by Sue Monk Kidd
Hardcover- $21.90
An extraordinary story set in the first century about a woman who finds her voice and her destiny, from the celebrated number one New York ...
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The Book of Longings, Sue Monk Kidd, author, Mozhan Marno, narrator
My first thought after reading the opening paragraphs, was why? Why write a book about Jesus’ imaginary wife? What purpose could it serve to change his image from a celibate, from a loving, spiritual guide to a mere mortal, a man subject to the needs of the body as well as of the mind and the heart? Personally, I prefer the version of Jesus as an exalted representative of G-d, but perhaps, as a Jew, it is not my place to pass judgment on such a choice. The author researched the book for years before she put pen to paper and wrote it. There were things I thought she should have included if she re-imagined his life. For instance, if Jesus was to be prone to human desire, why did Kidd not also include, and justify, some discussion about priests and nuns being more prone to human needs. Surely, to my way of thinking, historically, they chose to be celibate, because of his teachings. So if he was more subject to human frailty, why did she not make them more human, as well?
We know that Jesus was a Jew, a Jew who was very obviously disappointed with the practices of the people of his time, and in particular, disappointed with the ways of his own people. The greed and inequality he saw, all around him, infuriated him. He came from a modest family, unlike his imaginary wife, Ana, daughter of Matthias, head scribe to Antipas. Her family had great wealth and slaves. The class divide between them was enormous. Theirs was not a match made in heaven, but made possible instead by the death of Ana’s betrothed. Still, it was love that first brought them together.
In brief, the story is about Ana and Jesus Ben Joseph of Nazareth. Ana fancied herself a scribe, like her father, not a homemaker. Her father worked for Herod Antipas, the tetrarch who wanted to be King. Her father was primarily interested in advancing the cause of Antipas to advance himself. He did it at the expense of others. Her mother disliked Ana, who was headstrong. Her mother disagreed with her father who incongruously, had allowed Ana to learn to read and write, an opportunity not considered necessary or afforded to females in those days. In Ana’s writings she documents the value of women in Jewish lore. In the tradition of modern writers, both Kidd and Ana are championing the cause of women’s rights by pointing to the autocracy of males who dominated all forms of life and made all the rules governing women. Women were chattel.
Ana was baptized by John, the Immerser, and she began to follow his teachings. Then Jesus decided to follow John, too, and, then, to eventually replace him. Her adopted brother, Judas, actually a cousin in this re-imagined version of the life of Jesus, was the very same Judas, who betrayed Jesus. He, too, railed against materialism and greed, but was more of a zealot, often losing his temper. His last dinner with Jesus was a Passover Seder which is established historically. Another thing we know is that Judas was responsible for the capture of Jesus, but we do not know for certain who ordered the crucifixion?
The Jews believed Jesus would free them from the yoke of the Romans. Antipas worked with the Romans and wanted to be King. Jesus was called King of the Jews. Pilot knew that the Jewish messiah was said to overthrow Rome. So, both felt threatened by Jesus, because he declared himself the Messiah. So, while I have been taught that it was the Romans who gave the choice to the Jews, to choose the victim who was to be crucified, putting them in an untenable position, the book makes one wonder if it was not the
Temple guards who brought Jesus to Pilot who were responsible. Near the end of the book, with the guards assisting Ana’s uncle Haran in his quest for vengeance against her aunt and herself, the reader might also get the idea that the Jews, not the Romans, were calling the shots and had far more influence at that time. Has Kidd subtly encouraged that disastrous rhetoric about Jews killing Jesus to rise again, even if unwittingly?
I found the novel engaging in theory, but was disappointed in the very negative portrayal of Jews. Ana’s father is described as a wealthy Jew looking out only for himself. He would sell his daughter to advance his dynasty. Her uncle Haran was described as cold-hearted, selfish and vindictive who would sell his niece to punish his sister. Antipas was described as a cruel tetrarch who wanted only to be king of the Jews by any means possible. Tabitha’s parents believed in the barbaric mutilation of their child as a punishment for what they perceived as their shame, and others were described as materialistic and self-righteous. Overall the Jews are portrayed as somewhat arrogant, heinous, greedy, devious people who used and took advantage of those beneath them at every opportunity, as they advanced themselves.
The era of Jesus was a time when women had few rights, it was a time when men were deemed far more worthy than women, it was a time when patriarchs were in charge, it was a time when slavery existed, and it was a time when daughters could be sold to the highest bidder. It was a time when some of the rules were really very barbaric, and it was a time when the Romans ruled, but a reader might be hard pressed to believe that anyone but the Jews were in control, after reading this novel.
The author has written a treatise on the rights of women, or lack thereof, in ancient times, and perhaps insinuating today, as well. At one point in the dialogue of the book, Jesus comforts Ana and says that “G-d is like a mother hen, she will gather us”. It clearly indicates Kidd’s desire to include females in her narrative, possibly even elevating them to an even greater stature than males.
Perhaps I look too deeply, but I found the book hard to read and only finished it because Kidd is a gifted writer who tells a good story. I found the book a little too melodramatic, too emotional, and too filled with platitudes, but that is a fault I find with many female authors. Their feelings often overcome their intellect in their writings. Their political beliefs take center stage as an underlying motive for their books as become their Speakers’ Corners.
The Book of Longings, yea, longing for it to end. Here are just a few reasons why I disliked this book.
1) Ana is a self-righteous, self-absorbed brat and I couldn't stand being trapped in her head when she goes on and on about ink and paper and struggling to find her true meaning. Ugh!
2) The book is sprinkled with popular biblical stories, for example the Good Samaritan and "...be the first to throw a stone...", and guess who is at the center of all of them, yup, surprise, Ana. Why? Was this really necessary? It became predictable.
3) Sweet baby Jesus, the best pet name you can come up with for your petty and selfish wife is "little thunder?" I wanted to gag myself with a spork every time this epithet was used. What did Ana do to earn this? Thunderous she was not, unless you have to sit in her head for 13 hours wondering what else she will pawn for paper and ink instead of, oh you know, help feed the family? It gave me a thunderous headache that's for sure.
4) Yaltha - Total Carole Baskin.
5) Jesus is cool with birth control? That had what little Catholic remains in me laughing but also shaking my head because I believe it was meant to demonstrate Ana's ambition but seems to me everyone was doing it.
5) My main complaint is that Ana doesn't develop. We meet her when she's 11, then, I don't know, five pages later she's 14 and not much changes. She gets married - to the messiah - learns to milk a goat, gets baptized, parents die, flees country, husband is crucified, etc etc and, to me, she still sounds like the 14 year old.
I appreciate the author's research and her explanation for the book. Sorry it was not for me.
Ancient history told from a woman’s point of view—well researched—humanizes Jesus
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