Greenberg Families Library's "Book Festival in Your Living Room" presents an evening with Sue Monk Kidd

Join author Sue Monk Kidd via Zoom as she discusses her new book, The Book of Longings.

We first encounter Ana at age fourteen; raised in a wealthy family, she is rebellious and ambitious with a brilliant, curious mind and a daring spirit. Longing for the freedom to bring forth what she calls the “largeness” in herself, she defies the expectations placed on women in 1st century Galilee and engages in secret scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. When she meets eighteen-year-old Jesus, he awakens her heart, and each is drawn to and enriched by the other’s spiritual and philosophical ideas. Their marriage unfolds with uncommon love, ordinary tensions, humor and pathos in Nazareth where they live for nearly a decade until Ana’s life becomes imperiled and she finds it necessary to seek refuge in Egypt shortly before Jesus’ public ministry begins. While there, she is introduced to an order of Jewish contemplative philosophers, the Therapeutae, where she will eventually find a sense of belonging and a way to express her full self.

The Book of Longings is a novel Sue Monk Kidd was born to write—a powerfully imagined, beautifully composed, fully realized story of a young woman who realizes her passion and potential against great odds. In a voice that is assured and intoxicating, the novel takes up many of the signature themes of Kidd’s fiction: feminism, the bonds between women, the search for self, and the quest for one’s voice and purpose in life. In particular, this novel explores the longings and “largeness” within women, addresses the importance of women’s stories and voices, and encourages readers to grapple with the inherent sexism in society and western religion.

Click the registration link for more information and to purchase your tickets! **prices are in USD and there is an option to include a copy of the book