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Sue Monk Kidd

スー・モンク・キッド

Sū Monku Kiddo

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1948-08-12 （Sylvester, Georgia）
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Religion
Christianity
Residence History
Sylvester, Georgia → Charleston, South Carolina → Mount Pleasant, South Carolina → Florida → North Carolina

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Nurse educator, Memoirist
Active Years
1988-2024
Influenced By
Thomas Merton

Education

Texas Christian University
Nursing
Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Year of Graduation: 1970
Country: United States

Awards

Quill Award
2005
Work: The Mermaid Chair
Category: General Fiction
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Mermaid Chair

2005 Fiction

A woman returns to an island off South Carolina and becomes attracted to a Benedictine monk.

religionfeminism
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Mermaid Chair / Andy Wilson (2006)

The Secret Life of Bees

2002 Historical Fiction

A white girl runs away to live with a black beekeeper during the 1964 civil rights movement.

racereligionfeminism
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Secret Life of Bees / Gina Prince-Bythewood (2008)
  • [Play] The Secret Life of Bees

The Invention of Wings

2014 Historical Fiction

Based on the life of 19th-century abolitionist Sarah Grimké.

racewomen's rights

The Book of Longings

2020 Historical Fiction

Fictional story of Ana, an educated woman who marries Jesus.

religionwomen

Bibliography

  • God's Joyful Surprise: Finding Yourself Loved
  • When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions
  • The Dance of the Dissident Daughter: A Woman's Journey from Christian Tradition to the Sacred Feminine
  • The Secret Life of Bees
  • The Mermaid Chair
  • Firstlight: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd
  • Traveling with Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Journey to the Sacred Places of Greece, Turkey and France
  • The Invention of Wings
  • The Book of Longings

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Engaging storytelling based on historical factsDetailed psychological portrayal
Recurring Motifs
racefeminismreligion and spirituality

Legacy

American bestselling author known for historical novels dealing with themes of race, feminism, and religion. Selected for Oprah's Book Club and widely acclaimed.