been reading: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

I read this novel straight through in one sitting, while flying home from Dubai. I rarely read books that way and wouldn't usually recommend it, but this novel seemed suited for it. The characters are so compelling that I wanted to join their world for awhile. I was sitting in 38A, but I was really in Tiburon, South Carolina. Harvesting honey.

A coming-of-age tale, this novel is about a young girl who has lost her mother and is searching for maternal love and simultaneously searching for herself. But at its heart, it celebrates the strength of women. This novel is perhaps the most feminist I have read, although it is not overt. It doesn't need to be - the metaphors speak for themselves.

At the center of the story is the sisterhood. They are Ya-Ya in their devotion to each other and their reverence for life. They are independent women, but they always return to the circle for wisdom and compassion and renewal.

This novel was recommended to me by a woman who is both my friend and my mentor. She has guided me along for years, often without even knowing it. I cannot imagine a more appropriate person to have recommended this book.