An extraordinary novel . . . a triumph of insight and storytelling. -Associated Press A true
masterpiece. -Glennon Doyle author of Untamed 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 bestselling 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 eighteen-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.
