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The Book of Longings

From the author of the international bestseller THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

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The Book of Longings

By: Sue Monk Kidd
Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò, Sue Monk Kidd
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About this listen

 THE New York Times BESTSELLER

FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE MULTI-MILLION-COPY-SELLING The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

'Superlative . . . From a writer at the top of her game . . . A practically perfect historical novel' New York Journal of Books

'A bold, imaginative reworking' Sunday Times

'Brilliant . . . Brava!" The Daily Mail

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

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 author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

'I am Ana. I was the wife of Jesus.'

In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman called Ana.

Ana is a rebellious young woman, a gifted writer with a curious, brilliant mind, who writes secret narratives about the neglected and silenced women around her. Raised in a wealthy family in Galilee, she is sheltered from the brutality of Rome's occupation of Israel. Ana is expected to marry an elderly widower to further her father's ambitions, a prospect that horrifies her. A chance encounter with the eighteen-year-old Jesus changes everything: his ideas and his passion are intoxicating.

Taking Ana on a journey she could never have imagined, The Book of Longings is a glorious evocation of a time and a place where astounding events unfolded, and of one woman's fate when she fights to make her voice heard.

'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

(P)2020 Penguin Audio©2020 Sue Monk Kidd Ancient Biographical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Biography Destiny Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Middle East

Critic reviews

This author is one of my favourites . . . A challenging and sensitive subject, but beautifully written
Unleashes the reader's imagination with glorious evocations of extraordinary times and places, allowing our minds to roam... Original, challenging, beautiful (Adele Parks)
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.
Compelling ... Ana is a truly wonderful character, strong and inspiring, and her life story so captivating that it swept me along
A bold, imaginative reworking of the Christian tale from a female perspective
Brilliant ... the familiar characters brought to vivid life
"This novel has an intriguing premise . . . The novel's evocation of life in Galilee is fascinating, and clever, rebellious Ana is a memorable character."
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.
Superlative . . . from a writer at the top of her game . . . A practically perfect historical novel
Kidd uses her unexpected narrator to reveal new perspectives on an endlessly parsed era.
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
Imaginative . . . Charts a young woman's struggle to confront the ways in which society dictates what she can and cannot do.
'A wonderfully researched novel ... reimagining the past through the eyes of a creative, curious and defiant woman'
'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'
An inspiring story of a strong woman living in a society bent on her silence
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?
This is Ana's story . . . Well-researched and a cracking good read
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
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'
All stars
Most relevant
I was totally enthralled by the storyline and the considered possible personal life of Jesus.

Fascinating listen.

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Thank you Sue. I am so happy Anna wandered into your life. The gift of a voice, in honour of the divine feminine, has been gratefully received by my heart.

The Voice

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really enjoyed this book, great story and narration. fascinating to get a glimpse into what love was like back then and even more so to imagine Jesus being married!

fantastic

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This story is beautifully imagined and portrays the characters with pleasing depth and skill. The plot is brilliantly conceived with a truly satisfying ending, rare indeed.

Original, heartfelt and exquisitely written

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As a Christian I was slightly worried about this book but it was recommended to me by an evangelical Christian friend. There is no discussion about Jesus as both man and God. Anna marries Jesus but they are conveniently separate during his years of ministry.
The book is very good at showing the role of women in biblical times. Anna follows Jewish tradition. The purity laws, marriage laws etc are naturally part of the story.
This book is not life changing but worth a listen.

Learnt a lot about Jewish tradition.

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