The Book of Longings: From the author of the international bestseller THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

(Paperback)

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THE New York Times BESTSELLER

The stunning bestseller about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

'Transporting, life-affirming, gripping. It is simply brilliant' Mel Giedroyc

'Fascinating . . . Clever, rebellious Ana is a memorable character' The Times

'Brilliant . . . Brava!" The Daily Mail

Ana is born in Galilee at a time when women are seen as possessions, only leaving their fathers' homes to marry.

Ana longs to control her destiny. Taught to read despite her mother's misgivings, she wants to be a writer and to find her own voice. A voice that will speak for the silenced women around her.

Betrothed to an elderly widower, Ana almost despairs. But an encounter with a charismatic young carpenter in Nazareth awakens new longings in her, and a different future opens up.

Yet this is not a simple love story. Ana's journey will bring both joy and tragedy, but it will also be enriched by the female friendships she makes along the way.

The Book of Longings is an exquisite tale of dreams and desire, and of the power of women to change the world.

'One of my favourites' Alicia Keys

'I kept having to close this novel and breathe deeply, again and again . . . It is a true masterpiece' Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed

'Unleashes the reader's imagination with glorious evocations of extraordinary times and places, allowing our minds to roam . . . Original, challenging, beautiful' Adele Parks, Platinum

'Compelling . . . Ana is a truly wonderful character, strong and inspiring, and her life story so captivating that it swept me along' Good Housekeeping

'This moving novel by bestselling author Sue Monk Kidd persuasively imagines the marriage between a brilliant young woman and Jesus' Daily Mail

'Incredible . . . A story which is full of humanity, love and tenderness - and one which touched me deeply.' Brown Flopsy's Book Bureau

'The way that Hamnet gave a voice to Shakespeare's wife, this does the same for Ana . . . One of the greats for historical fiction' Books by Bindu

'Not a day has passed since I finished reading it that I have not thought about Ana, her story and the beautiful lyrical words Sue has written' TheFallenLibrarian

'I loved it. I loved the feminist theme, I loved the language and I loved the imagery of putting voice to your longings and then giving birth to them. Just fab' BetweenMyLines

Reviews

This author is one of my favourites . . . A challenging and sensitive subject, but beautifully written * Santa Montefiore *
Unleashes the reader's imagination with glorious evocations of extraordinary times and places, allowing our minds to roam... Original, challenging, beautiful -- Adele Parks * Platinum *
I kept having to close this novel and breathe deeply, again and again. A radical re-imagining of the New Testament that reflects on women's longing and silencing and awakening, it is a true masterpiece. * Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed *
Compelling ... Ana is a truly wonderful character, strong and inspiring, and her life story so captivating that it swept me along * Good Housekeeping *
A bold, imaginative reworking of the Christian tale from a female perspective * Sunday Times *
Brilliant ... the familiar characters brought to vivid life * Daily Mail *
"This novel has an intriguing premise . . . The novel's evocation of life in Galilee is fascinating, and clever, rebellious Ana is a memorable character." * The Times (UK) *
This is not Jesus' story, but Ana's. [...] The Book of Longings is the testament of a bold woman, and the story of many stolen female voices. * Irish Times *
Superlative . . . from a writer at the top of her game . . . A practically perfect historical novel * New York Journal of Books *
Kidd uses her unexpected narrator to reveal new perspectives on an endlessly parsed era. * The Washington Post *
Riveting . . . Telling the story of an extraordinary life in one of the most startling pieces of historical fiction you're likely to set eyes on this year * Sunday Business Post *

Imaginative . . . Charts a young woman's struggle to confront the ways in which society dictates what she can and cannot do.

* TIME *
'A wonderfully researched novel ... reimagining the past through the eyes of a creative, curious and defiant woman' * Culturefly *
'A testament to the author's talent for creating both compelling characters and intriguing story lines ... The intensity, bravery, and strength of character of Ana ... will inspire readers ... to live authentically and remain true to oneself' * Library Journal *
An inspiring story of a strong woman living in a society bent on her silence * Good Housekeeping (US) *
Kidd's bold narrative revisionism allows her protagonist to be in every respect the equal of her husband while posing this question: How would Western culture be different if men and women had grown in appreciation of each other's spirit * O, The Oprah Magazine *
This is Ana's story . . . Well-researched and a cracking good read * Church Times *
Ana's ambition and strong sense of justice make her a sympathetic character for modern readers ... A vibrant portrait of a woman striving to preserve and celebrate women's stories - her own and countless others * Publishers Weekly *
Kidd describes a first-century world full of political and religious tensions, which feels simultaneously ancient and freshly awake with spiritual possibility. [...]The message about the importance of kindness and the power of women's voices should resonate strongly with today's readers' * Booklist *
A master of literary women's fiction, Kidd always strikes a chord with her strong, feisty female protagonists . . . [The Book of Longings] is an engaging story about a young woman defying the odds to make her voice heard, a story that remains relevant today . . . [and] underscore[s] what's lost when one group - be it one gender, race or religion - gets to write the history for all. * The Atlanta Journal-Constitution *
No other writer has fleshed out a partner who can stand on her own, who is intellectually and spiritually well matched with Jesus . . . Kidd's research into first-century Jewish life, along with her vivid descriptions of the villages and terrain, make Ana's story come alive * Christian Science Monitor *
Praise for Sue Monk Kidd's earlier novels
'Exhilarating. . . powerful' * Washington Post *
'Moving, original, and accomplished . . . It is wonderfully written, powerful, poignant, and humorous' * Joanna Trollope *
'The tale of one motherless daughter's discovery of what family really means - and of the strange and wondrous places we love' * Washington Post *
'Wonderful - well-written, moving and engaging by turns, and always compelling' * Daily Mail *
'A resonant, illuminating novel' * Observer *
This year's The Help - but even better * Fabulous *
'A remarkable novel that heightened my sense of what it meant to be a woman - slave or free . . . a conversation changer' - Oprah Winfrey, O, The Oprah Magazine * Oprah Winfrey, O, The Oprah Magazine *
'The stunning metaphors and realistic characters are so poignant they will bring tears to your eyes' * Library Journal *

Author Bio

Sue Monk Kidd is the author of THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES, one of the most beloved novels of the 21st century. It spent 2.5 years on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold over 8 million copies worldwide. It was long-listed for the Orange Prize (now the Women's Prize for Fiction) and made into a film starring Sophie Okonedo, Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson. Sue's subsequent novels, THE MERMAID CHAIR, THE INVENTION OF WINGS and now THE BOOK OF LONGINGS, were all New York Times bestsellers.

Sue is also the author of several non-fiction books including the New York Times bestseller TRAVELLING WITH POMEGRANATES, co-written with her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor. Sue lives in Florida.

www.suemonkkidd.com; Twitter @suemonkkidd