The BEST 25th Episode Ever : "The Book of Longings"

"Some truths seemed insoluble stones that couldn't be swallowed."

This week, we continue our discussion of The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd. We rated and graded the book. We all really liked the book, so we all gave it a thumbs up. There was an overall appreciation for Kidd's gifted use of language and for the way women were portrayed. But some of us were LONGING for a different story about the relationship between Anna and Jesus. You will see that in the almost completely across the board grades we gave. We also give you tips on how to host a bookclub for this book..

*Grading Scale

A - All Good

B - Better than most

C - Could have been better

D - Disappointing

F - Failure on all levels

Ratings for this book

Mandy- C

Sarah - C

Katie - A

Holly - D

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Ideas for hosting a book club for The Book of Longings

Location - Pool, garden, Egypt!

Activity - pottery making, spa

Décor – vases with fish inside and olive tree branches and different color scarves if you’re at home and want to decorate your table

Attire - sandals and whatever you wear for traveling clothes

Favor - journal and pens, your own incantation bowl, a poem or prayer for each person

Food - goat cheese, olives, basically a charcuterie board

Music - Tabitha played the lyre (liar liar pants on fiar), play hymns

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Favorite quotes from the book

"Of all of the emotions, hope was the most mysterious. It grew like the blue lotus, snaking up from muddy hearts, beautiful while it lasted."

"To avoid a fear, emboldens it."

"Each of us must find a way to love the world."

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Show Notes

The Bible

Aladdin (2019)

Icons of the Bible Photographs

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn : "To do evil a human being must first of all believe that what he's doing is good."

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Upcoming Books

Katie's Next Book: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Holly's Next Book: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Mandy's Next Book: Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J.B. West

The BEST 24th Episode Ever : "The Book of Longings"

What if Jesus had a wife? In this fictional book by Sue Monk Kidd she allows our imaginations to go there and weaves a beautiful narrative of what ifs. “The Book of Longings” gives an excellent description of the political and social relations that were happening during Jesus's life. Sarah leads us on a journey where we discuss the mind, soul and body in addition to other aspects of the book.

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Book club questions

1. What did you think of Ana’s question “Did they believe making him celibate rendered him more spiritual?” Sue Monk Kidd mentioned that there has been a centuries-old division between spirit and flesh, in which sexuality is viewed as unholy. What do y’all think?

2. What do you think was the most human thing about Ana and Jesus’ relationship?

3. Was there ever a time in the book where you felt like you were Ana?

4. The Therapeutae is a historically accurate community in Egypt during the time of Jesus, what would have been your favorite aspect of that lifestyle?

5. There were several times that Ana put others in danger or herself because she felt it was the right thing to do or it seemed the only way to get what she wanted. Was there a time you think you would have chosen differently?

6. Did you have any aha moments or things that made you think about something in a different way?

Sarah ended this episode with this meaningful monologue :

In closing this week's podcast, I must say that the three of you embody Yaltha to me. She is described in the book like this “Her mind was an immense feral country that spilled its borders. She trespassed everywhere.” Sue Monk Kidd said in an interview with Penguin Random House that these were probably her two favorite sentences in the whole book. She said that Yaltha acts as Ana’s stand-in mother, soul friend, guide, and spiritual midwife. I cannot think of a more beautiful way to communicate to you three how meaningful you are to my life. I am learning to be free because you are teaching me to be.

I know, right?!! Isn't she just the sweetest? And at this point ALMOST all of us were in tears. Holly, we are coming for you! ;-) __________________________________________________________________________________

Show Notes

The Enneagram

Brené Brown "Unlocking Us" podcast with Sue Monk Kidd and Jen Hatmaker on

Longing, Belonging and Faith

Marcus Borg

Penguin Random House interview with Sue Monk Kidd about writing The Book of Longings

When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd

The Bible

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Upcoming Books

Katie's Next Book : Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Holly's Next Book : The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

The BEST 23nd Episode Ever : Summer Fun

Join us for this week's episode where we discuss books we are reading over the summer. We also play would you rather book edition:)

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The BEST Summer Reading List

Sarah: The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby, Yes, Please by Amy Poehler, You Are the Girl for the Job by Jess Connolly, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke, The Enneagram of Belonging by Christopher L. Heuertz

Mandy: Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies by J.B. West, Searching for Sunday by Rachel Held Evans, The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine, Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill How to Analyze People, Dark Psychology, The Psychology of Performance, Forbidden Psychology 101, The Psychology of Winning, Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behavior, The Summer of 69 by Elin Hilderbrand

Katie: Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison, How's Your Soul by Judah Smith, The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life by Seth Haines

Holly: How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X Kendi, Untamed by Glennon Doyle, For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker, Scoot Over and Make Some Room by Heather Avis, Divergent by Veronica Roth, What is the Bible by Rob Bell

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Would You Rather Book Club Edition:

Would you rather secretly love a book everyone else hates, or secretly hate a book everyone else loves?

M. Love

K. Love

S. Hate

H. Hate

Would you rather have your favorite book turned into a movie, or your favorite movie turned into a book?

K. Book to Movie

M. Book to Movie

S. Movie to Book

H. Movie to Book

Would you rather read a book with an annoying cliffhanger, or one where your favorite character is killed off?

S. Cliffhanger

M. Character killed

K. Character killed

H. Character killed

Would you rather lose the ability to read any new books, or the ability to reread books you've already read?

M. New Books

K. Old Books

S. Old Books

H. Old Books

Would you rather live in a library or a bookstore?

K. Library

M. Bookstore

S. Used Bookstore

H. Bookstore

Would you rather read by a fireplace, or on the beach?

K. Fireplace

S. Fireplace

M. Fireplace

H. Fireplace

Would you rather read a book or listen to it?

M. Read

S. Both

K. Read

H. Listen

Would you rather mark in a book or have it pristine?

ALL: Mark in it

Would you rather only be able to read factual books or fiction books for the rest of your life?

M. Fact

K. Fiction

S. Fiction

H. Fact

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Upcoming Books

Sarah's Next Book : The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

Katie's Next Book : Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Holly's Next Book : The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

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