The Secret Life of Bees

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It's a hit!

Sue Monk Kidd - Quotes from The Secret life of Bees
Bee yard etiquette: ... the world is really one big bee yard, and the same rules work fine in ... (show more)

Sue Monk Kidd - Quotes from The Secret life of Bees
Bee yard etiquette: ... the world is really one big bee yard, and the same rules work fine in both places: Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and long pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates, while whistling melts a bee's temper. Act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't. Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved.

... women make the best beekeepers, 'cause they have a special ability built into them to love creatures that sting. It comes from years of loving children and husbands.

... some things don't matter much. Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart--now, that matters. The whole problem with people is ... they know what matters, but they don't choose it... The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters.

Where had I been that I didn't know about imaginary friends? I could see the point of it. How a lost part of yourself steps out and remind you who you could be with a little work.

... when it's time to die, die, and when it's time to live, live. Don't sort-of-maybe live, but live like you're going all out, like you're not afraid (of dying).

I am enough. We are enough. There is nothing perfect. There is only life. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook-gebruiker

No, it's a flop!

I had high hopes for this book; to say it was disappointing would be a huge understatement.

Books narrated by children are often tricky and unfor... (show more)

I had high hopes for this book; to say it was disappointing would be a huge understatement.

Books narrated by children are often tricky and unfortunately the author did the story a huge disservice in telling it from the perspective of a 14 year old. The child in question, Lily, is annoying and unsympathetic despite her difficult upbringing. None of the characters are fully formed, her father is one dimensional and a cartoon baddie.

Although there is some back story to some of the characters, one never really knows what drives them, why do they behave the way they do? What motivates them? The author rarely scratches below the surface.

There have been better books written about this period of time and the beginning of the civil rights movement and general character driven novels. The pace is sluggish, nothing really happens and one never feels connected to any of the characters.

It has an interesting premise but it doesn't reach it's full potential. If you are a bee lover then i wholeheartedly recommend this book. It has a LOT about bees, you'll learn more that you ever wanted to know. Otherwise, steer clear! (show less)

 

 

by Facebook-gebruiker

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  Secret Life of Bees was a truly wonderful book and a very engaging read. The characters were so well-developed that I honestly felt like I knew them -- especially the Boatwright sisters. I actually wished I could visit the pink house, taste May's cooking, ask August to show me how to tend bees, and listen to June's cello music in person.

  I also found Sue Monk Kidd's writing style to be absolutely beautiful... a treat in and off itself. It was poetic and descriptive without being cloying or... (show more)

  Secret Life of Bees was a truly wonderful book and a very engaging read. The characters were so well-developed that I honestly felt like I knew them -- especially the Boatwright sisters. I actually wished I could visit the pink house, taste May's cooking, ask August to show me how to tend bees, and listen to June's cello music in person.

  I also found Sue Monk Kidd's writing style to be absolutely beautiful... a treat in and off itself. It was poetic and descriptive without being cloying or overly flowery in any way -- a perfect balance. I also really enjoyed her use of symbolism and metaphor throughout the book, plot, and all of the characters, as well as the way these elements were introduced subtly. That's something I don't see in enough novels anymore, so I was truly thrilled to find it in this book.

  I love a novel that gives me plenty to think about and reflect upon long after I've put it down, and Secret Life of Bees did that and then some. It also introduced me to many things that I had not really considered before... the history of the Black Madonna, the art of beekeeping, and the specifics of what life was really like in the South during the 60's.

  This novel gets a rare and very well-deserved 5-star rating from me. I'll very definitely be looking for more of Sue Monk Kidd's work the next time I'm at the library as well. This is a novel that absolutely anyone would enjoy... especially if you know what it is to really feel like you're on a journey to discover yourself, what's important, and how that fits in to where you come from. (show less)

   

   

  by Shannon Bagley Hilson on Jun 09, 2009 at 10:56PM

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  I teach in South Carolina, and we used this book as one of our summer reading books for years. Beautifully written, the book catches students up in the voices and settings of their own lives. The central story about civil rights - a story not well known by my students - takes them beyond what they know to a new understanding of race relations in their own state.

  The white teenage protagonist allows my mostly white students to identify with a central character while entering into a racial... (show more)

  I teach in South Carolina, and we used this book as one of our summer reading books for years. Beautifully written, the book catches students up in the voices and settings of their own lives. The central story about civil rights - a story not well known by my students - takes them beyond what they know to a new understanding of race relations in their own state.

  The white teenage protagonist allows my mostly white students to identify with a central character while entering into a racial world they find unfamiliar. The varied and complex characterization of southern African American culture allows my black students access to a history they also find distant. All in all - it works successfully i the classroom.

  I attended a writing workshop with the author, and I can say that I was impressed her and her description of her writing process. She started the book with a collage -- and then used those images to build out the novel. Nicely done. (show less)

   

  by Amy Hudock on Jun 07, 2009 at 02:02PM

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