330:. The story concerns a woman who upon coming home to an island off the coast of South Carolina becomes attracted to a Benedictine monk who is just a few months short of taking his final vows. The title refers to a chair in his monastery carved with mermaids dedicated to a female saint said to be a mermaid before her conversion and who is patroness of the island. It was adapted as a 2006
31:
421:, explaining that "my imagination was ignited. I thought, if Jesus’ wife ever existed, she would be the most silenced woman in Western history". The first 14 months of the writing process were taken up by extensive research on the period and setting, including Kidd's own travel notes on Egypt, Palestine, and Jordan.
289:, telling the story of a white girl who runs away from home to live with a black woman who now works as an independent bee-keeper and honey-maker with many of her sisters. It has been adapted as an award-winning play in New York and debuted off Broadway at the Atlantic Theater. The novel was also adapted as a
415:. Her formerly privileged life changes greatly, and she is often left alone once Jesus begins his ministry. Kidd was inspired to consider the idea of a wife of Jesus by a Biblical hoax featured on
917:
952:
907:
912:
957:
892:
937:
932:
818:
393:
962:
349:, a collection of Kidd's early writings, was published in hardcover by Guideposts Books; it was published in paperback by Penguin in 2007.
210:
583:
352:
After traveling with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor, to sacred sites in Greece, Turkey, and France, Kidd and Taylor co-authored a memoir,
942:
902:
897:
947:
615:
887:
695:
218:
317:
movie won two People's Choice Awards at the 35th annual awards ceremony, taking home Best Movie Drama and Best
Independent Movie.
840:
481:
382:
281:
164:
112:
438:
290:
187:
214:
750:
720:
811:
434:
195:
183:
81:
536:
972:
967:
669:
331:
389:
856:
365:
927:
804:
503:
Traveling with
Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey and France
286:
374:
264:, 1988) is focused on abandoning a hopeless quest for perfection and accepting one is loved as one is.
475:
The Dance of the
Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine
270:
The Dance of the
Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine
922:
864:
515:
433:
Kidd is married to
Sanford "Sandy" Kidd. The couple have two children, Bob and Ann. She has lived in
407:
170:
30:
411:
was published on April 21, 2020. It tells the fictional story of Ana, an educated woman who marries
774:
417:
229:
She got her start in writing when a personal essay she wrote for a writing class was published in
155:
56:
237:
587:
848:
489:
398:
322:
253:
118:
370:
206:
159:
616:"Giving Voice, and Finding Her Own: Sue Monk Kidd Tackles Race in 'The Invention of Wings'"
339:
302:
248:
Her first three books were spiritual memoirs describing her experiences in contemplative
755:
446:
356:. Published by Viking in 2009, it appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including the
310:
294:
191:
881:
298:
261:
202:
769:
422:
378:
335:
249:
558:
272:(Harper San Francisco, 1996), discussed her encounter with women's spirituality.
665:
450:
327:
306:
276:
162:, which frequently deal with themes of race, feminism, and religion and include
696:"SUNDAY BOOK REVIEW: Taking Flight: 'The Invention of Wings,' by Sue Monk Kidd"
231:
252:, the last telling the story of her journey from traditional Christianity to
268:(Harper San Francisco, 1990) tells of her painful midlife crisis. Finally,
182:
Kidd was born and raised in
Sylvester, Georgia. In 1970, she graduated from
796:
67:
442:
469:
When the Heart Waits: Spiritual
Direction for Life's Sacred Questions
266:
When the Heart Waits: Spiritual
Direction for Life's Sacred Questions
71:
772:(May 27, 2020). "The wife of Jesus: the North Carolina connection".
412:
751:"Did Jesus Ever Tie the Knot? A New Novel Considers the Question"
640:
800:
791:
721:"Oprah Talks with Sue Monk Kidd About The Invention of Wings"
497:
381:
and women's rights pioneer. The novel debuted at No. 1 on
140:
392:. In April, Kidd appeared in an interview with Oprah on
360:
list, and it has been published in several languages.
354:
128:
Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story
133:
103:
95:
87:
77:
63:
40:
21:
670:"The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – review"
154:(born August 12, 1948) is an American writer from
241:. She went on to become a Contributing Editor at
449:. Ann frequently helps with Kidd's writing as a
586:. University of South Carolina. Archived from
425:calls it "an enriching and challenging read."
