The Invention of Wings: A Novel (Original Publisher's Edition-No Annotations)

The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd is a masterpiece of hope, daring, and the quest for freedom.

Set in early 19th century Charleston, this sweeping novel follows two unforgettable American women as they strive for a life of their own.

Hetty "Handful" Grimke, an enslaved woman, yearns for life beyond the suffocating walls that enclose her within the wealthy Grimke household.

The Grimke's daughter, Sarah, is determined to do something large in the world but is hemmed in by the limits imposed on women.

Through their remarkable journeys over thirty-five years, these two women shape each other's destinies and form a complex relationship marked by guilt, defiance, estrangement, and the uneasy ways of love.

As the stories build to a riveting climax, Handful endures loss and sorrow, finding courage and a sense of self in the process.

Sarah experiences crushed hopes, betrayal, unrequited love, and ostracism before leaving Charleston to find her place alongside her fearless younger sister, Angelina, as one of the early pioneers in the abolition and women's rights movements.

Inspired by the historical figure of Sarah Grimke, Kidd goes beyond the record to flesh out the rich interior lives of all of her characters, both real and invented.

Don't miss this unforgettable novel that will leave you inspired and moved.