Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Madeleine hosted us for our discussion of  her book “Demon Copperhead “ by Barbara Kingsolver. This was a bestseller and PULITZER PRIZE WINNING novel. It is a poignant, coming of age story set in Appalachia where the author grew up. It is a heartbreaking narrative of the opioid crisis and its effects on that poverty stricken area of America. There were many unforgettable characters and we learned a lot about the Hillbilly lifestyle.

We all agreed that the only way out of this depression and way of life was education. One pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma owned by the Sackler family knowingly marketed an addictive drug and targeted a vulnerable sector of society . It was very sad but the protagonist seemed like he was going to overcome his challenges in the end. Sarah later informed us that the author donated a large part of the proceeds from this book to the care and rehabilitation of these addicted people.

Madeleine had a lovely Ina Garten vegetarian soup and healthy salad and bread.

Linda chose “The Alice Network” by Kate Quinn.