812:
463:God's Joyful Surprise: Finding Yourself Loved
258:God's Joyful Surprise: Finding Yourself Loved
8:
819:
805:
797:
29:
18:
745:
743:
741:
219:Middlebury Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
918:Writers from Charleston, South Carolina
759:, 7 May 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
578:
576:
528:
205:. She took creative writing courses at
201:Kidd was influenced by the writings of
694:Bernejan, Suzanne (January 24, 2014).
614:Leejan, Felicia R. (January 6, 2014).
287:American civil rights movement of 1964
660:
658:
609:
607:
605:
188:bachelor of science degree in nursing
7:
505:(with Ann Kidd Taylor). Viking, 2009
328:2005 Quill Award for General Fiction
953:21st-century American women writers
908:Novelists from Georgia (U.S. state)
124:The Dance of the Dissident Daughter
99:Fiction, Historical Fiction, Memoir
14:
913:Texas Christian University alumni
958:American women religious writers
893:21st-century American memoirists
938:21st-century American novelists
332:Lifetime movie of the same name
16:American novelist and memoirist
933:People from Sylvester, Georgia
1:
963:Novelists from South Carolina
293:by Fox Searchlight, starring
439:Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
158:. She is best known for her
388:and was later selected for
989:
943:American nursing educators
903:American spiritual writers
898:American religious writers
285:(2002), is set during the
196:Medical College of Georgia
184:Texas Christian University
82:Texas Christian University
948:American women memoirists
835:
373:and based on the life of
138:
28:
888:American women novelists
178:Early life and education
841:The Secret Life of Bees
584:"Sue Monk Kidd Profile"
482:The Secret Life of Bees
315:The Secret Life of Bees
282:The Secret Life of Bees
165:The Secret Life of Bees
113:The Secret Life of Bees
857:The Invention of Wings
509:The Invention of Wings
366:The Invention of Wings
291:movie of the same name
108:The Invention of Wings
561:. WorldCat Identities
390:Oprah's Book Club 2.0
865:The Book of Longings
516:The Book of Longings
408:The Book of Longings
262:Harper San Francisco
171:The Book of Longings
35:Sue Monk Kidd (2019)
775:Independent Tribune
668:(January 5, 2014).
539:. Penguin Group USA
418:National Geographic
211:Anderson University
641:"About the Author"
384:The New York Times
369:is set during the
320:Her second novel,
192:nursing instructor
190:. She worked as a
156:Sylvester, Georgia
57:Sylvester, Georgia
875:
874:
849:The Mermaid Chair
792:Official web site
749:Egan, Elisabeth.
590:on April 19, 2014
490:The Mermaid Chair
445:. She resides in
399:Super Soul Sunday
377:, a 19th-century
371:antebellum period
323:The Mermaid Chair
254:feminist theology
235:and reprinted in
213:, and studied at
160:historical novels
149:
148:
119:The Mermaid Chair
980:
973:Quaker feminists
968:American Quakers
821:
814:
807:
798:
780:
779:
766:
760:
747:
736:
735:
733:
731:
717:
711:
710:
708:
706:
691:
685:
684:
682:
680:
662:
653:
652:
650:
648:
637:
631:
630:
628:
626:
611:
600:
599:
597:
595:
580:
571:
570:
568:
566:
559:"Kidd, Sue Monk"
555:
549:
548:
546:
544:
533:
386:Best Seller list
326:(2005), won the
207:Emory University
145:
142:
54:
50:
48:
33:
19:
988:
987:
983:
982:
981:
979:
978:
977:
878:
877:
876:
871:
831:
825:
788:
783:
768:
767:
763:
748:
739:
729:
727:
719:
718:
714:
704:
702:
693:
692:
688:
678:
676:
664:
663:
656:
646:
644:
643:. Sue Monk Kidd
639:
638:
634:
624:
622:
613:
612:
603:
593:
591:
582:
581:
574:
564:
562:
557:
556:
552:
542:
540:
537:"Sue Monk Kidd"
535:
534:
530:
526:
459:
431:
363:Her 2014 novel
340:Bruce Greenwood
303:Jennifer Hudson
238:Reader's Digest
227:
180:
139:
78:Alma mater
55:
52:
51:August 12, 1948
46:
44:
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
986:
984:
976:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
