Sue Monk Kidd

Sue Monk Kidd (born August 12, 1948) is an American writer from Sylvester, Georgia best known for her novels The Secret Life of Bees[1][2] and The Invention of Wings. Her first novel, The Secret Life of Bees (2002), is set during the American civil rights movement of 1964,[6] 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 movie of the same name by Fox Searchlight, starring Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo. The Secret Life of Bees movie won two People's Choice Awards at the 35th annual awards ceremony, taking home Best Movie Drama and Best Independent Movie. Kidd's novel The Book of Longings, was published on April 21, 2020. It tells the fictional story of Ana, an educated woman who marries Jesus Christ. Her formerly privileged life changes greatly, and she is often left alone once Jesus begins his ministry. D. G. Martin calls it "an enriching and challenging read.