one that stayed with me for a while after I put it down.
I have read The Poisonwood Bible and loved it!
amandarwest@gmail.com
She also wrote "Pigs in Heaven."
amandarwest@gmail.com
I tweeted this.
http://twitter.com/amandawk/status/6105210483
amandarwest@gmail.com
Barbara Kingsolver wrote Pigs in Heaven.
I love how you update your blog according to holidays!
wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com
I have read several of Barbara Kingsolver's books. One that stands out in my mind is The Poisonwood Bible.
wolfcarol451(at)gmail(dot)com
She also wrote the Poisonwood Bible, which I read and loved.
zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com
in my sidebar under The Contest List
http://brizmusblogsbooks.blogspot.com
zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com
I just learned that she also wrote Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, which I have been dying to read! :-) Even though my father tells me I will hate it.
(I saw that my first entry actually counted for the second extra)
zedster.tbb(at)gmail(DOT)com
The Poisonwood Bible is one of her books. Please enter me.
I am a follower.
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
I haven't read any of her books yet, but High Tide in Tucson sounds good.
mlawson17 at hotmail dot com
Another book Kingsolver wrote is High Tide in Tuscon. Please enter me in this giveaway!
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah Emmerson
I have read the Poisonwood Bible by Kingsolver, which I loved!
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah Emmerson
I tweeted:
https://twitter.com/saemmerson/status/6148561274
saemmerson at yahoo dot com
Sarah Emmerson
She also wrote Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Please enter me. Thanks!
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com
I've not read anything by Kingsolver yet, but The Lacuna as well as Animal, Vegetable, Miracle sound very interesting.
fitz12383(at)hotmail(dot)com
I LOVED The Poisonwood Bible! One of my favorite books ever!
vtgoat[at]gmail[dot]com
Another book by Kingsolver is Animals, Vegetable, Miracle.
vtgoat[at]gmail[dot]com
Small Wonder was also written by Barbara Kingsolver.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I have not read any of Barbara Kingsolver's books but would be very interested in reading this book, The Lacuna, that sounds interesting just because of the title. When I read about the book in your description, I really want to read it.
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/6182246519
Thank you,
Christine
womackcm@sbcglobal.net
My favorite book is the Poisonwood Bible.
fourkidsrgreat(at)gmail.com
I've read all of her books except this one. She is truly my favorite author.
fourkidsrgreat(at)gmail.com
She wrote Poisonwood Bible
anjamie4 AT gmail dot com
I read Prodigal Summer
anjamie4 AT gmail dot com
Barbara Kingsolver has written The Prodigal Summer, The Poisonwood Bible, and Pigs in Heaven among others.
This is a fantastic Giveaway!
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
I haven't read Pigs from Heaven or Prodigal Summer and would love to read both. Having read The Poisonwood Bible and loved it, I am biased towards most of Barbara Kingsolver's books!
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
I've heard of The Poisonwood Bible - gave it to my sister in law for Christmas several years back. Thanks for the giveaway.
glenn_pessano AT yahoo DOT com
She also wrote The Bean Trees.
Please count me in for her new novel! Thanks.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
I have read a couple of her books, but I think I liked The Poisonwood Bible the best, although I remember thinking it got a little long at the end.
JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com
She wrote The Poisonwood Bible, one of my favorite books.
rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com
Barbara Kingsolver wrote Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I haven't read any of her books, but I'd love to read Pigs in Heaven.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I still remember the first Kingslover novel I read. thanks for this.
chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com
SHe wrote The Poisonwood BIble
chocolateand croissants at yahoo dot com
I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible
chocolate and croissants at yahoo dot com
cococroissants
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2009/11/lacuna-preview-and-giveaway.html
chocolateandcroissants at yahoo dot com
She also wrote The Poisonwood Bible.
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
I've read The Bean Trees, Pigs in Heaven and The Prodigal Summer -- all great read!
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/darcy1956/status/6645539583
dlodden at frontiernet dot net
She is the author of Pigs In Heaven. (a great book )
waitmantwillie at hotmail dot com
Since Kingsolver is a favorite author of mine I have read just about all of her books. I loved The Poisonwood Bible.
waitmantwillie at hotmail dot com
The Poisonwood Bible is one of my all time favorites! Thanks for the giveaway.
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
I've read Prodigal Summer and The Poisonwood Bible. Thanks again.
s.mickelson at gmail dot com
She wrote The Poisonwood Bible
aksimmo@brainerd(dot)net
I listened to the audio version of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and loved it. It was even better because she narrated it herself
aksimmo@brainerd(dot)net
She also wrote Prodigal Summer.
Thanks ~ megalon22 at yahoo dot com
She also wrote "Animal Dreams"
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I would like to read "Prodigal Summer"
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Tweet! Tweet!
http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/6709799437
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
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