The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Books | Fiction / General
4.1
(231)
Deesha Philyaw
*FINALIST for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction* *WINNER of the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award* *WINNER of the 2020 Story Prize* *WINNER of the 2020 L.A. Times Book Prize, Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction* "Beguiling." --The New Yorker "Tender, fierce, proudly black and beautiful, these stories will sneak inside you and take root." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Triumphant." --Publishers Weekly "Cheeky, insightful, and irresistible." --Ms. Magazine "This collection marks the emergence of a bona fide literary treasure." --Minneapolis Star Tribune "Full of lived-in humanity, warmth, and compassion." --Pittsburgh Current The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores 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. 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. 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.
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More Details:
Author
Deesha Philyaw
Pages
179
Publisher
West Virginia University Press
Published Date
2020
ISBN
1949199738 9781949199734
Community ReviewsSee all
"A short story anthology of 9 black women having conflicting thoughts between their beliefs from church and desire. "
Sandy Lopez
"If "Church Lady" makes you think of Dana Carvey's somewhat misogynistic caricature, or of the fan ladies in Alvin Ailey's Revelations, this story collection will be a revelation of its own. Philyaw's characters encompass a range of ages, social classes and sexualities; they cope with infidelity, homophobia, dementia and terminal illness. A running theme is, of course, their connection to faith and the Black Church; for most, church life is a source of pain and shame rather than solace. Philyaw beautifully evokes the deep loneliness and resilience at the heart of her characters."
Lesley Williams
"Really enjoyed the stories in this. The next was always greater than the last. Karl story was the best to me."
Jashon Evans
"Never has a book of short stories left me wanting more...until now. Many of these women deserve full length novels! Amazing storytelling!"
Brandi C
"I love me a good, juicy church read! This collection follows the tale of 9 black women and their conflict between beliefs and desire. Although this book is fiction, I believe this book still opens the door for important conversations to be had. Women who were raised in the church or even come to believe later in life often struggle with their sexual identity outside of religion. Philyaw writes so beautifully and left me wanting more! It’s not too heavy and there’s some humor as well. I give this book extra bonus points because Philyaw is a Jax,FL native and we graduated from the same high school."
Keana Patterson
"4.5"
Belana Romero
"Fascinating and deep#lesbianism #romance lgbt #"
Rebekah Tower
"I'm not usually a fan of short story anthologies, but this one is an exception. Each of these nine stories is poignant and has characters that the reader can resonate with, no matter the age, class, sexual orientation or religion. It is an exploration of generational relationships, fidelity, sexuality, love and sisterhood. There are slight nuances in each story that weave them all together, making the women in the story appear to be members of the same community of women at different stages of their lives. This continuity of character development in a way gave me a sense of how we as women, can see ourselves in these stories that are distinctly human and uniquely female. Add to the fact that each story feels just incomplete enough at its end, with just enough gray area to allow the reader to imagine, does Lyra find true love? Did Jael actually do it? Will Nichelle's letter be answered? This is a great collection, IMO, in the manner of For Colored Girls...in the way the characters are presented."
Liz Thurman
"Great short stories in which you can relate to as a churchgoer. "
Alicia Samuels
"Story of the human condition. Most people do not fit perfectly into a box, because we are so very complicated. This book describes the conflict that arises when living your true self clashes with family expectations and religious standards. "
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