The Bean Trees: Animal Dreams ; Pigs In Heaven

by Barbara Kingsolver

3 novels in 1 book

Genres: Fiction, Novels, Book Club, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Read For School, Realistic Fiction

343 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Barbara Ellen Kingsolver is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, essayist, and poet. Her widely known works include The Poisonwood Bible, the tale of a missionary family in the Congo, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a nonfiction account of her family's attempts to eat locally. In 2023, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the novel Demon Copperhead. Her work often focuses on topics such as social justice, biodiversity, and the interaction between humans and their communities and environments.
Kingsolver has received numerous awards, including the Dayton Literary Peace Prize's Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award 2011 and the National Humanities Medal. After winning for The Lacuna in 2010 and Demon Copperhead in 2023, Kingsolver became the first author to win the Women's Prize for Fiction twice. Since 1993, each one of her book titles have been on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Kingsolver was raised in rural Kentucky, lived briefly in the Congo in her early childhood, and she currently lives in Appalachia. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology at DePauw University and the University of Arizona, and worked as a freelance writer before she began writing novels. In 2000, the politically progressive Kingsolver established the Bellwether Prize to support "literature of social change".

Reviews

[Antoinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read pre GR

[Alka Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy to see why The Bean Trees kicked off Barbara Kingsolver's literary career. I loved this novel when I first read it in my twenties. Tough and clear-headed Taylor Greer, the protagonist, made me want to be just like her at a time when I wasn't sure what to do with my life or how to go about living it. And Turtle, the little girl she finds on her journey from Kentucky to Arizona, stole my heart. It's a small book but so rich with feeling and juicy with character and filled with all the good things that make you remember a novel decades later with fondness.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've actually read this book many times before, but this is my first time reading it in a few years. It's as good as I remember. I have difficulty reviewing it because it is a novel that has always been close to my heart. The Bean Trees exploration of the search for community and family is one of the reasons I have always loved this book. How to recognize the evils of the world while also not losing hope and being able to be strong enough to raise each other up. Anyway. Personal classic.

[Carol Maskus · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I was frustrated with this book because the characters were either all good and relatable, or totally unreasonable and unrelatable, like the flat personalities of Clint Eastwood movies.

However, the immense care put into documenting the natural world really touched me and made me feel like I was there. I also liked the time-sensitive treatment of the real-world issue of the genocide in Guatemala. (The book was written in 1988, before illegal immigration was a hot topic.)

In the end, I felt filled up, which you need occasionally from a book. It was a fast read and a happy story.

[Mary Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Kingsolver book and I enjoyed it very much. While I wouldn't say that I was riveted to the story, I did find it an easy and at times, thought-provoking read. I recommend this book to everybody.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOOOOO good. The characters will break your heart while you're laughing. Kingsolver has the knack for filling a story with people you care about, struggling against life's hardships with warmth and humour but she also deftly delivers the reader with a kidney punch and much to think about.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t love the first book in this series, but wanted to know the ending. My complaint with the first book was that Turtle’s adoption didn’t seem like a likely outcome. This book addresses that issue. I have great empathy for Turtle and like Taylor and Alice. I didn’t love this book either but do appreciate how Barbra Kingsolver addresses poverty, parenting and of course being respectful of Native Americans. This ending was more realistic.

[Kerry Cowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm late to the Barbara Kingsolver party somehow, but I'm making up for lost time! Obsessed with her writing!

[Jessica Helquist Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply amazing and deeply touching on many levels. It started out a bit slow but was necessary for the building of characters. I loved the way it made you view "illegal immigrants" as humans and gave light to their struggle to simply stay alive, let alone give their families any sort of peace or basic freedoms that So many enjoy. I loved the fierce, independent female characters. My heart broke a little all over again for Turtle when it was discovered that her mother died, it was a wonderful perspective on moving through loss and grief since there is no other option, the world is just sad and painful sometimes but it's also beautiful and the human spirit can persevere through the darkest of times.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, found myself just wanting to be at the table with the two main characters having a beer and telling stories late into the night. A lot of this book is problematic and dated but I really love the descriptions of nature and getting to know such an unusual climate as exists in Tucson.

[Emma M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Bean Trees is an amazing book to read. The Bean Trees is a great book to read if you want to read about a journey. It is about a character who overcomes her expectations and creates a new path. Taylor the main character goes over obstacles and survives. She tasks risks and it is worth it.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

for years, i’ve tried to read this book but i never could get into it. i realized that i had to learn my own lessons about love, family, and nature for me to understand the overall message of this book. i fell in love with the natural landscapes of arizona, kentucky and even oklahoma. i could really imagine myself there, walking around in the desert, looking at all the flowers (especially mattie’s car heaven garden). the dialogue is seriously beautiful and hilarious. i think kingsolver hit the nail on the head with the idiomatic southern phrases and observing language generally. kingsolver’s characters are written reflect the complexity of human nature: while i can empathize with them and fall in love with them, i can also see their flaws and contradictions. the bean trees truly feels like a warm hug

[Jan Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Barbara Kingsolver's story telling. Kingsolver's narratives are driven by strong women and are as much about character development as plot. Her writing is rich with interesting details, themes, and symbols; her characters are quirky and fun; and her stories run a satisfying course. This collection consists of The Bean Trees, the story of Taylor Greer who leaves her hometown in Kentucky to find herself, but ends up finding a daughter instead; Animal Dreams, the story of Cosima Noline, who leaves a medical career to return to her hometown and care for her aging father; and Pigs in Heaven, which picks up the story of Taylor Greer and her daughter. The stories move from Kentucky to Arizona to Oklahoma; Native American characters and legends are woven through the narratives. Belonging, identity, and loss thread through these stories.

