The Bean trees / Barbara Kingsolver ; produced by Tom Hansell.

Program Title:
The Bean trees / Barbara Kingsolver ; produced by Tom Hansell.
PRA Archive #: 
SZ0745.05A-R
Description: 

The story of how two women from East Kentucky come to live together in Tucson, Arizona. One woman, Marietta Grier, changes her name to escape from Pitman County by driving West as far as her '55 V.W. Bug will take her. The other woman, LuAnn Ruiz, marries a rodeo cowboy who abandons her in Tucson after she becomes pregnant.

r.1. Grier changes her name to Taylor, leaves Pitman County, and breaks a rocker arm in her V.W. while in the Cherokee Nation -- r.2. Taylor leaves Oklahoma, and ends up adopting an infant girl who she discovers has been abused. Also introduces LuAnn Ruiz -- r.3. LuAnn visits the doctor, and comes home to discover her husband, Angel, has moved out. Taylor's V.W. breaks down in a hail storm -- r.4. Taylor decides to stay in Tucson, LuAnn's mother Ivy and Granny Logan come to visit her new child Dwayne Ray -- r.5. After LuAnn's mother and grandmother leave, her husband Angel pours out the water granny brought for the baptism. Taylor finds work at Berger Derby, but quits after two weeks -- r.6. Taylor, while looking for a place to live, finds LuAnn and Dwayne Ray. The two women become friends. Taylor takes a job at a used tire dealership "Jesus is Lord - Used Tires" -- r.7. LuAnn and Taylor experience domestic unrest as they get used to living with one another. They also meet Estevan and Esperanza, a young couple exiled from Guatemala for starting a teachers union -- r.8. Taylor's daughter, Turtle, speaks her first word: Bean. Taylor's employer, Mattie, is a human rights activist helping refugees gain political asylum. Taylor and LuAnn invite Estevan Esperanza, and their neighbors Ms. Parsons and Ms. Poppy, for an ill-fated dinner -- r.9. Estevan tells the parable "How they eat in heaven." Taylor's mother gets married. Angel threatens to return -- r.10. Turtle goes to the doctor, and Taylor uncovers some unpleasant facts about her adopted daughter. Angel leaves for Montana. Esperanza attempts suicide -- r.11. Taylor finds out about Estevan's past as a union organizer in Guatemala. Poetry by Jo Carson -- r.12. LuAnn finds work at the Red Hot Mama's salsa factory. Angel invited LuAnn to live with him in Montana. The INS threatens to deport Estavan and Esperanza -- r.13. Estevan, Esperanza, Mattie and Taylor celebrate the summer's first rain. Taylor returns from the celebration to find that Turtle has been attacked. When she reports the incident, the police bring a social worker onto the scene -- r.14. A visit to the social worker means that Turtle may be taken to a children's home. Taylor decides to find Turtles real parents in Oaklahoma to avoid this, and she takes Esperanza and Estevan to a safe house there -- r.15. Taylor, Turtle, Estevan, and Esperanza leave for Oklahoma, and all four end up searching for Turle's parents -- r.16. Taylor, Turtle, Estevan and Esperanza decide to go to the Lake O' the Cherokees for a one day vacation. At the lake, Taylor reveals a plan to legally adopt Turtle -- r.17. Estevan and Esperanza pose as Turtle's biological parents so that Taylor can legally adopt Turtle. Taylor leaves the couple in an Oklahoma safe house. Poetry and prose by David Oates and Mary Ledford -- r.18. Taylor returns to Tucson with Turtle as her legal daughter. LuAnn decides that her relation with Angel is over. Poetry by Larry Richmond.

Date Recorded on: 
1992.
Date Broadcast on: 
-0-
Item duration: 
18 reels (540 min.) : 7 1/2 ips., mono.
Keywords: 
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Distributor: 
Los Angeles : Pacifica Radio Archive, 1992.
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