A recently recommended book, The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd, has left me with such an extreme book hangover that even after reading two fast-paced suspense thrillers, I’m still searching for my next great read.
The Book of Longings is an evocative story about the fictional wife of Jesus of Nazareth. At the beginning of the novel, Anna is an educated young woman living in relative luxury in Galilee. Her life is subject to strict Jewish customs and Roman laws in a culture where women possess very few rights. Still, Anna manages to persuade her father to allow her to learn to read and write and she composes forbidden texts that chronicle the lives of women in biblical times.
Anna’s story weaves well-known New Testament scenes into her personal journey from wealth to poverty. As the story moves from Galilee to Egypt and back, readers are given an impressive view of the Ancient World.
Jesus enters Anna’s life while grieving Joseph’s death and confides to her about feeling conflicted about his life’s purpose. Their daily life in Galilee is richly described. Extended families and their livestock live in close quarters and items we’d take for granted-a mirror, string, papyrus, and ink-are cherished items in the Ancient World.
Of course, the novel raises many fascinating questions and I really enjoyed the author’s note at the end of the book that explains Sue Monk Kidd’s motivation and struggles in writing this unforgettable story.
The Book of Longings is also available as an eBook from FCPL's digital catalog.
Alicia CavittInformation Specialist
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