This week on state of wonder, some of the northwests most prominent writers come together to share stories and memories of the man the new yorker called the portland sage. Seeing the mobile librarian is sometimes the only human contact they will have for. This 52page guide for state of wonder by ann patchett includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 11 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Patchett bel canto is a master storyteller who has an entertaining habit of. Palacio, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. State of wonder starts with the death of anders eckman, a research doctor for pharmaceutical company vogel. In ann patchetts new novel, state of wonder, an ordinary woman winds up in increasingly extraordinary circumstances.
State of wonder summary and study guide supersummary. Full of heart, full of truth, wonder is a book about seeing the beauty thats all around us. State of wonder is heavy with literary parallels to henry james, to greek myth, but in this respect the strongest links are to heart of darkness, a novel that patchett substantially rewrites, with conrads male text repopulated with female characters swenson is this books kurtz. It was critically well received, and was nominated for the wellcome trust book prize and the orange prize for fiction, among other nomina.
Marina singh, a doctor, is sent into the amazon jungle to investigate the death of her coworker, and to check the progress of an ongoing research study, conducted by a mentor of hers, dr. Marina singh, the 42yearold research scientist who is the heroine of state of wonder, ann patchett s most farflung yet somehow least exotic book, is in her office at a large pharmaceutical company in minnesota when the bad news arrives. It is the story of pharmacologist marina singh, who journeys to brazil to bring back information about seemingly miraculous drug research being conducted there by her former teacher, dr. Marina singh is sent into the isolated regions of the rio negro to investigate the death of one colleague and meet up with her former professor and team leader dr swenson. Ann patchett is the author of seven novels, the patron saint of liars, taft, the magicians assistant, bel canto, run, state of wonder, and commonwealth. Palacio about august pullman, a tenyearold boy who suffers from severe birth defects, as he navigates school life. The book was published by bloomsbury in the united kingdom and by harper in the united states. State of wonder is an imaginative tale of mystery, morals, ethics, and the delicate balance that can exist within the world, both within a single ecosystem and within ourselves. I dare you not to fall in love with auggie pullman. But ann patchetts new novel isnt called state of wonder for nothing, because thats exactly the state ive been in ever since i first opened it. State of wonder is a masterpiece novel, written by true wordsmith ann patchett. Library vans ply lonely roads and deliver books, including works in gaelic, to hundreds of isolated residents.