{"product_id":"the-secret-lives-of-church-ladies-9781949199734","title":"The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Philyaw, Deesha","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*FINALIST for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction* \u003cbr\u003e *WINNER of the 2021 PEN\/Faulkner Award* \u003cbr\u003e *WINNER of the 2020 Story Prize\u003c\/b\u003e* \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e*WINNER of the 2020 L.A. Times Book Prize, Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction*\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Beguiling.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Tender, fierce, proudly black and beautiful, these stories will sneak inside you and take root.\"\u003ci\u003e --Kirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review) \u003cbr\u003e \"Triumphant.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e --Publishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Cheeky, insightful, and irresistible.\" --​​​​​​​\u003ci\u003eMs. Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"This collection marks the emergence of a bona fide literary treasure.\"\u003ci\u003e --Minneapolis Star Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \"Full of lived-in humanity, warmth, and compassion.\" --\u003ci\u003ePittsburgh Current\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Secret Lives of Church Ladies \u003c\/i\u003eexplores the raw and tender places where Black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e There is fourteen-year-old Jael, who has a crush on the preacher's wife. At forty-two, Lyra realizes that her discomfort with her own body stands between her and a new love. As Y2K looms, Caroletta's \"same time next year\" arrangement with her childhood best friend is tenuous. A serial mistress lays down the ground rules for her married lovers. In the dark shadows of a hospice parking lot, grieving strangers find comfort in each other. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e With their secret longings, new love, and forbidden affairs, these church ladies are as seductive as they want to be, as vulnerable as they need to be, as unfaithful and unrepentant as they care to be, and as free as they deserve to be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Deesha Philyaw\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e West Virginia University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/01\/2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 192\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.35lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.40h x 4.65w x 0.63d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781949199734\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAward:\u003c\/b\u003e National Book Awards - Finalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAward:\u003c\/b\u003e PEN\/Faulkner Award - Winner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/22\/2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2020\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/15\/2020 pg. 16\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/01\/2020 pg. 63\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDeesha Philyaw's writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMcSweeney's\u003c\/i\u003e, the \u003ci\u003eRumpus\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eBrevity\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTueNight\u003c\/i\u003e, and elsewhere. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, she currently lives in Pittsburgh with her daughters. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"West Virginia University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43655918846105,"sku":"9781949199734","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0572\/3367\/0297\/files\/img_f8ac50f4-b801-41bf-aa05-421b2e35db91.jpg?v=1724683293","url":"https:\/\/bookmarksretail.store\/products\/the-secret-lives-of-church-ladies-9781949199734","provider":"Bookmarks Retail","version":"1.0","type":"link"}