Firstlight: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd [Hardcover]

Sue Monk Kidd (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 10, 2006

"At the core of personal spiritual writing is a hungering for wholeness, for self, for meaning. The question of 'Who am I?' reverberates quietly in these pages as does a willingness to be known." - Sue Monk Kidd. In every life there are defining moments when one's heart begins to open, when the realisation of who one is begins to dawn. These moments may be huge - or they may be small and subtle. But each leaves a person forever changed. In "Firstlight", best selling author Sue Monk Kidd invites readers to accompany her as she reveals many of her own 'firsts' - an invitation she hopes will help point readers to their own moments of awakening. The stories and essays within are drawn from the author's early writings for both "Guideposts" and, to a lesser extent, for other publications. They are loosely gathered around thirteen spiritual motifs, and offer an intimate glimpse into the early years of Monk Kidd's journey as a writer and as a spiritual seeker. Included are reflections on the author's multiple roles as mother, daughter, wife, nurse, and writer. There are recollections about her year in Africa, meditations on her childhood, reflections on her marriage, and musings on a stream of ordinary moments - all of which add richness and meaning to the author's spiritual journey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Most readers know Kidd for her blockbuster novels, The Secret Life of Bees and The Mermaid Chair. Yet this nurse-turned-writer was known in traditional Christian circles for years for her inspirational essays and nonfiction spiritual memoirs (When the Heart Waits) until she turned to a more nontraditional feminine spirituality (The Dance of the Dissident Daughter). In the introduction, Kidd admits it was difficult to go back and reread her earlier work with an eye to publication. But "[a] significant portion of my life can be understood as spiritual quest and the articulation of that experience." Gleaned from Guideposts (for which she wrote for a dozen years), Weavings and other publications, these essays point to Kidd's desire to pay attention to her soul, a "repository of the inner Divine, the truest part of us," from which so much of her writing sprang. The subjects have universal appeal: a child sharing a red scarf with a homeless man; the need for solitude; fishing with her grandfather; the joy and pain of sending a child to college. Most of the essays have a point, which is neatly explained. Kidd's lovely prose, passion for the spiritual life and early instincts for telling a compelling story should help this book attract a wide readership. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Before her phenomenal success with the novels The Secret Life of Bees (2001) and The Mermaid Chair (2005), Kidd wrote inspirational stories, spiritual meditations, and personal essays for Guideposts, an interfaith magazine founded by Norman Vincent Peale. Firstlight collects these early writings for the first time. In the introduction, Kidd recalls with quiet amusement the day in 1978--her thirtieth birthday--when she calmly announced to her husband and two children that she was going to be a writer. In hindsight, she refers to this as her moment of "great absurdity . . . a hope so extravagant it seems completely foolish and implausible." Studying nursing at the time, she knew nothing about creative writing or whether she could write. To prove her seriousness, she enrolled in a writing class, and to her amazement, her first assignment was accepted by Guideposts. The pieces collected here are thoughtful, moving, often luminous meditations on faith, family, death, and love; on compassion, solitude, and grace. Fans of Kidd's novels and of inspirational writing will appreciate them. June Sawyers
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: GuidepostsBooks (October 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824947061
• ISBN-13: 978-0824947064
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #717,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Sue Monk Kidd's first novel, The Secret Life of Bees, spent more than one hundred weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has sold nearly six million copies, and was chosen as the 2004 BookSense Paperback Book of the Year and Good Morning America's "Read This!" Book Club pick. It was adapted into an award-winning movie in 2008. Her second novel, The Mermaid Chair, a #1 New York Times bestseller, won the 2005 Quill Book Award for Best General Fiction and was adapted into a television movie. Her novels have been published in more than thirty countries. She is also the author of several acclaimed memoirs and the recipient of many awards, including a Poets & Writers Award. She lives near Charleston, South Carolina.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful sampler from a gifted author, October 18, 2006

By 

C. L. Ferle (Midwest Reader and Writer) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Firstlight: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd (Hardcover)

Having admired Sue Monk Kidd's nonfiction for years, I was thrilled at the chance to dip into her early essays -- and wasn't disappointed. This nicely arranged collection reveals Sue's gift for illuminating the sacred in life's most ordinary moments while it offers a tender glimpse into her early vocations as wife, mother, and nurse. Also included are pieces hinting at Kidd's spiritual struggles and epiphanies, which she expanded upon later in WHEN THE HEART WAITS and DANCE OF THE DISSIDENT DAUGHTER. This book is a lovely gift to all of us who've admired the work of this beloved author. It can be read and savored a little at a time, and will serve as a reminder to pause and appreciate the beauty in our own lives. -- Cindy La Ferle, author of WRITING HOME.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finding spirituality in everyday life..., November 7, 2006

By 

Leslie C "Lesc71" (Northwest Georgia, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Firstlight: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd (Hardcover)

Kidd's early writings are a sweet read. While there is nothing earth- shatteringly new in this book, it is still a lovely book of personal stories by the author that the reader can savor, one story at a time. The book serves as a reminder that we can each find joy, love, peace and spirituality in all things in life.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Insight to Spiritual Life, November 7, 2006

By 

BookManBookWoman TV REVIEWS "Saralee Terry Woods" (Nashville, Tn United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Firstlight: The Early Inspirational Writings of Sue Monk Kidd (Hardcover)

Fans of the author of The Secret Life of Bees will love this book. A great insight into Kidd as she shares her early writings and musings about her spiritual life.