Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1985),  by Jeanette Winterson

“Like most people I lived for a long time with my mother and father. My father liked to watch the wrestling, my mother liked to wrestle.”

‘This is the story of Jeanette, born to be one of God’s elect: adopted by a fanatical Pentecostal family and ablaze with her own zeal for the Scriptures, she seems perfectly suited for the life of a missionary. But then she converts Melanie, and realises she loves this woman as much as she loves the Lord. How on Earth could her Church call that passion Unnatural?

Both a groundbreaking coming-of-age novel and a pioneering work of auto-fiction, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit goes beyond facts into the deepest truths. Searing and tender, playful and provocative, it is a portrait of the artist as a young evangelist, rewriting her own Bible.’ (Vintage)

Sandra and Andrew introduce the book with readings and comments on the characters, themes and narrative style.

Music played:

1. ‘Joy to the World’ (Salvation Army Band)
2. ‘Ask the Saviour to Help You’ (hymn)
3. ‘The Locomotion’ (Little Eva)
4. ‘Why Me, Lord?’ (Johnny Cash)
5. ‘Sheffield Citadel’ (Sheffield Citadel Band)