In the Lap of the Gods

Set against a backdrop of real events in modern China. The displacement of 1.4 million people from the building of the Three Gorges dam is a Katrina-magnitude story that resonates with sympathetic Americans, human rights activists, sinophiles, journalists and bloggers keeping their eyes on China.A contemporary story in which the past is erased in the name of progress. Appeals to history buffs, older readers, travelers, and those concerned about the environment.The story’s premise of a widower adopting a baby girl opens doors to an engaged community of parents who adopt children from overseas.the abandonment of the baby by her mother, whose husband was not the child's father, is another human-right issue facing women and children in many countriesA window into the dark side of modern China; a striking portrayal of its modern cities in contrast with the ancient beauty and mythology of the Yangtze River towns.A story of love and loss in which moral choices faced by the characters—adopting vs. letting go of children, marriage fidelity, Christian beliefs—make this book an appealing choice for reading clubs.