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The Book of Longings
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò, Sue Monk Kidd
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
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The Book of Longings
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Publisher's Summary
"An epic masterpiece that is a triumph of insight and storytelling." (Associated Press)
“A true masterpiece.” (Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed)
Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2020 by O, the Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America/ABC-TV, Good Housekeeping, Bustle, Time, Marie Claire, and The Millions.
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 best-selling author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings
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 18-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.
What the critics say
“I kept having to close this novel and breathe deeply, again and again. A radical reimagining of the New Testament that reflects on women's longing and silencing and awakening, it is a true masterpiece.” (Glennon Doyle, author of Untamed)
“[Kidd’s] painstaking research and artful crafting of setting and character ensures that The Book of Longings is not just an extraordinary novel, but one with lasting power...[her] brilliance shines through on so many levels, but not the least in her masterful, reverential approach to capturing Jesus of Nazareth as a fully human young man...[The Book of Longings] is an epic masterpiece that is a triumph of insight and storytelling.” (Associated Press)
Featured Article: Historical Fiction Listens with Strong and Inspiring Female Protagonists
History teaches us what happened; historical fiction novels let us feel what happened. Without female protagonists in these historical fiction books, we’re only getting half the picture of what it might have been like to live through different time periods. Whether it’s a historical romance set hundreds of years ago or a twentieth-century drama based on actual events, discover listens that are both heartbreaking and humbling as female characters lead the way.
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What listeners say about The Book of Longings
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K
- 2020-11-26
Mesmerizing!!!
I loved this book! The story is very captivating. It starts out a bit slow but once you’re immersed in the story it’s hard to stop.
Personally I felt like narrator reads it tad bit too fast, I had to reduce the speed down to X0.9 or X0.8 sometimes. But the difference it makes! It adds way more depth and emotions to the narration and is easy to keep up with.
I will sure be keeping this book and re-listening it probably few more times.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kerie
- 2022-03-04
Amazing!
I LOVED this book! It was an incredibly well written tale. I couldn’t stop listening.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sandi Ferguson
- 2021-01-24
A beautiful journey with a woman during the time of Jesus.
Sue Monk Kidd follows her heart as she brings to the page the character of Ana, the wife of Jesus. Ana allows us to feel the compassion of Jesus while struggling to be a women writer during a time when the voice of women was never heard. Upon reading this work of fiction, one feels the humanity in Jesus and the desperate attempt of women wanting their stories to be heard.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Budb
- 2021-07-22
interesting and well written
I could not be considered to be religious and so I found this fictional story of Jesus as a man very interesting. I am also attracted to authors who have a way of describing people and events with insight and clarity. I found Sue Monk Kidd to be such an author so the story was not only interesting but also enjoyable!
The narrator did an excellent job!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sophia
- 2020-10-08
Oh how I cried
The Book of Longings inspired feelings of love, determination, anger and sorrow in me. My name is Sophia and I never knew what the name was and could be.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- K. Tyne
- 2021-02-11
Enjoyed
I really enjoyed this telling of Anna, the wife of Jesus. As a Christian person, I wasn't sure if I should read it, but I found it very inspiring. It gave a view of what the life of Jesus could have been during his 20's as he drew closer to his ministry.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Melany
- 2020-08-18
Beautiful and engaging.
I couldn't put it down. The story is full, the characters well developed, and the performance is spot on.
Highly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- RGS
- 2022-06-01
Incredible!!!!
Sue Monk Kidd has blown me away with how beautifully she writes, her imagination, her attention to details and character development. I so appreciate the weight she placed on the strength of women and a good marriage. The nature of Jesus was captured perfectly. Thank you for this gift!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. Harrison
- 2020-07-10
Incredible voice of women
Absolutely adored this book! It pays a hommage to all women, throughout history, but in a calm, peaceful and not necessarily angry way.
The story of Jesus's presumed wife is told intelligently, respectfully and most plausibly. Though deemed fictional, such a nuance of history is entirely possible, if not probable.
This book is written with utmost respect for history and in honour of all women whose voice has been silenced. I loved how it hooked you almost immediately, the descriptions of Egypt and Judea, the vivid detail and the beautiful language. So much emotion and depth in the book! Do yourself a favour and read it!
This book has just risen to the top 5 for me.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kim J Johnson
- 2021-04-15
Compelling
Love story tellers who take real historic events and fill in the gaps with plausible possibility. And to write from the perspective of a “minor” character in a major circumstance. I enjoy being challenged to imagine beyond what is known to be true to what could have been. Very well written.
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