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The Secret Life of Bees Information
| Book Name: | The Secret Life of Bees |
| Author: | Sue Monk Kidd |
| Pages | 232 |
| Language: | English |
| File Type: | PDF/ePub (Downloadable) |
| PDF Size: | 680 KB |
| ePub Size | 220 KB |
The Secret Life of Bees is a novel set in South Carolina in 1964, focusing on the protagonist, Lily Owens, whose life has been profoundly influenced by the hazy recollection of the day her mother met her demise. Upon witnessing Rosaleen, a strong-willed African American woman who serves as a surrogate mother figure to Lily, boldly confronting and provoking three individuals known for their deeply ingrained racist beliefs within their community, Lily makes the decision to liberate both herself and Rosaleen from their oppressive circumstances.
The characters seek refuge in Tiburon, South Carolina, a locality that harbours the enigmatic knowledge pertaining to the protagonist’s maternal history. Lily becomes acquainted with a group of idiosyncratic black beekeeping sisters, who expose her to their captivating realm centred around bees, honey, and the Black Madonna. This work is an extraordinary exploration of the concept of divine feminine power, presenting a narrative that will be cherished by women as they transmit it to future generations.
About The Author Sue Monk Kidd
Sue Monk Kidd was brought up in the rural community of Sylvester, Georgia. The individual obtained her degree from Texas Christian University in 1970 and afterwards pursued creative writing classes at Emory University, in addition to participating in educational programmes at Sewanee, Bread Loaf, and various other writers’ conferences. During her fourth decade of life, Kidd shifted her focus towards the creation of fictional works, ultimately achieving recognition through the South Carolina Fellowship in Literature and the 1996 Poets & Writers Exchange Programme in Fiction.
Upon its publication by Viking in 2002, the debut novel of the author, titled The Secret Life of Bees, garnered significant attention within the literary realm, emerging as a bona fide phenomenon. This literary work achieved remarkable success, persisting on the esteemed New York Times bestseller list for a duration exceeding two and a half years. The literary work has been effectively translated into a total of 36 distinct languages, and its sales figures have surpassed the impressive milestones of 6 million copies in the United States and 8 million copies on a global scale.
The book titled “Bees” received the prestigious recognition of being named the Book Sense Paperback Book of the Year in 2004. Additionally, it was included in the long-list for the 2002 Orange Prize in England, a highly regarded literary prize. Furthermore, “Bees” has garnered multiple accolades and honours. The literary work underwent adaptation into a critically acclaimed film and a theatrical production that was staged Off-Broadway.
The novel titled “The Mermaid Chair” achieved significant commercial success, as it remained on the New York Times hardcover bestseller list for a duration of 24 weeks, ultimately attaining the coveted top spot. Furthermore, it also maintained a presence on the New York Times trade paperback list for a span of 22 weeks. The novel was the recipient of the prestigious Nation Quill Award and subsequently adapted into a televised film.
Sue Monk Kidd’s third novel, titled “The Invention of Wings,” was released in 2014 and received extensive critical praise. It achieved significant commercial success by debuting at the top position on the prestigious New York Times bestseller list, where it maintained its position for a remarkable duration of 9 months. The book was chosen to be a part of Oprah Winfrey’s Bookclub 2.0 and received recognition from various other prestigious awards. The literary work “Wings” has undergone translation into more than twenty languages.
In addition to her literary achievements, she has authored a number of highly regarded autobiographies, such as The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and the critically acclaimed Travelling with Pomegranates, which reached the prestigious status of a New York Times bestseller. This particular work was co-authored with her daughter, Ann Kidd Taylor.
The forthcoming publication of her most recent literary work, entitled “The Book of Longings,” has been scheduled for April 21, 2020.
Kidd resides in the state of North Carolina alongside her spouse.
The Secret Life of Bees Book Summary
The literary work entitled “The Secret Life of Bees” was authored by Sue Monk Kidd. The publication date of the document is November 8, 2001.
The novel titled “The Secret Life of Bees” narrates the experiences of a Caucasian adolescent girl named Lily Melissa Owens, aged 14, whose existence has been profoundly influenced by the hazy recollection of the day her mother met her untimely demise.
The protagonist resides in a dwelling alongside her father, who is characterised as abusive and is commonly addressed as T. Ray. Lily benefits from the presence of Rosaleen, a pragmatic maid who assumes a maternal role in her life.
The narrative commences with Lily’s fortuitous encounter with a swarm of bees within the confines of her sleeping quarters. Subsequently, following Rosaleen’s apprehension for the act of pouring her container of “snuff juice” upon three individuals of Caucasian descent, Lily proceeds to liberate her from the medical facility, and together they opt to depart from the locality.
The individuals commence their journey by hitch-hiking towards Tiburon, SC, a location inscribed on the reverse side of a picture portraying the Virgin Mary in the form of a black woman. This particular image had been in the possession of Deborah, the mother of one of the individuals.
The individuals endure a nocturnal period within a forested environment, characterised by limited sustenance and diminished optimism, prior to their arrival at Tiburon. At that location, the individuals proceed to make a purchase of lunch items at a retail establishment commonly referred to as a general store. During this transaction, Lily experiences a moment of recognition upon encountering an image depicting the identical representation of “Black Mary” on the label of a container containing honey.
Directions are provided to the Boatwright residence, the source of the aforementioned honey. The Boatwright sisters, namely August, May, and June, who are of African descent, are encountered by the individuals. They are the skilled producers of the honey. Lily fabricates a narrative pertaining to her status as an orphan. Lily and Rosaleen have been extended an invitation to reside with the sisters.