Sue Monk Kidd

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Sue Monk Kidd (born August 12, 1948) is an American writer best known for her novels, including The Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings. Her work often explores themes of feminism, spirituality, and the human condition.

Early Life and Education

Sue Monk Kidd was born in Sylvester, Georgia. She grew up in a small town in the South, which later influenced the settings and themes of her novels. Kidd attended Texas Christian University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.

Career

Kidd began her career as a nurse and a freelance writer. Her early work included articles for various magazines and a memoir titled God's Joyful Surprise. She later transitioned to writing novels, gaining widespread acclaim for her debut novel, The Secret Life of Bees, published in 2002.

The Secret Life of Bees

The Secret Life of Bees is set in South Carolina in 1964 and tells the story of a young girl named Lily Owens. The novel explores themes of racism, motherhood, and the search for identity. It was a New York Times Best Seller and was later adapted into a film in 2008.

The Mermaid Chair

Published in 2005, The Mermaid Chair is another of Kidd's well-known works. The novel centers around Jessie Sullivan, a woman who returns to her childhood home on a South Carolina barrier island to care for her mentally ill mother. The book delves into themes of self-discovery and forgiveness.

The Invention of Wings

The Invention of Wings, published in 2014, is a historical novel inspired by the life of Sarah Grimké, a 19th-century abolitionist and women's rights advocate. The novel explores the intertwined lives of Sarah and Hetty "Handful" Grimké, an enslaved woman. It was selected for Oprah's Book Club 2.0.

Personal Life

Sue Monk Kidd is married to Sanford "Sandy" Kidd, and they have two children. The family resides in Charleston, South Carolina.

Bibliography

• God's Joyful Surprise (1988)
• When the Heart Waits (1990)
• The Dance of the Dissident Daughter (1996)
• The Secret Life of Bees (2002)
• The Mermaid Chair (2005)
• Traveling with Pomegranates (2009, co-authored with her daughter Ann Kidd Taylor)
• The Invention of Wings (2014)
• The Book of Longings (2020)

Awards and Honors

• Quill Award for General Fiction (2004) for The Secret Life of Bees
• Book Sense Book of the Year (2003) for The Secret Life of Bees
• Literary Guild Book of the Year (2002) for The Secret Life of Bees

See Also

• List of American novelists
• Southern literature
• Feminist literature