As we move into the Lenten season in late February, Pastor Katie will schedule one or two more book discussions. Dates will be determined by the birth of Katie’s new granddaughter, who will be arriving sometime in February! Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Book of Longings will guide one discussion. This novel imagines the story of Jesus’ wife during the time of his ministry. (Many scholars have long thought that Jesus was probably married; it would be quite unusual for a Jewish man in his time not to be.) The story is that of Ana, the wife’s character, but weaves Jesus’ story in and out of the events in Ana’s life.
The Associated Press review of the novel says that Kidd’s
. . . painstaking research and artful crafting of setting and character ensure 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.
Kidd’s book is available through Amazon for $13.99 ($11.99 for Kindle edition); from Alibris for $6.59.
Please let Katie know if you plan to attend so she can prepare for the appropriate number of participants.