[Kelly Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My outside reading book, The Bean Trees, should not be read by others. I did not like this book. Not only was I barely able to finish it due to boredom, it caused me to feel unhappy as well. The main character, Taylor, is given a baby at a random bar in Oklahoma. Later, it is revealed that the “baby” is actually a previously abused 3 year old. Taylor ends up adopting her at the end of the book. Next, at the store where Taylor ends up working, Jesus Is Lord Used Tires, two illegal immigrants live above the shop. One of the immigrants, Esperanza, attempts suicide. Both of these events shocked me and made me very sad. For these reasons, and many others, I would recommend others do not read The Bean Trees.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so great, and so different from what I’ve read lately. It packs so much of the human experience and condition into 246 pages - rootedness and rootlessness, belonging, family, motherhood, refugee life, the brokenness of the world, love. There’s a wry sense of humor throughout, and lovably peculiar characters. Barbara Kingsolver also writes beautifully about the landscape and people of the Southwest. Her passage about desert rain and the monsoon was pure poetry. I didn’t realize this was her debut novel when I bought it at Goodwill last year, but I’m glad I started with it. Thank you to everyone who recommended her. 💛

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slim volume that tells the story of a young woman, setting off to start her life, who ends up having a baby dumped in her car. Rather than going to the police, hospital or any other legal institution, she simply adopts the child as her own, in the most informal sense of the word. Our main character, Taylor, then makes her way out to AZ where she meets a cast of characters who help her to understand the importance of belonging and the promise that children can bring. Some of the story revolves around illegal immigrants and their reasons for coming to the US, and the challenges they face.

[Tanyajk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this one. There was a lot of heart with tragic undertones. Despite the heartbreaking backstory, it still felt uplifting. I laughed out loud at many parts.

“You from out of town?” he asked after a while, eying my car. “No,” I said. “I go to Kentucky every year to get my license plate.” I didn’t like his looks.”

Similar to Fried Green Tomatoes. I can see myself reading this one again. Loved.

“I'd forgotten how trees full of bird sounds made you sense the world differently: that life didn't just stop at eye level.”

[Nancie Lafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just listened to this two book series back-to-back and found it absorbing and compelling. I rarely recommend books because everyone has their particulars, but I would happily recommend this series - especially to listen to on a cross-country road trip. Eye-opening POV by various characters and very relevant history, plus terrific character and story development.

[Liza · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale unlike anything I’ve ever read. An unlikely story that somehow compels you to read on. The characters are endearing, yet believable. The scenes are meant for you to appreciate life, and the little moments that make it all worth while.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good story, but the author has some obvious issues to address and is very obtuse about it. I’d rather read something that is written by someone who has a better grasp of the complexities of any and every issue. The main story is intriguing, though.

[Ryen Frazier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really felt a personal connection to the breaking of home ties and making a big move out West. Maybe someday soon I'll find myself like Taylor (just hopefully without a child to boot) haha. Enjoyed the story and adventure of it all.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out slow, and I wasn’t sure I’d finish. But it got better. Taylor ended up with a baby, dumped on her in Oklahoma. She kept her, named her Turtle, and when they broke down in Arizona, they stayed. They gathered friends who became family, and found their place.

[Carmen Benitez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Strong and determined Taylor Greer opens her heart to Turtle slowly and cautiously as she does with her friends. Ultimately finding a new confidence in herself and her ability to love and care despite her insecurity.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to each book individually - I can never say enough about how much I enjoy Barbara Kingsolver's books and this trilogy was my introduction to her writing. Read and fall in love with her irony, humor, depth of thought and unsparing commitment to the truth no matter how painful.

[Karen Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up by chance from one of my bookgroup buds, so much of what we all love about KIngsolver's is within the pages of this book.

Insights in to people, discovery, compassion, community, caseing issues that the modern world expect people to navigate.

You just want to hug them all.

[Maegan Fahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great intro into Kingsolver’s work. Has hints of the ideas that show up later in The Poisonwood Bible, acts as the beginning of a social justice thru line in her work. Quick, poignant read that passes the Bechdel Test HARD.

[Elisabeth Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love everything by Barbara Kingsolver and this books was no exception, beautiful writing and a beautiful story

[Terri Keaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great book! Really enjoyed it. I was surprised by the ending.

[Sharon Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember loving this.

[Ami P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I want to read about sad things, I'd check the news...