The Lacuna: A Novel [B1389-PB]

2010 PB in nice clean condition. 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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Kingsolver at her best. Extraordinary. Get past the first bit, though before giving up. And if you fail to see the similarity between Shepard's experience during McCarthyism and the current political climate in the US, you may be missing an important point, or wearing blinders. While this was obviously not the intent of the author (the book was published in 2009), the similarity is haunting."; "I found this book slow to start with but soon I was entirely engrossed in the life of this very likeable protagonist and the real life characters he encountered. A great story of a unique man set against the backdrop of difficult times. Definitely worth continuing with even if at first you are not gripped."; "Extraordinary weaving of several worlds & time frames, building slowly, with artful unveiling of characters and story lines, suffused with a subtle sweetness."; "What an incredible book to read! A tale well crafted, and one sorely needed TODAY! I have read many of Kingsolver's book, enjoying almost all, but this feels like a true masterpiece!"; "The early years in Mexico are interesting but not very engaging. I couldn't find a firm footing for where the book was going. But once he returned to America, especially the years covering the McCarthy era, I was hooked and enjoyed it very much. I will say that the conversations with his lawyer Artie were some of the best though a bit unnerving given the political climate today. Proof again that when you forget history, you get the honor of repeating it."