In conversation with Rabbi David Stern
Location: Temple Emanu-El
Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Barbara Kingsolver’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Demon Copperhead tells the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Inspired by Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, the story is told in Demon’s own unsparing voice as he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses, all the while exhibiting inspirational resilience.
Barbara Kingsolver’s many bestselling works include the novels Unsheltered, Flight Behavior, and The Poisonwood Bible, as well as books of poetry, essays, and creative nonfiction. A recipient of the National Humanities Medal, she lives with her family on a farm in southern Appalachia.
“Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy nobody wants, but readers will love.” —Ron Charles, The Washington Post