Abyssinia Jackson was born in 1951 in an Oklahoma cotton field, next to a bonfire, and is marked by the fire in the form of a birthmark. After a tornado strikes, Abyssinia is assaulted by a neighbor. While the local women do their best to heal her emotional scars, Abyssinia cannot bring herself to use her beautiful singing voice again. Once her family is united, she decides to become a healer. This National Book Award-winning novel of one young woman's experience is an affirming celebration of the human spirit and the power of a community.
