Small Wonder

Barbara opens her heart and lays it bare. Naysayers can easily take offence, but that is because they either don't want to face up to what is happening to us or don't care. I care, Barbara cares. Wonderful read with lots to think about. Her voice is mesmerizing.

This is a book of essays by Barbara Kingsolver in her attempt to come to terms with 9/11. There are several exceptional images and stories, including that of a missing child nursed by a bear in Iran and her own reflections on raising children in a hyper-consumer world at war. For those who love to garden, be a parent, or raise chickens, Kingsolver captures the beauty and importance of these passions poetically. The book can be a bit self-indulgent at times, with Kingsolver going on at length about her views of things. While some of the essays were repetitive and tedious in this regard, others made for excellent listening. If you are looking for a story, this is not the book for you. However, if you like Kingsolver's outlook and ethics about the world, you can hear her say it herself (she is the narrator) in her own erudite and passionate way.

Kingsolver reads this book herself, which is always a huge plus for me. She is a brilliant essayist, and this book actually made me feel better in the wake of 9-11 (especially since she reads with such a sweet and sincere voice). I enjoy her fiction, but this is the first book of hers that I truly loved. You will enjoy it much more if you're in the liberal/environmentalist camp- otherwise it will probably sound preachy.

Barbara Kingsolver writes beautifully and movingly - particularly about the impact of the human race on our delicate environment.

I absolutely adore this thoughtful, compelling collection of essays on topics familiar to Kingsolver fans: the environment, farming, parenting, and being a responsible, thoughtful human being. There is such delight in the way she words things...

loved animal, vegetable, miracle, but this one was an effort to listen to.

Very informative about ways to personally make positive changes in our environment and mitigate the damage we are doing to it. I feel the author is a bit self indulgent sometimes. I don't really feel men are to blame for everything, but if they are, women raised them. Maybe THEY should be doing something different.