The Lacuna

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The Lacuna

First edition
Author Barbara Kingsolver
Country United States
Language English
Publisher HarperCollins
Publication date
 2009
ISBN 978-0-06-085258-0
OCLC 313656952

The Lacuna is a 2009 novel by Barbara Kingsolver. It is Kingsolver's sixth novel, and won the 2010 Orange Prize for Fiction[1] and the Library of Virginia Literary Award.[2][3] It was shortlisted for the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.[4]

Plot

The novel tells the story of Harrison William Shepherd beginning with his childhood in Mexico during the 1930s. His parents are separated so he lives back and forth between the United States with his father and Mexico with his mother. During his time in Mexico he works as a plaster mixer for the mural artist Diego Rivera then as a cook for both him and his artist wife Frida Kahlo, with whom Shepherd develops a lifelong friendship. While living with and working for them, he also begins working as a secretary for Leon Trotsky who is hiding there, exiled by Stalin.

Later in life, living in Asheville, North Carolina, Shepherd becomes a novelist and is subsequently investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee. He instructs his secretary, Violet Brown, to burn his papers and returns to Mexico. However, she saves his diaries and letters and it is these papers that form the bulk of the novel. There are gaps, or lacunae, in the story, hence the title.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Brown, Mark (9 June 2010). "Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna beats Wolf Hall to Orange prize". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 October 2010. 
  2. ↑ "Barbara Kingsolver '77 Wins Library of Virginia Award". depauw.edu. De Pauw University. Retrieved 27 October 2010. 
  3. ↑ "Library of Virginia awards announced | Richmond Times-Dispatch". www2.timesdispatch.com. 17 October 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2010. 
  4. ↑ "William Trevor makes an Impac", Irish Times, April 12, 2011
  5. ↑ Kehe, Marjorie (10 June 2010). "Three "beautiful" Orange Prize finalists". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 30 October 2010. 
The works of Barbara Kingsolver
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