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The Sparrow (Ballantine Reader's Circle)
by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow (Ballantine Reader's Circle) Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The Sparrow, an astonishing literary debut, takes you on a journey to a distant planet and to the center of the human soul. It is the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a twenty-first-century scientific mission to a newly discovered extraterrestrial culture. Sandoz and his companions are prepared to endure isolation, hardship and death, but nothing can prepare them for the civilization they encounter, or for the tragic misunderstanding that brings the mission to a catastrophic end. Once considered a living saint, Sandoz returns alone to Earth physically and spiritually maimed, the mission's sole survivor — only to be accused of heinous crimes and blamed for the mission's failure.

Review:

"Herself a former anthropologist, born and raised a Roman Catholic and recently converted to Judaism, Russell brings to this novel a keen grasp of the methods used by scientists investigating an unknown culture, as well as a deep appreciation for the varieties of religious experience. She has created a cast of interesting and likable characters in Sandoz and his crew mates and in the team of Jesuits trying to rehabilitate him: These are intelligent, caring people equally capable of light banter and deep philosophical discussions....Even readers who do not usually appreciate science fiction may well find themselves enthralled." Merle Rubin, The Christian Science Monitor

Review:

"The Sparrow tackles a difficult subject with grace and intelligence." San Francisco Chronicle

Review:

"Russell's novel is driven by her characters, by their complex relationships and inner conflicts, not by aliens or technology." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Review:

"It is rare to find a book about interplanetary exploration that has this much insight into human nature and foresight into a possible future." San Antonio Express News

Review:

"Two narratives — the mission to the planet and its aftermath four decades later — interweave to create a suspenseful tale." The Seattle Times
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About the Author

Mary Doria Russell received her B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Illinois-Urbana, her M.A. in Social Anthropology from Northeastern University, and her Ph.D. in Biological Anthropology from the University of Michigan--Ann Arbor. In the process of earning her degrees, Russell studied linguistics, genetics, anatomy, archaeology, and geology--all of which have found their way into her critically acclaimed debut novel.

Prior to The Sparrow, Russell had only written scientific articles--on subjects ranging from bone biology to cannibalism--and technical manuals for medical equipment as complex as nuclear magnetic resonance scanners. In her own words, she admits, "I had a great time, published a lot of stuff, won a bunch of awards and grants, but eventually got fed up with academia and quit." Making the transition from scientific and technical writing to fiction wasn't easy. Russell estimates, however, that "only about twenty-two anthropologists, world-wide, read my academic publications and nobody reads computer manuals, so I figured that if even just my friends read my novel, I'd be way ahead in terms of readership because I have a lot of friends."

A recent convert to Judaism, Russell has nevertheless maintained a strong connection with the Catholic education of her childhood. Asked why she created such a detailed look at faith in a higher power and religion in her debut novel, Russell explains, "I wanted to evaluate, as an adult, issues that had lain dormant for me since adolescence, to study the religion of my youth, to revisit the source of my values and ethics. That's why I chose to write about men who are collectively among the most admirable and best educated of Catholic priests, the Jesuits. Writing The Sparrow allowed me to weigh the risks and the benefits of a belief in God, to examine the role of religion in the lives of many people."

Mary Doria Russell lives in Cleveland, Ohio, ("and likes it very much, thank you") with her husband, Don, and their son, Daniel.  She is currently working on the sequel to The Sparrow, titled Children of God.

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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
William Terrell, August 24, 2008 (view all comments by William Terrell)
I appreciate the time and effor to write a book of this length. I devote time and skullsweat to writing in other genras and areas.

I quit this book 1/3 of the way through.

Why?

My single comment was, got ON with the friggin' STORY. Do not immerce me in every character's minute, detailed and intricate interaction with evey other character.

This is the second time I've written this critique. There was no evidence that it was added to the comments.
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Jean MacDonald, September 22, 2007 (view all comments by Jean MacDonald)
An amazing book. The story has haunted me ever since I finished it. The characters are beautifully drawn and the tale is a fascinating one, timeless despite its near future setting.
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BeeBee, March 10, 2007 (view all comments by BeeBee)
I was very engaged while reading this superb book about first contact. I could not put it down. Russell combines futuristic and fantasy well in this first novel. Loved her anthropological insights to different societies ranging from the Jesuits, an egarian culture, popular culture and finally a highly developed elitist class. While reading this book I would often be stopped by other readers who wanted to tell me how much they enjoyed and loved this book. I have gone on to convince my hubby who is a hard core sci-fi fan to read it, along with my core group of reading fans. They have all loved it and we have gone on to read the sequel. I highly recommend The Sparrow for an engaging and thought provoking read.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780449912553
Author:
Russell, Mary Doria
Publisher:
Random House
Location:
New York :
Subject:
General
Subject:
Religious
Subject:
Literary
Subject:
Fiction
Subject:
Science Fiction - General
Subject:
Life on other planets
Subject:
Science Fiction - Adventure
Subject:
Twenty-first century
Subject:
Jesuits
Subject:
Religious - Science Fiction
Subject:
Twenty-first century -- Fiction.
Subject:
Christian Science -- Fiction.
Copyright:
1997
Edition Description:
First Ballantine Books ed.
Series:
Ballantine Reader's Circle
Publication Date:
September 1997
Binding:
Paperback
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
432
Dimensions:
8.18x5.52x.97 in. .78 lbs.
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