The Book of Longings

By Sue Monk Kidd,

Book cover of The Book of Longings

Book description

"An extraordinary novel . . . a triumph of insight and storytelling." -Associated Press

"A true masterpiece." -Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed

An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from the celebrated number one New York Times bestselling authorā€¦

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Why read it?

5 authors picked The Book of Longings as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The narrator and protagonist, Ana, grabbed my heart and imagination immediately. Her tenacity, vulnerability, heartbreak, and clarity brought me into every experience she had throughout the story, one of which was being Jesus' wife. I loved that the experience of being Jesusā€™ wife was not the epicenter of her being. Instead, the depth of her longing to write and find her purpose in that calling shone through.

This book resonated deeply with me, helping to round out my childhood experience of religion, in particular, the bible being held in a very patriarchal view. 

This book grabbed my heart and mindā€¦

This is the first book that Iā€™ve read thatā€™s taken a women-centric view of the time when Jesus was alive. Ana was such a likable character and strong woman, I mean, to go toe-to-toe with the son of God and his followers takes some guts! The supporting female characters were also so vibrant; my heart broke for them several times, and the audiobook narrator really added extra depth to an already immersive story.

Because I think the Jesus canonized by the high Councils of the Church is basically an invention of Christian Neoplatonism, one in which Jesus would not recognize himself, it is lovely to have a work of fiction that imagines what he would really be like, a man in love with a woman, a man with a mission that puts him in tension with the woman he loves, and, to boot, and this is the twist that makes it all work so well, all this told by the woman he loves and leaves!

Itā€™s touching, insightful, and historically rich, and youā€¦

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Book cover of Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol

Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning,

Winner of the Literary Titan Book Award

Bright but unassuming Marilyn Jones has some grown-up decisions to make, especially after Mama goes to prison for drugs and larceny. With no one to take care of them, Marilyn and her younger, mentally challenged brother, Carol, get tossed into the foster careā€¦

This story asks: What if Jesus had a wife? Kidd has said Ana ā€œsymbolizes the missing feminine within religion,ā€ leading to another question: How might our world be different if that wife not only existed but had been openly acknowledged? 

Kiddā€™s Ana is a rebellious, scholarly woman who reflects a very human Jesus through their relationship. This reimagining of Jesusā€™s life is clever but not cute, daring but not irreverent. Women will relate to Anaā€™s struggles to be heard; even her generous husband at times discounts her desires. 

Equally compelling is Anaā€™s relationship with her adopted brother, Judas. (Yes, thatā€¦

Brilliant, feisty, and intrepid Ana, raised in privilege and wealth in ancient Israel, is the heroine of this painstakingly researched historical fiction novel. Her mother discourages Anaā€™s intellectual curiousity, forbidding Anaā€™s writings about the secrets of repressed, abused women of her day. Her adopted brother Judas is part of the resistance against the Roman occupation, and her father plans on marrying Ana to a rich older man. Amidst this complexity, Ana defies him and marries far beneath her station. Her groom? Jesus of Nazareth. After the crucifixion, Ana goes to her Aunt Yaltha in Alexandria where she helps Yaltha locateā€¦

From Barbara's list on family secrets and what's left unsaid.

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Book cover of Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol

Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning,

Winner of the Literary Titan Book Award

Bright but unassuming Marilyn Jones has some grown-up decisions to make, especially after Mama goes to prison for drugs and larceny. With no one to take care of them, Marilyn and her younger, mentally challenged brother, Carol, get tossed into the foster careā€¦

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