The Bean Trees: A Novel
 

The Bean Trees: A Novel

by Barbara Kingsolver

Clear-eyed and spirited, Taylor Greer grew up poor in rural Kentucky with the goals of avoiding pregnancy and getting away. But when she heads west with high hopes and a barely functional car, she meets the human condition head-on. By the time Taylor arrives in Tucson, Arizona, she has acquired a completely unexpected child, a three-year-old American Indian girl named Turtle, and must... (read more)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

1 of 1 members found this review helpful.
Going Green Gal
  • Rated 4 stars

Another good book from Barbara Kingsolver. She paints such beautiful imagery. An especially good story for mothers or someone hoping to understand a mother's love for her child.

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Didn’t Like It

Deborah C
  • Rated 2 stars

Kind of sappy which is why I haven't yet read "Poisonwood Bible." Actually, I started it, and it just wasn't compelling enough. At least The Bean Trees I could get through because it was short.

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Community:
  • Rated 3.916967 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 4 stars
 

Newest Comments

  • uplandpoet

    uplandpoet said:

    I thought the title was so silly that I resisted reading this for awhile. Glad I let someone talk me into trying it. I was blown away. I love ALL the characters, she draws everybody with a very three deminsional pen. I remeber feeling like I was sitting ina broken down bug waiting for a hail storm to pass. I could smell the oil and rubber at Jesus Saves, and could almost imagine the hooros of a Central American war. I feel in love with Turtle early on and still am. I wonder what happened to her after she grew up. I hope Barbara will give us another Turtle story. I would not mind seeing Taylor again, too!

    posted Friday, August 10 2007
  • Teak

    teak said:

    oooops, don't know how to delete the first review. Tsk

    posted Thursday, August 9 2007
  • Teak

    teak said:

    This debut novel follows the gritty, outspoken Taylor Greer, who leaves her native Kentucky to head west. She becomes mother to an abandoned baby and, when her jalopy dies in Tucson, is forced to work in a tire garage and to room with a young,
    battered divorcee who also has a little girl.
    In The Bean Trees, the main character meets a family of Guatemalan immigrants who were forced to leave their daughter behind to escape torture and death in their home country

    Since I had given up a child for adoption this story hit an internal painful yet beautiful tone.
    Barbara is a master storyteller.

    posted Thursday, August 9 2007
  • Teak

    teak said:

    This debut novel follows the gritty, outspoken Taylor Greer, who leaves her native Kentucky to head west. She becomes mother to an abandoned baby and, when her jalopy dies in Tucson, is forced to work in a tire garage and to room with a young, battered divorcee who also has a little girl.

    Since I had given up a child for adoption this story hit an internal tone.
    Barbara is a master storyteller.

    posted Thursday, August 9 2007
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