The Book of Longings

THE New York Times BESTSELLER

The stunning bestseller about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny,
from author of The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings

'Transporting, life-affirming, gripping. It is simply brilliant' Mel Giedroyc

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

'Brilliant . . . Brava!" The Daily Mail

Ana is born in Galilee at a time when women are seen as possessions, only
leaving their fathers' homes to marry.

Ana longs to control her destiny. Taught to read despite her mother's
misgivings, she wants to be a writer and to find her own voice. A voice that
will speak for the silenced women around her.

Betrothed to an elderly widower, Ana almost despairs. But an encounter with a
charismatic young carpenter in Nazareth awakens new longings in her, and a
different future opens up.

Yet this is not a simple love story. Ana's journey will bring both joy and
tragedy, but it will also be enriched by the female friendships she makes
along the way.

The Book of Longings is an exquisite tale of dreams and desire, and of the
power of women to change the world.

'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

'This moving novel by bestselling author Sue Monk Kidd persuasively imagines
the marriage between a brilliant young woman and Jesus' Daily Mail

'Incredible . . . A story which is full of humanity, love and tenderness - and
one which touched me deeply.' Brown Flopsy's Book Bureau

'The way that Hamnet gave a voice to Shakespeare's wife, this does the same
for Ana . . . One of the greats for historical fiction' Books by Bindu

'Not a day has passed since I finished reading it that I have not thought
about Ana, her story and the beautiful lyrical words Sue has written'
TheFallenLibrarian

'I loved it. I loved the feminist theme, I loved the language and I loved the
imagery of putting voice to your longings and then giving birth to them. Just
fab' BetweenMyLines

'Glorious. Beautiful. Life-affirming' Buried Under Books