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Loading... Homeland: And Other Stories (edition 1999)by Barbara Kingsolver
Work InformationHomeland and Other Stories by Barbara Kingsolver
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. A collection of short stories, some of which are set in the southern United States, some in Arizona, a couple elsewhere. There is no denying that Kingsolver is a masterful writer, but like many a modern writer, she leaves me empty in these stories. In the normal run of things, I would have given this a two star rating. That I give it three and a half stars is a tip of the hat to the quality of her writing craft. The settings and characters are compelling; for anyone who enjoys dwelling on the tawdry, mundane, dreary nature of life, these stories will not disappoint. Here is a run-down of my reactions to each story. "Homeland" - Short, sweet, no answers, and yet it felt complete somehow. "Blueprint" - Hmmm, so is this the way of all the stories? Rather depressing and up in the air? One, yes. Two, maybe. A pattern, no. "Covered Bridges" - Ok, a respite from despondency. She is very good at describing places. "Quality Time" - Eh, meh, Kinda boring. "Stone Dreams" - Such beautiful scenery descriptions, and no moral depth at all in the characters. "Survival Zones" - Now this one is interesting. I like it, although it isn't exactly uplifting or complete, there is much to be said between the lines. "Islands on the Moon" - Painful character. "Bereaved Apartments" - Good story. Why are they all such downers? "Extinctions" - Whatever. Dreary. "Jump-up-Day" - These stories all seem to want me to feel that they have resolved well, but they leave me empty, not full. "Rose-Johnny" - More sad. "Why I am a Danger to the Public" Meh. Skimmed, but couldn't handle one more downer. It's always difficult to rate a collection like this. I feel like four stars is an insult to the awesomeness of the several stories I loved, stories that I will return to again and again--both as a writer and a teacher of writing. Still, I can't in good conscience give the whole book five stars--it wouldn't be fair to my favorite stories to imply that the less-great stories could hang with them. Regardless of ratings, Kingsolver is a gifted short story writer. I'm surprised this is her only short story collection given her prolificness since it was published in 1989. I hope she has another short story collection in the works. This collection of stories made for interesting reading but I don't think they will stick with me at all. I seem to prefer Kingsolver's novels. I read these stories one at a time over the course of several weeks. They are rather gloomy or something like that and one at a time was manageable. Several stories underwhelmed me, and several I thought were very good, like the one about the woman and the mine strike. Mixed bag. I think Kingsolver is a better novelist than a short story writer. A number of these stories are brief glimpses of ordinary people's lives, with no great insight, tales of how much we love someone despite disagreements. "Homeland" was great: told by a young girl, remembering her Indian grandma, learning the right way to act. GranMam's reaction to the trip to Cherokee is telling. "Bereaved Apartments" is a good study of what dishonesties we are willing to close our eyes to, and a sympathetic portrait of an ex-con young woman. "Jump-Up Day" is an interesting story about an orphan in the Caribbean who meets up with an obeah man.u "Why I Am A Danger To The Public" tells of a woman strike leader, and how the corporation treats the workers with contempt. no reviews | add a review
Belongs to Publisher SeriesHarper Perennial Olive Editions (2022 Olive) Is contained inHomeland and Other Stories | Animal Dreams | The Bean Trees | Pigs in Heaven | The Poisonwood Bible | Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver ContainsNotable Lists
New York Times bestselling author Barbara Kingsolver delivers a collection of 12 original tales in Homeland and Other Stories that are every bit as emotionally resonant, humorous, and heartfelt as her much-beloved novels. In settings ranging from eastern Kentucky to northern California and the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, Barbara Kingsolver uses her distinctive voice and vast knowledge of human nature to address some of her favorite themes: the importance of personal and cultural heritage; how the past effects the present and the enduring power of love. Kingsolver's characters, many single mothers, struggle to make sense of their lives and find meaning in a difficult world. Praised for her memorable characters and poetic prose, Kingsolver again proves why she is a literary force to be reckoned with. This edition includes a P.S. section with additional insights from the author, background material, suggestions for further reading, and more. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)813.54Literature English (North America) American fiction 20th Century 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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From the title story, in which a young girl travels with her family to her aged grandmother's hometown, to the final piece dealing with an outspoken woman caught up in a bitter mining strike, the characters move through living, breathing landscapes as they deal with the conundrums life has dealt them.
This collection is well worth tracking down. Highly recommended. ( )