content: Even a voracious reader (such as myself) can sometimes be unaware of a new voice in the land....I was unaware of Barbara Kingslover, until about a month ago, when a friend of mine handed me a copy of "The Bean Trees," mentioning that I "might like it."To say that I "liked" it is extreme understatement ... This is a book I wish I had written....It's all about the beauty, the glory, the heartaches, the joys, and the realities of being a woman alive in the world today -- without heavy-handed political harangues or in-your-face proselytizing. Instead, this book is filled with wisdom, warmth, out-loud laughs and a quiet, satisfying inner recognition of all that is truly wonderful in a woman's mind, spirit, heart and life.I've found a friend in Ms. Kingslover. I wish she lived next door