The Secret Life of Bees Audiobook By Sue Monk Kidd cover art

The Secret Life of Bees

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The Secret Life of Bees

By: Sue Monk Kidd
Narrated by: Jenna Lamia
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An intoxicating debut novel of "one motherless daughter's discovery of...the strange and wonderful places we find love" —The Washington PostSue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina—a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love—a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.©2003 Sue Monk Kidd; (P)2008 Penguin African American Coming of Age Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Feel-Good

Critic reviews

"Sue Monk Kidd is an extraordinary storyteller. Beautifully written." Ursula Hegi

"A wonderful novel about mothers and daughters and the transcendent power of love." Connie May fowler

"With imagination as lush and colorful as the American South, a clutch of deliciously eccentric characters and vivid prose, Sue Monk Kidd creates a rich, maternal haven in a harsh world." Christina Schwarz

Featured Article: 25+ Quotes About the Power of Kindness


Kindness is the quality of being considerate, compassionate, generous, gentle, and caring towards others without expecting anything in return. Often described as a virtue, kindness is also a strength—in fact, it may be one of humanity's greatest superpowers. Whenever you need a little encouragement or gentle reminder, turn to these quotes from authors who understand the power of kindness and express it quite remarkably.

Powerful Storytelling • Rich Character Development • Perfect Southern Accent • Emotional Depth • Meaningful Themes

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This is a great book. It is a wonderful story and I love the way the narrator reads it. The movie is really good, and I saw it first, but the book is so much better - as is usually the case.

Good book

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This audio book is delightful and inspiring. I enjoyed the gentle rhythm of the book. This is a presentation of powerful women who live a life of integrity and wisdom.

The Secret Life of Bees

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This is a lovely story, the color of golden honey. I actually listened to the whole thing in one day. A beautiful, fistful of unconditional love. I highly recommend it, especially if you're home alone.

"All those Mommas..."

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We all have secret lives - but there is a universality of humanity that makes us all the same. Their is a beautiful poignancy about this book that takes me back to haunt my own childhood. The narrator does such an exquisite job that it genuinely feels as if Lily is telling her own story with the beautiful simplicity of a 14 year old girl struggling to survive in an all too common reality.

Secret Lives

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Listened to this book prior to watching the movie. I loved it! Loved Lily's character and the entertainment of the Boatwright sisters. I'm a sucker for southern pre WWII stories. Wonderful depiction of a summer in the south.

LOVE Jenna Lamia

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