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BOOKLIST
Wood's subject is nothing less than the history of the
entire world, from 3 million years ago to the present. She recounts the
stories of seven individuals at different points in history, beginning
with a protohuman 100,000 years ago in Africa and ending with a traveler
on the Oregon Trail in 1848. The unifying factor is the stone of the book's
title, a brilliant blue crystal onto which its owners project their own
beliefs and hopes.
To Laliari and the Middle Eastern Gazelle Clan, the stone
represents fertility; to the ancient Roman Lady Amelia, it represents
her newfound Christian faith; to Brigitte, it represents passion and provides
her the strength to save her eighteenth-century Martinique plantation
from pirates. The seven stories are complete by themselves but linked
by "Interim" sections describing how the stone changes hands
over the years. Interest in the book hinges on how fascinated the reader
is in imagining how ancient people survived harsh circumstances. All in
all, an absorbing adventure tale. Beth Leistensnider Copyright
© American Library Association. All rights reserved
THE BLESSING STONE
By Barbara Wood
St Martin's Press (464 pp)
$25.95/$35.95 Can.
January 15, 2003
ISBN: 0-312-27534-X
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