880:
879:
873:
872:
870:
869:
861:
853:
845:
836:
833:
832:
826:
824:
823:
816:
809:
801:
795:
794:
787:
786:External links
784:
782:
781:
761:
756:New York Times
737:
712:
700:New York Times
686:
654:
632:
620:New York Times
601:
572:
550:
527:
525:
522:
521:
520:
512:
506:
500:
494:
486:
478:
472:
466:
458:
455:
447:North Carolina
430:
427:
358:New York Times
311:Sophie Okonedo
295:Dakota Fanning
226:
223:
179:
176:
147:
146:
136:
135:
131:
130:
105:
101:
100:
97:
93:
92:
89:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
65:
61:
60:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
985:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
928:Living people
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
885:
883:
867:
866:
862:
859:
858:
854:
851:
850:
846:
843:
842:
838:
837:
834:
830:
829:Sue Monk Kidd
822:
817:
815:
810:
808:
803:
802:
799:
793:
790:
789:
785:
777:
776:
771:
765:
762:
758:
757:
752:
746:
744:
742:
738:
726:
722:
716:
713:
701:
697:
690:
687:
675:
671:
667:
661:
659:
655:
642:
636:
633:
621:
617:
610:
608:
606:
602:
589:
585:
579:
577:
573:
560:
554:
551:
538:
532:
529:
523:
518:
517:
513:
510:
507:
504:
501:
498:
495:
492:
491:
487:
484:
483:
479:
476:
473:
470:
467:
464:
461:
460:
456:
454:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
429:Personal life
428:
426:
424:
420:
419:
414:
410:
409:
405:Kidd's novel
403:
401:
400:
395:
391:
387:
385:
380:
376:
372:
368:
367:
361:
359:
355:
350:
348:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
324:
318:
316:
312:
308:
304:
300:
299:Queen Latifah
296:
292:
288:
284:
283:
278:
273:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
246:
244:
240:
239:
234:
233:
224:
222:
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
203:Thomas Merton
199:
197:
193:
189:
185:
177:
175:
173:
172:
167:
166:
161:
157:
153:
152:Sue Monk Kidd
144:
137:
132:
129:
125:
121:
120:
115:
114:
109:
106:
104:Notable works
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
83:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
62:
58:
53:(age 76)
43:
39:
32:
27:
23:Sue Monk Kidd
20:
863:
855:
847:
839:
828:
773:
770:D. G. Martin
764:
754:
730:December 10,
728:. Retrieved
724:
715:
703:. Retrieved
699:
689:
677:. Retrieved
674:The Observer
673:
666:Sethi, Anita
645:. Retrieved
635:
623:. Retrieved
619:
592:. Retrieved
588:the original
563:. Retrieved
553:
541:. Retrieved
531:
514:
508:
502:
496:
488:
480:
474:
468:
462:
457:Bibliography
432:
423:D. G. Martin
416:
413:Jesus Christ
406:
404:
397:
383:
379:abolitionist
375:Sarah Grimké
364:
362:
357:
353:
351:
346:
344:
336:Kim Basinger
321:
319:
314:
280:
274:
269:
265:
257:
250:Christianity
247:
242:
236:
230:
228:
200:
181:
169:
163:
151:
150:
127:
123:
117:
111:
107:
91:1988–present
923:1948 births
451:proofreader
307:Alicia Keys
277:first novel
141:suemonkkidd
882:Categories
827:Novels by
565:August 19,
543:August 19,
524:References
435:Charleston
347:Firstlight
243:Guideposts
232:Guideposts
64:Occupation
47:1948-08-12
725:oprah.com
705:April 23,
679:April 23,
647:April 23,
625:April 23,
594:April 23,
402:episode.
345:In 2006,
334:starring
72:memoirist
217:and the
68:Novelist
443:Florida
215:Sewanee
194:at the
186:with a
134:Website
868:(2020)
860:(2014)
852:(2005)
844:(2002)
519:, 2020
511:, 2014
499:, 2006
493:, 2005
485:, 2001
477:, 1996
471:, 1990
465:, 1988
441:, and
225:Career
88:Period
59:, U.S.
96:Genre
732:2013
707:2014
681:2014
649:2014
627:2014
596:2014
567:2010
545:2010
437:and
338:and
309:and
275:Her
168:and
143:.com
41:Born
396:'s
394:OWN
884::
753:,
740:^
723:.
698:.
672:.
657:^
618:.
604:^
575:^
453:.
342:.
313:.
305:,
301:,
297:,
279:,
256:.
245:.
221:.
209:,
198:.
174:.
126:,
122:,
116:,
110:,
70:,
49:)
820:e
813:t
806:v
778:.
734:.
709:.
683:.
651:.
629:.
598:.
569:.
547:.
260:(
45:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.