Literary · Historical
The Poisonwood Bible
In 1959, a fervent Baptist missionary drags his wife and four daughters to a village in the Belgian Congo. The women narrate in turn as the family unravels and the country around them moves toward independence.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1998
- Pace
- Slow
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 545
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a layered family story that also looks critically at colonialism and good intentions.
Skip this if you want a quick read, since the middle section is slow and the tragedy is deeply felt.
The feel
Content warnings
Quick answers about The Poisonwood Bible
- What is The Poisonwood Bible about?
- In 1959, a fervent Baptist missionary drags his wife and four daughters to a village in the Belgian Congo. The women narrate in turn as the family unravels and the country around them moves toward independence.
- Who should read The Poisonwood Bible?
- Read it if you want a layered family story that also looks critically at colonialism and good intentions. Skip it if you want a quick read, since the middle section is slow and the tragedy is deeply felt.
- How long and how fast is The Poisonwood Bible?
- It is a slow-paced, long read of about 545 pages, first published in 1998.
- Does The Poisonwood Bible have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Death, Child death, Racism, Religious extremism.
- Can I borrow The Poisonwood Bible for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Poisonwood Bible; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Poisonwood Bible?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Things Fall Apart, Half of a Yellow Sun, Heart of Darkness.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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If you loved The Poisonwood Bible
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Things Fall Apart
Shows the colonial encounter from the other side, in a short and powerful African classic.
-
Half of a Yellow Sun Another African-set family story through political upheaval, told by an author from the region.
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Heart of Darkness A much shorter and more famous account of outsiders in Africa, whose attitudes this book quietly answers.
Literary
