We are in for such a treat this month – best-selling author, Sue Monk Kidd, will be joining us virtually on July 30 at 7 p.m. to discuss The Book of Longings, our selection for this month’s read. You will not want to miss this. So, pick up your copy and start now – it’s really good.
In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything.
Their marriage evolves with love and conflict, humor and pathos in Nazareth, where Ana makes a home with Jesus, his brothers, and their mother, Mary. Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome’s occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret. When Ana commits a brazen act that puts her in peril, she flees to Alexandria, where startling revelations and greater dangers unfold, and she finds refuge in unexpected surroundings. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history.
Grounded in meticulous research and written with a reverential approach to Jesus’s life that focuses on his humanity, The Book of Longings is an inspiring, unforgettable account of one woman’s bold struggle to realize the passion and potential inside her, while living in a time, place and culture devised to silence her. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers.
Be sure to save the date – Thursday, July 30 at 7 p.m. CST. Check our membership page on Bookmovement for the Zoom access code.
Not a member of our book club? Even if you aren’t local to my area, you can join our book club, membership is free, through Bookmovement. By signing up you will receive notifications on our upcoming meetings and the books we will be reading. Plus, you can create your personal queue of books you want to read outside of our group and find out new releases and trends in all genres of books. Friends are always welcome. Be sure to visit our Bookmovement page to see the books we are reading for the summer.
New to Zoom and not quite sure how to use it? Here is a helpful printable walking you through the steps to create and use Zoom like a pro. Be sure to remember to practice Zoom “netiquette” during our meeting.
No matter where you live, we’d love to have you join us!
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
