Though Ana is born to a wealthy family and has been afforded some education, her parents have arranged for her to marry an older man whom she despises, and they expect her to give up her scholarly ambitions. What do you think is Yaltha’s most profound influence on Ana? Has there been anyone in your life like Yaltha? How do you think you have been shaped by the older women in your life?ĥ. Ana’s aunt Yaltha is described as being as tough, clever, defiant, and daring as she is nurturing: “Her mind was an immense feral country that spilled its borders. What rules and customs surprised you? Which parts of the story feel especially relevant to modern-day life? Did you identify with Ana in any way?Ĥ. Though fictional, The Book of Longings is also a deeply researched account of life two thousand years ago. What role does Ana’s incantation bowl play in her quest to realize her longing? What is the importance of ritualizing one’s faith or longings? If you were given an incantation bowl in which to inscribe your deepest longing, what might you write? What can our longings teach us?ģ. How does the novel’s theme of finding and expressing one’s authentic voice unfold in the story? What forces work to silence contemporary women and what emboldens them?Ģ. She is passionate about the power of writing, of narratives, of having a voice, as well as lifting up the voices of other women. Ana is a character defined by her longings and aspirations. It is a triumph of storytelling both timely and timeless, from a masterful writer at the height of her powers. 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. Ana determines her fate during a stunning convergence of events considered among the most impactful in human history. When Ana’s impetuous streak forces her to flee Nazareth for her safety shortly before Jesus’s public ministry begins, she makes her way with Yaltha to Alexandria, where more unseen peril awaits and startling revelations unfold, and where eventually she finds purpose and refuge in unexpected surroundings. She is sustained by her fearless aunt Yaltha, who harbors a compelling secret, as well as other women, including her friend Tabitha, who is sold into slavery after being raped Phasaelis, the shrewd wife of Herod Antipas and Diodora, her long-lost cousin. Ana’s pent-up longings intensify amid the turbulent resistance to Rome’s occupation of Israel, partially led by her brother, Judas, a young man burning with political fervor bordering on fanaticism. 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. A young woman who has never quite felt at home in her surroundings, Ana finally experiences the recognition and belonging she has always craved. But a chance encounter with the eighteen-year-old Jesus ben Joseph of Nazareth sparks hope: each is drawn to the other’s spiritual and philosophical ideas, and he becomes both a floodgate for her intellect and the awakener of her heart. Though she longs to continue her education, her family expects her to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. Against the wishes of most of the people she knows and the norms of the era, she engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. 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. 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. When I am dust, sing these words over my bones: she was a voice” (page 13). “Bless the largeness inside me, no matter how I fear it. . . . READERS GUIDE Introduction An Introduction to T he Book of Longings
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |